WATER WORKS Confer 1,400 Degrees Saturday
Thursday Herald-Citizen The Daily Newspaper of the Upper Cumberland 114th Year — No. 90 Cookeville, Tennessee, May 5, 2016 16 Pages — 2 Sections • 50¢ Weather Putnam looks for solutions to EMT shortage Tonight Tomorrow By LINdSaY McrEYNOLdS “We’re kind of in an odd position,” Put- elsewhere, according to Copeland. The less desirable. HERALD-CITIZEN Staff nam Emergency Medical Services Direc- county currently has 94 employees in Those interested in starting a career in tor Tommy Copeland told the EMS. emergency medical services must begin at PUTNAM COUNTY — An increase in Herald-Citizen. “We’re asking for eight “The pay is decent, but you can go other the lowest level, or “Basic” EMT, which the cost of training. Extreme demands of people (this year), but we also have a places and get similar compensation,” requires a semester-long training consist- 45º 71º the job. High volume of calls. shortage of people.” Copeland said. ing of four hours of classes, three nights a Those are all reasons Putnam emergency Putnam EMS usually hires 10 to 15 part- Putnam pays full-time EMTs beginning week. Complete forecast, Page 2 medical officials give for a decrease in the time emergency medical technicians or at $26,500 and full-time paramedics at The next level is advanced EMT, which number of people interested in joining the EMTs in a year, but within this past year, $32,500, but the increased cost of training requires four hours a night, four nights a emergency medical services field, and the the department has hired only five, and in recent years is one of the reasons emer- shortage appears to be getting worse.
[Show full text]