WHEELING, W.Va. — Ohio County’s paid paramedics are asking county leaders for pay parity with sheriff’s deputies, arguing their wages have not kept pace since the county launched its emergency medical services program.
Anthony McDaniel, speaking on behalf of the Ohio County Professional Paramedics Association, addressed county commissioners on Jan. 6 and said paramedics have averaged an annual pay increase of just 0.89% over the past six years, The Intelligencer reported.
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Ohio County paramedics are represented by the International Association of Fire Fighters and through the Ohio County Professional EMS Association, Local 5405.
McDaniel noted the county began offering emergency services six years ago and said the current compensation structure has created ongoing concerns about fairness and retention.
Ohio County paramedics currently earn $25.50 per hour, compared with $27.58 per hour for deputies. McDaniel added that deputies with additional certifications can earn up to $29.46 per hour.
McDaniel said paramedics began 2020 with competitive wages but received no increase that year, followed by a 2% raise in 2021 in line with other county employees.
McDaniel also said paramedics did not receive a wage increase in 2022 and that EMS and the county emergency management agency were the only departments without raises that year. He added that paramedics received a 2% raise in 2023, no increase in 2024 and a 1.36% pay bump in 2025.
“And we are unaware of any plan for a wage increase in 2026,” he said. “When you average this out, we’ve received an increase of 0.89% per year for wage increases.”
McDaniel said EMS wages typically rise 3% to 5% annually and contrasted paramedic pay with that of deputies.
“Let me be the first to tell you. These gentlemen deserve every bit of that and probably more,” McDaniel said. “They are the best law enforcement officers I’ve worked with in 20 years of EMS right here in Ohio County. But our paramedics deserve higher wages, as well.”
How do wages, certification requirements and retention challenges compare in your EMS agency and what has worked, or not worked, to keep EMS pay competitive?
