Ariola questions Bonsignore on EMS staffing and fee increases

I'm going to pause there and hand it off to Chair Areola.

Oh, but quickly, we've been also joined by Deputy Speaker Williams, Councilmember Hudson, and Purina Sanchez.

Thank you, Chair.

So just two points, just to piggyback off your questions.

We were talking about a rise in headcount, and there's been a rise in headcount with EMS.

Is there a plan to increase headcount on ambulances?

I'm sorry, is there like increasing EMS?

Is there a plan to put another, yeah, another EMS person on ambulances?

They've been asking for a third person.

Oh, we have not had that discussion, not with me anyway, so I'm certainly happy to have those discussions, but this is the first I'm hearing of it.

Okay, and also when it was brought to our attention about that there would be an increase,

in EMS charges when an ambulance goes to a call, that a portion of that additional money that would be gained would be considered

when the mayor's office was discussing

pay raises, if not parity, for EMS workers, that that was supposed to be incorporated into what, and I think you and I had that conversation, that that would be incorporated into why the ambulance fees were being raised.

You want to talk about the 16th?

So the ambulance rate increases do reflect an increase in EMS salaries, but based on the civilian pattern.

So we've incorporated a 16.1% increase in salaries based on what they would have gotten if they were following the civilian pattern.

So then there has been some discussion regarding an increase in their salaries.

If you're saying 16.1%.

Yeah, that's the civilian pattern that all of the civilian unions had received.

And you're saying that that conversation is being started with their unions.

Okay.