First responders are sounding the alarm about a staffing shortage at Boston EMS that they say is so severe, it is putting public safety at risk.
The union representing Boston EMS said the latest example happened on Sunday. They had to shut down one of the ambulances stationed at Beth Israel for eight hours because there were no paramedics available to work on it. The ambulance covers Fenway, Back Bay, Allston and Brighton.
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“It’s very concerning to us. We are very understaffed,” Nicholas Mutter, the secretary of the union said.
Boston city councilor Erin Murphy said she is getting calls daily from people who say they are waiting too long for EMS to arrive.
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“Just yesterday, I got a call that someone collapsed at a gym in Dorchester and the response took longer than it should have,” Murphy said. “This is a public safety issue.”
With at least 50 openings, the union is pushing for the city to get rid of the residency requirement for their employees. Their new contract puts a three-year moratorium on the 10-year requirement, but they want it to be removed altogether.
NBC10 Boston asked Boston Mayor Michelle Wu if she would consider getting rid of it.
“I’m not there yet,” Wu said. “We know our talent is right here in Boston so we’re going to do what it takes to connect them to those opportunities.”
Wu said she is focused on increasing resources and improving recruitment. Those working on the front lines worry that will not be enough.
“We’re very much for city jobs for city kids. The problem is city kids don’t want to be EMTs and paramedics,” Mutter said.
Since they are required to live in the city, the union is also pushing to increase pay for Boston EMS employees so they can afford to do so.
Boston EMS released a statement on Wednesday noting that shutting down frontline ambulances is considered "a last resort." Here is the full statement:
As a public safety service, Boston EMS operates 24/7, 365 days a year. We strive to ensure ambulances, which either require two paramedics or two EMTs, are fully staffed for all shifts. An opening in an ambulance can be created by discretionary time off, illnesses or injuries. To account for such absences, whether planned or not, each shift has a subset of members not assigned to an ambulance, who fill in, when others are out. If this pool of additional personnel is insufficient, the department relies on overtime to fill vacancies. Shutting down a frontline ambulance is a last resort. If it does happen, Boston EMS works to fill the next shift early, as occurred on Sunday (reducing the time the unit is out of service). Additionally, the service adapts ambulance deployment to ensure coverage for all sections of the city. Response times were likely not impacted as Basic Life Support ambulances are typically deployed in conjunction with Advanced Life Support units, and able to initiate the provision of lifesaving care.
The department is currently hiring EMTs and appreciate any efforts to help us get the word out. Here is a link for interested individuals to apply.
