Ansonia emergency chief: ‘We are in crisis mode’

First responder services in danger due to low pay

ANSONIA — Even though the Board of Aldermen this week approved some long-overdue raises, the city’s emergency services department is in danger of flat-lining.

That’s because over the past three years, Ansonia Rescue Medical Services has lost 40 employees to higher-paying jobs in other towns, according to ARMS Chief Jared Heon.

“We’re in crisis mode,” Heon told aldermen during the board’s meeting this week. “We’re losing our staff, and our part-time people are working more than 40 hours a week without benefits.”

Heon said employees have not seen a wage increase since 2011, and then it was just a 2 percent hike.

He said nearby AMR in Bridgeport recently raised its wages, which caused another three ARMS employees to resign.

ARMS Assistant Chief Ryan Hunt said the issue of raises has come before the city several times over the years and nothing has been done.

“We will have to drop ambulance coverage in Ansonia, and that is something I don’t want to do,” Hunt said.

Heon said the staff has shrunk to 21 part-time employees, all working overtime to help with understaffing.

“I cannot sustain the level of staffing I need. ... We are in dire straits,” Heon said.

The issue of raises was on Tuesday’s aldermanic agenda, and some aldermen wanted to table the matter until next month so they could get more information. However, after a 7-5 vote in favor of not tabling the matter, due to the urgency of the situation, the aldermen did vote to give a 75cent hourly raise to EMT drivers and a $1 hourly raise to supervisors, bringing hourly pay levels to $17.23 and $19.52, respectively.

Granting the increases will enable aldermen more time to review a resolution proposed by ARMS staff that would grant pay raises commensurate with experience.

Heon said Ansonia wages, even with the increases granted Tuesday, still pale in comparison to other towns.

“Personally, I feel that the EMTs we have are deserving of more money,” Heon said. “The pay scales in the city are not balanced. Our job function is critical and unfortunately the current wages do not allow our staff to have a long career with us, hence the changeover.”

Alderman Dan King cited just how off the pay scales are, saying a library clerk position in the city pays $22 an hour, while the hourly wage for an inexperienced Public Works laborer, which doesn’t re- quire the extensive training that EMTs must undergo, is more than what an EMT driver with five or more years of experience is paid.

“The pay scale is not in line with what others make in the city,” King said.

Currently, ARMS employs a full-time chief, 21 part-time EMTS and 15 per diem EMTS, compared to 35-40 part-time EMTs just three years ago, Heon said.

Heon said two part-time supervisors and one fulltime supervisor were included in those who’ve left ARMS over the last three years, which he said has left ARMS short at least 14 part-time EMTs and three supervisors.

Heon said while the increases the aldermen granted are low, he’s hopeful it will help retain the skeleton crew he does have.

“Quite honestly, we desperately need some fulltime staff due to the coverage required, as well as more supervision,” Heon said.