REMARKS
Staffing challenges for ambulance services
1:23:24
·
4 min
Chief Michael Fields elaborates on the staffing challenges faced by FDNY's ambulance services, including the complexities of scheduling and maintaining adequate staffing levels.
- A 24-hour ambulance requires 8 people for full staffing over a 7-day week
- Staffing models must account for vacations and sick leave
- The department is working with analytical staff to determine optimal staffing numbers
- Current challenges include a 6.4% sick leave rate and fluctuations due to promotions and training
- FDNY faces both recruitment and retention problems in EMS ranks
Michael Fields
1:23:24
that that can be day to day.
1:23:25
And, yes, there there there are days in which we may struggle with staffing.
1:23:30
Currently, we're trying to improve our staffing model, so to run an ambulance for a 24 hour day if it's a 12 hour vehicle, that means that you need a total of eight people for the remodel.
1:23:42
No.
1:23:42
No.
1:23:42
No.
1:23:42
Full tour.
1:23:43
8 eight people.
1:23:44
Right?
Gale Brewer
1:23:44
8 people.
1:23:45
Yep.
Michael Fields
1:23:45
So to staff that particular ambulance for a 7 day week, you need 8.
1:23:49
For that particular day, you're gonna need 4.
1:23:53
But with a staffing model, we have to take into consideration that people are gonna be on vacation and people will gonna get sick.
1:24:00
So for that particular ambulance, you may want to up what you require to be staffing.
1:24:04
So we're working with our analytical staff to see what's the best number so that we can ensure that we're running a higher percentage of ambulances.
Gale Brewer
1:24:14
Okay.
1:24:15
So you don't you're not gonna give me a number as to how many are out every day from No.
1:24:20
Not having the 8 or the 4.
1:24:23
Do you have some number to that effect?
1:24:24
We're hearing we're hearing a large number and it's looking sounding to me like a lot of them are mechanicals.
1:24:31
Your your colleague is willing to take that one.
Evan Suchecki
1:24:33
I don't know about all that.
1:24:34
I just do wanna add something that our out of service number, our 22% number, that's an out of service vehicle.
1:24:41
That doesn't directly equate to an out of service ambulance.
1:24:44
We have numbers built in to ensure that with our projected out of service, which is the preventative maintenance and anything over that, we're always fulfilling our obligations to EMS operations to run their units.
1:24:55
So 22% out of service vehicles could mean that EMS operations is still running 100% of their ambulances.
1:25:03
We make sure that that is always that safety buffer.
Gale Brewer
1:25:06
Okay.
1:25:07
Because the the public thinks it is 22% out of service because there is no staff.
1:25:13
That's what's coming I know.
1:25:14
But I'm just saying, So, chief, you you don't there's no so you're thinking that most of the ambulances that are able to be run are being running, basically.
Michael Fields
1:25:22
Most they are.
1:25:23
Today, we were today, we were scheduled this morning, some 130 ambulances.
1:25:28
We ran 333.
1:25:30
So we would 3 above headcount for today.
1:25:33
Okay.
1:25:33
It it varies day to day.
1:25:35
It depends on sick leave.
1:25:36
Right now, my sick leave percentage is about 6.4%.
1:25:40
That's what it was at the last email that I received.
1:25:42
Sometimes that fluctuates up, sometimes that goes down, and it it will vary.
1:25:46
During the summertime, we have more people on vacation.
1:25:49
So we have to allow people, especially in this job, to be able to decompress in some in in in in every measure.
1:25:56
So communications arms is up.
1:25:58
Therefore, we may be running less units.
1:26:02
But we are up in respect to EMT personnel currently, so we've run out BLS units.
1:26:07
We're down in respect to ALS personnel, and the reason why we're down is because we just promoted 100 paramedics.
1:26:13
I mean, 100 lieutenants.
1:26:14
In order to make lieutenants, we have to utilize the paramedic ranks.
1:26:18
However, we have 80 plus 78 members.
1:26:22
So that's 100 and forgive me.
1:26:25
58 members.
1:26:26
That are currently in school to become paramedics.
1:26:28
So we're constantly backfilling those particular ranks.
1:26:31
It is it is a very dynamic and fluid process in which we promote, and then we're down, and then we promote again.
Gale Brewer
1:26:38
Then you have retention problem with the other ranks.
Michael Fields
1:26:40
And we have recruitment.
1:26:41
Problems.
1:26:42
Yes.
Gale Brewer
1:26:42
Retention and recoup.
Michael Fields
1:26:43
Yeah.
1:26:43
I agree with you.
Gale Brewer
1:26:44
Okay.
1:26:45
So the finish, we got the traffic issues, we got the call volume, which is an education plus issue.
1:26:52
The emergency room delays, it does seem to me that maybe the for individuals will help, but closing hospitals.
1:27:00
When you go to Saint Vincent, I call it Saint Vincent, but it's now it's Lenox Hill in Manhattan.
1:27:06
Is that does that is a semi hospital in the I don't know if it's in
Michael Fields
1:27:11
health flex Yeah.
Gale Brewer
1:27:12
Is that something that you can take patients to or not?
Michael Fields
1:27:15
Yes.
1:27:15
We can.
Gale Brewer
1:27:16
Okay.
1:27:16
Because something like that, at least we should have more of.
Michael Fields
1:27:19
I agree with you.
Gale Brewer
1:27:20
Half the people I have to say they don't have doctors.
1:27:22
You know, the ones who call, someone don't have a doctor.
1:27:24
They don't even know what Urgent care costs money.
1:27:27
They don't have any money.
1:27:28
I'm just saying, we gotta think of some other kind of education program that addresses their needs as well as yours because they don't have a doctor.
1:27:36
They don't have any money.
1:27:38
And so they're not you know, they're not and they're not gonna pay the ambulance fee in the end, I'm just saying.
1:27:43
So all of that is something in a different kind of education program, in my opinion.
1:27:47
Thank you very much.
Michael Fields
1:27:48
You're welcome.
