Texas city hires private EMS firm to assist fire department

Denison Mayor Janet Gott said the city is using this as a temporary measure to fill the employment gaps while the department can get its staffing back up to full levels

July 04, 2019 10:11 AM

The Facebook posting states the EMTs are needed to run 911 calls which will originate within the Denison fire department.

DENISON, Texas — The city of Denison has moved forward with hiring a private firm to begin taking emergency ambulance calls through Denison Fire Rescue to fill employment gaps.

A company named LifeNet Inc., recently shared a post on Facebook advertising a job opening for emergency medical technicians to provide advanced life support ambulance services for the city. According to the firms website it is a non-profit firm that provides ambulance services.

https://www.facebook.com/LifeNetInc/posts/10156741272459023?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCQjHGg-q9yCTaYv9H2i2v8HC5_wg8uBWaPp9dK2au3OT-vGPy1q_sYpbz4iVYYP8RMU5K4_6NJy5mBOl_xjiJNkbZaq6YSEAwKLJcCYS6qWmgbuLOjQCWwN358cgG8YHSdlkRQcbtSIcm0VgBasCXfdrGTXc3HfzyqA7SPMWwhLXXyNhVZ_sRpkAZz3YLqjsaxYYKFInflOwIQa2DVcGtrC0zPIBPZCRxS9e56le2YtEAM6HJm2m0CDIE_7PqO7cyG3KpqxFOQ10VfjsIyvCYUFdVdG_ZlcIadqRMa2bhAyGLDzLeUqi9yGAIr5FA76yP3N9T1FMCTR-_OD6OE_zlfeyTHkLq21pK2PNJXQMc&__tn__=-R

The posting states the EMTs are needed to run 911 calls which will originate within the Denison fire department. The posting also states the ambulance will be co-located within the Denison fire department. A second job posting is listed calling for paramedics.

Denison Mayor Janet Gott said the city is using this as a temporary measure to fill the employment gaps while the department can get its staffing back up to full levels.

“This is something that has been planned,” she said. “It is not an outsourcing of our EMS. You would liken this to using a temp agency. We are in the process of hiring applicants who tested in early June. We have another test this month. Our goal is to get the department up to full manning by August. It takes several months to get a paramedic certified.”

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