By Mark Zaretsky
New Haven Register
NEW HAVEN, Conn. 鈥� A national shortage of paramedics is deeply affecting the New Haven Fire Department, which, with 53 vacancies among more than 300 budgeted firefighter positions, is down to about one-third of its normal complement of paramedics, Fire Chief John Alston said.
鈥淣ormally, we would have about 48 to 50 paramedics,鈥� Alston said Wednesday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e down to about 15.鈥�
With regard to overall staff, 鈥淚t鈥檚 never been this low in my tenure,鈥� Alston recently told the Board of Alders鈥� Finance Committee, referring to the 53 vacancies.
The vacancies have resulted in overtime spending climbing, but beyond that, Alston worries about firefighters鈥� mental health as they鈥檙e called upon to work extra shifts, he said.
In addition, the shortage of paramedics nationwide has created a situation in which fire departments across Connecticut and beyond are recruiting each other鈥檚 trained staff, officials said.
鈥淢uch like the (police department) with officers, fire departments everywhere are poaching each other鈥檚 paramedics,鈥� Assistant Chief of Operations Daniel Coughlin told the alders.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a hot commodity,鈥� Coughlin said. 鈥淚t is very expensive to go to paramedic school. There鈥檚 a lot of personal cost. There is a lot of personal time. Unfortunately, for the New Haven Fire Department and the City of New Haven, we鈥檙e battling uphill just like every municipality across the country. There is a national shortage of paramedics.鈥�
Alston said, however, that at no time has the shortage put the Fire Department in a position where there鈥檚 no paramedic coverage.
鈥淚f all of my paramedics are on a call, then AMR comes in鈥� to cover for Fire Department paramedics, Alston said.
He said that if the Fire Department ever gets into a tough spot, it also can rely on 鈥渢he oldest agreement鈥� it has to seek additional manpower: mutual aid from neighboring departments.
One remedy that New Haven, like many fire departments, has turned to is lateral hirings of fully-trained, certified firefighter paramedics who either work for or are retired from other fire departments, according to Alston and Mayor Justin Elicker.
鈥淟ateral paramedics was a good move or a good answer for us, and we were able to get that in place,鈥� said Alston. Five new paramedics are going through the fire academy as part of that effort, he said.
Changing the rules to smooth the way for more lateral hires 鈥渋s something different that we鈥檝e done in both the Police Department and the Fire Department,鈥� said Elicker.
The Fire Department is required to have a minimum of three paramedics on a shift, or 12 over the course of each day鈥檚 four shift, Alston said.
If it runs short, 鈥渨e have to hold people on or order people in,鈥� said Alston.
鈥淢ost of them do not mind ... but it鈥檚 a two-edged sword,鈥� and the added hours people are working can create other difficulties, Alston said.
Under the Fire Department鈥檚 union contract, it must have a minimum of 72 people during each of the day鈥檚 four shifts, Alston said.
But without overtime, it currently is staffed to have numbers in the 50s, said Coughlin.
Often, when overtime is required, it鈥檚 the older 鈥� and higher-paid 鈥� firefighters who work those extra shifts, said Alston.
鈥淭he younger firefighters that we鈥檙e bringing in now are seeking a work-life balance,鈥� Alston said. 鈥淪o, the firefighters who are working the overtime are our senior firefighters who we pay the highest rates.鈥�
Mayor Elicker鈥檚 proposed budget would increase the Fire Department鈥檚 budget by slightly more than $400,000, from about $39.9 million to about $40.35 million, officials told the Finance Committee.
That would include slightly more than $400,000 in additional overtime, most of which would be covered by a one-time infusion of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, which will soon be phased out, according to their presentation to the alders.
But beyond the current year, there鈥檚 an answer for the overtime issues.
鈥樷�淪o what I need are more bodies,鈥� Alston said Wednesday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what will bring my overtime back into balance.鈥�
Elicker said that what鈥檚 happening with paramedics in New Haven is 鈥渟omething that cities around the nation are going through right now.
鈥淲ith the number that we currently have, it increases our overtime budget,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for us to fill these positions,鈥� Elicker said. 鈥淚f we lose any more, we鈥檒l have real challenges.鈥�
鈥淭he men and women who are in these positions are working long hours under difficult conditions,鈥� Elicker said. 鈥淲e want them to be healthy. We want our residents to get the best services possible.鈥�
To get more paramedics working, one of the things the department is doing is working with the Yale New Haven Center for EMS, which has an accelerated paramedic program, said Alston.
鈥淭he cost for a paramedic program used to be about $20,000 to $30,000,鈥� Alston said. 鈥淣ow the accelerated one-year program is at $11,000. So, we look to our firefighters who are already on the job to go to paramedic school,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the ways we鈥檙e going to 鈥榞row our own鈥� paramedics.鈥�
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