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County approves EMS sign‑on bonuses and adds fire rescue positions to absorb nonprofit departments
Summary
Council approved an EMS recruitment and referral bonus program including a $5,000 sign‑on bonus for nationally registered paramedics and approved adding multiple Fire Rescue positions to absorb nonprofit departments into county service.
The council approved an internal EMS recruitment and referral bonus program proposed by the EMS chief that includes a $5,000 sign‑on bonus for nationally registered paramedics with at least one year of field experience, paid in benchmarks with clawback provisions if the employee leaves within 24 months. The program also provides a $350 one‑time recruitment bonus to county employees who recruit a certified paramedic. Staff said the program requires no additional funding initially and would be paid from salary savings.
Council also approved the addition of multiple Fire Rescue positions — five captain positions (grade 29), six lieutenant positions (grade 28), driver and firefighter roles, and part‑time positions — to integrate nonprofit department staff into Florence County Fire Rescue. Staff said positions will be funded from Fund 37 and will be budget neutral for the county overall as employees transition to county payroll.
