At the Missouri Valley City Council’s regular meeting on April 18, the culmination of weeks of discussion on full-time paid EMTs and the EMS program overall came with a decision to back it.
Readers hoping for more information on the meeting will find an article detailing it in this exact edition of the Times-News.
As of last Friday, there are no full-time EMTs remaining in the program. The last remaining EMT moved on to a different job after weeks of uncertainty revolving around the program. As Fire Chief Forest Dooley put it, people don’t want to question whether or not they’ll have a job the day after a city council meeting.
After roughly an hour of deliberation last Tuesday, the council unanimously approved a motion to give Dooley the freedom to advertise, interview and make a conditional offer without needing to get the council’s approval for each step. The council will still have final approval of any potential candidate, but this is an important step in filling a position that many members of the community find vital.
Starting pay was also bumped up from $16 an hour to $17 an hour, which is a significant increase that will make Missouri Valley more competitive in finding qualified applicants, as it is much closer to the state average. It is also a reminder that those who work in emergency services aren’t paid nearly enough for all that they do.
During the city council meeting, Dooley shared that there has been an increase in calls for medical emergencies. This directly correlates with the addition of paid EMTs who provide services for exactly that reason, while in the past Missouri Valley residents knew they were pulling a volunteer away from their full-time job to perform the service.
It may take a while for emergency services in Missouri Valley to find a groove, as they are now in the rebuilding stage, but it is still a young program. With the support of the community, and with the backing of the city council, the future looks much brighter than it did just a few weeks ago.
That is something all Missouri Valley residents should celebrate. You never know when a full-time EMT could make a world of difference in your life or the life of someone you love.
