Corpus Christi FF's don't want Paramedic Promotion

December 30, 2001

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Adame/Caller-Times

Esther , pregnant with her first child, is rolled

into the back of an EMS unit from Fire Station No. 10 Friday afternoon after her

SUV was hit by a minivan. She was uninjured but transported to Christus Spohn

Hospital Memorial as a precaution.

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Firefighters leery of promotion

Although workload increases, benefits and salary don't

By Moreno

It might be a promotion, but lately few in the Corpus Christi

Fire Department want it.

For the sixth time this year, the city tried to give a

promotional test for the firefighter II-paramedic rank and although there were

14 openings, only one firefighter signed up.

And those who have earned the promotion are often giving it

back after five years, the length of time they're required to keep it to qualify

for promotions to captain and firefighter II-engineer, forcing less experienced

firefighters to answer the city's medical emergencies.

The cause of the mass disinterest among firefighters in the

rank of firefighter II-paramedic is that while the promotion greatly increases

the workload, it doesn't do the same for the salary and benefits, said

firefighters and union officials.

" I think there are several factors that play into people not

registering, including wages and call volume, " said , president of

the Corpus Christi Firefighters Association.

" If we had more ambulances and more incentives the position

would be more attractive to people. "

A firefighter II-paramedic is primarily responsible for

working on an ambulance but also works shifts on the fire truck.

The rank also allows firefighters to act as fire truck

engineer, or driver and captain. And a firefighter has to earn the rank before

being promoted to captain or firefighter II-engineer.

A firefighter I is the lowest rank other than trainee and is

assigned primarily to working on a fire truck.

But with the current shortage in firefighter II-paramedics,

more firefighter Is, usually the rookies, have to ride the box, or ambulance. On

Friday, half of the 14 firefighters on the city's ambulances were firefighter

Is.

Assistant Fire Chief Eloy Ceballos said his shift is short

five firefighter II-paramedics. The recently graduated firefighters have kept

the ambulances staffed, he said.

" We depend on the rookies, the guys who just got out, " he

said. " Without those rookies, I'd have about three that I could use on the

medics besides the regular guys. "

A newly promoted firefighter II-paramedic earns $3,147 a month

and tops out at $3,282 a month after 2 1/2 years, while the most a firefighter I

can make is $3113 a month, according to the firefighters' latest contract with

the city.

Firefighters who are certified paramedics also get $75 a month

as compensation for their certification. Firefighter II-paramedics also get $50

a month for riding the ambulance.

The pay for riding the ambulance increases to $100 a month

after five years and $150 a month after 10 years.

Still, that's not enough to incite firefighters to seek a

promotion.

" Nobody wants it, " said Firefighter II-Paramedic Krupa,

who is thinking of taking a demotion in a year to get off the ambulance.

The city first tried to give the promotional test for the

latest batch of firefighter II-paramedic openings in March. Then there were six

openings and five firefighters signed up.

But because civil service rules require three firefighters to

sign up for every opening, the test was cancelled, said Joann Espinoza of the

city's human resources department.

Since then, the city has offered the promotional test five

more times and the openings have increased while interest has decreased.

At Fire Station No. 10 where Krupa works, in a typical day

paramedics will answer 15 to 18 calls, with most calls keeping the firefighters

on the street for an hour.

The firefighters on the fire truck there, meanwhile, will

answer roughly as many calls.

On Tuesday, Krupa said the ambulance had fewer calls, only 13,

but five came after midnight meaning he and his partner got about two hours of

sleep.

So although taking the demotion will mean roughly the loss of

$219 a month, Krupa said it is worth it.

With him will go nearly six years of ambulance experience -

experience that has made him more efficient in treating patients, he said.

" If you've seen (the patients) so many times, you know they

have a back problem, or that they're a dialysis patient, " Krupa said.

" Experience counts for something. "

Another reason why firefighter Is are reluctant to seek

promotions is because they can make more money riding the ambulance as

firefighter Is than as firefighter II-paramedics.

A firefighter I earns $18 extra each shift worked on an

ambulance and $50 more a month if he or she works two shifts on the ambulance in

a month.

" Why should they promote when they're already on the

ambulance? " said Firefighter I Matt Bitoni.

" They make more money if they don't promote and act. "

said firefighters are seeking higher incentive pay for

riding the ambulance in the current contract negotiations.

Firefighters are seeking a six-percent pay increase package on

a one-year contract. But the negotiations with the city have stalled.

" There's just not enough incentive to want to ride on the

ambulance, " said.

" We're trying to fix it with the contract. "

Contact Moreno at 886-3774 or morenom@...

December 30, 2001

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