** Baltimore paramedics rack up fortunes in overtime pay
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Baltimore paramedics in Maryland are apparently racking up the overtime dollars with new fire
department figures showing 24 practitioners earned $1.9 million combined in overtime last year.
According to the Baltimore Sun (Luke Broadwater/October 22) the main fuel for the overwork is
chronic understaffing. In 2014, for example, almost 1/5 of the 232 paramedic positions in the city
were unfilled. A new contract clause requiring firefighters to work more weekly hours has also
overburdened EMS. Some 40 per cent of EMS positions were covered by firefighters prior to the
new dictate. Pundits have criticized the department for allowing a handful of EMS practitioners to
work sometimes 2,000 hours of overtime yearly due to the burnout factor. City Councilman Warren
Branch said it looks bad for the city when a paramedic earns more than top bureaucrats. He and
others are now pushing for a hiring spree. A spokesman for the city said increasing paramedics is a
priority.
