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EMS
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has been seeing staffing shortages since the pandemic, due to a combination of low pay, difficult working conditions and recruitment from other health care sectors. The vacancy rate has been improving – in July 2022…
At its meeting Tuesday, June 4, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to earmark up to $400,000 toward providing better emergency medical services to areas of the county outside of Austin. In a presentation to commissioners, Travis County’s executive…
With 911 call volumes still near pandemic records and EMS staff shortages limiting ambulance availability, the Travis County Commissioners Court agreed to spend more for ambulance alternatives. Commissioners voted Tuesday to increase the county’s share in the 2024 interlocal agreement…
The city and the Austin Emergency Medical Services Association have reached a tentative labor agreement that moves the needle on medic salaries. The city announced Monday that both sides have agreed to a deal that, if approved, would give current…
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Although Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services continues to deal with a backlog of unpaid bills for emergency transport, Chief Robert Luckritz says the department has made significant improvements in its billing and collections process. As a result, Luckritz told the City…
After a presentation comparing first responder salaries and benefits, and a direct plea from an Austin-Travis County EMS medic, the city’s Public Safety Commission is recommending the city take another look at closing the compensation gap between paramedics and the…
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Two Travis County programs are proving successful at reducing opioid overdoses and connecting people in need with treatment at a time when deaths from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are on the rise nationally. Last week, the Public Safety Commission…
Austin-Travis County’s emergency medical personnel are getting a raise. The city of Austin reached a deal with EMS negotiators late last month, and City Council unanimously approved the one-year contract with medics on Thursday. The deal is a stopgap, but it…
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The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what…
With a projected budget deficit by Fiscal Year 2027, any news about increasing collections from those who owe the city of Austin money, including the state of Texas, is good news for City Council. Robert Luckritz, who recently joined the…
Twenty-six Emergency Medical Services employees have quit their city jobs so far this year, and according to Austin-Travis County EMS Association President Selena Xie, that’s double the number of separations in 2020 and 2021. She added that, in all of…
With 124 vacancies that need filling to round out the medic force, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services is applying a variety of methods to try to close the gaps, interim Chief Jasper Brown told the City Council Public Safety Committee…
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