Local leaders asking State for help with paramedic shortage

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) – Hospitals and their staffing challenges are well documented. But local EMS leaders are hoping to get help from the state for the problems they face in getting paramedics and EMT’s…who are the first step in the health care chain.

“The why is we literally have people dying out there right now” said Prestonsburg Mayor, Les Stapleton.

The problems are like those facing other arms of the health care industry…money and training.
According to EMS leaders, during the last four years, Kentucky schools graduated 448 paramedics. That’s four per county, which they say is hardly enough to meet demand.

And when Cities, Towns and ambulance services are competing with hospitals paying $15,000 signing bonuses, the playing field is anything but level.

Stapleton says help is needed.

“We’ve got to figure out some way of getting through that..the governor just declared an emergency and he brought two strike teams for transport in, I’m going to submit to you right now that in rural Kentucky right now it’s been an emergency like that for the last ten years, we need some help we need some oversight and we’ve got to find some way of solving this problem.”

EMS leaders are pushing for the state to revamp training requirements and streamline licensing while not cutting quality. Better career paths need to be outlined. Retirement incentives, chances for advancement and say alternative schedules would help.

“You can have the best equipment, you can have the best ambulances but if you don’t have the people on the trucks to roll them they don’t do much good sitting in the bay” said Edmonson County EMS Director, Keith Sanders.

“What we are seeking is an assessment of Kentucky’s current education infrastructure to see if our current system of training and certifying paramedic is truly serving our needs capable of keeping up with our demand and working for the overall safety of the public” added Mike Heilman, Anchorage Assistant Fire Chief.

The local leaders made their case this week to the Legislature’s Interim Committee on Local Government.