By Bill Carey
EMS1
SPOKANE, Wash. — A shortage of paramedics has led the Spokane Fire Department to change how it deploys its current paramedics and also reduce non-emergency calls.
Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer told KXLY the change will widen the response areas for paramedic units. The department will evaluate outcomes during the change.
“We’re redeploying our paramedics and they’re covering a larger geographical area, and at the same time we’re reducing the number of non-life-threatening calls that we’re going to,” Schaeffer said.
The move comes as paramedics are working mandatory overtime, leading to increased overtime costs and paramedic burnout.
The department plans to begin these changes in mid-August.