Solution to Port EMS staffing crisis is in sight

Port Washington will likely be able to fill its two full-time firefighter-paramedic positions in the coming weeks, Fire Chief Mark Mitchell said last week.

And that, he said, should allow the department to staff its ambulances much of the time, with part-time people filling in the gaps in the schedule.

Staffing issues have plagued the ambulance service since at least last fall, with the department having to depend on neighboring communities to cover when it doesn’t have enough people to staff the ambulance.

The city, which approved funding for a full-time firefighter-paramedic several years ago, was authorized to hire a second one in December. However, it has struggled to fill these positions — at least, until now.

Three people applied for the two positions by the Friday, March 12, deadline, Mitchell said.

Two of the applicants are already paramedics, one of whom works with the Port Fire Department and is a respiratory therapist, Mitchell said, while the other works with several area departments.

The third candidate won’t be a certified paramedic until May. Mitchell said, and will likely not be considered for the job.

With two qualified candidates for the two positions, Mitchell said he may ask the Police and Fire Commission to change the hiring protocol for the job, eliminating the assessment center and written test.

The candidates would, however, still be interviewed by the Police and Fire Commission.

That would significantly shorten the timeline for the positions. Mitchell told the commission earlier this month that he hoped to get the paramedics on board in the next two or three weeks.

Commission members are likely to meet quickly to interview the candidates, since they told Mitchell they would be willing to hold a special meeting to accommodate the appointments.

“We need to get this on the fast track,” commission member Jim Biever said.

Mitchell noted there is stiff competition for firefighter-paramedics in the area.

“A lot of people are hiring now,” Mitchell said. “There is competition. Unfortunately, our starting salary isn’t where some of them are.”

The starting salary for the Port position is $50,000.

The Port Police Department is also seeking applicants for a new officer, and Chief Kevin Hingiss told the Police and Fire Commission on March 8 that the department has received about 20 applications for the job, which opened up due to a promotion in the department. The deadline for applications is March 19.

“We’re hoping that number will go up a bit,” Hingiss said, noting that a quick look at the applications shows “a decent percentage” don’t meet all the requirements. 

Not that many years ago, he said, the department would receive hundreds of applications for each opening.

“I’m optimistic,” Hingiss said. “All it takes is the right person.”

Applicants will take a written test on March 27, after which the command staff will trim the list of potential officers. The command staff is expected to interview the potential officers during the second week of April, then the commission will interview them during the week of April 19, he said.