KENT COUNTY, Del. 鈥� The Kent County Levy Court unanimously voted to double sign-on bonuses for paramedics, raising the maximum from $5,000 to $10,000.
Public Safety Director John Tinger told the larger incentives will help the county compete with other jurisdictions and attract experienced medics to fill numerous vacancies.
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鈥淲ith 11 open vacancies right now, the most attractive employee candidate would be a certified paramedic coming from out of state,鈥� Tinger said. 鈥淭hose are the ones that we could probably get out into the field within about three months.鈥�
Under the plan, Kent County would pay sign-on bonuses in installments over a three-year period instead of a lump sum. Some commissioners worry about 鈥榖onus hopping鈥� where paramedics could sign on, work a year, then jump to another jurisdiction offering a bonus, such as New Castle County.
The court also raised paramedic trainee schedules from 35 to 40 hours a week to match DelTech鈥檚 EMS program, and shifted contingency funds from the Harrington station to cover about $36,000 in overruns at the Frederica station caused by recycled-concrete soil stabilization.
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How should EMS agencies recruit experienced paramedics, EMTs while discouraging 鈥渂onus hopping鈥�?
