Sections

About Us

 
Make a Donation
Local • Independent • Essential News
 

EMS

County funds ambulance alternatives as call volumes remain high

With 911 call volumes still near pandemic records and EMS staff shortages limiting ambulance availability, the Travis County Commissioners Court agreed to spend more for ambulance alternatives. Commissioners voted Tuesday to increase the county’s share in the 2024 interlocal agreement…

City, EMS union reach tentative labor agreement with wage increases

The city and the Austin Emergency Medical Services Association have reached a tentative labor agreement that moves the needle on medic salaries. The city announced Monday that both sides have agreed to a deal that, if approved, would give current…

EMS chief reports improvement in collections

Although Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services continues to deal with a backlog of unpaid bills for emergency transport, Chief Robert Luckritz says the department has made significant improvements in its billing and collections process. As a result, Luckritz told the City…

City still faces gap in first responder pay, benefits

After a presentation comparing first responder salaries and benefits, and a direct plea from an Austin-Travis County EMS medic, the city’s Public Safety Commission is recommending the city take another look at closing the compensation gap between paramedics and the…

EMS using medication-assisted treatment to reduce overdoses

Two Travis County programs are proving successful at reducing opioid overdoses and connecting people in need with treatment at a time when deaths from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are on the rise nationally. Last week, the Public Safety Commission…

Austin-Travis County EMS, city OK new raises, contract for medical first responders

Austin-Travis County’s emergency medical personnel are getting a raise. The city of Austin reached a deal with EMS negotiators late last month, and City Council unanimously approved the one-year contract with medics on Thursday. The deal is a stopgap, but it…

Subscribe to our newsletter

Commission urges city to raise EMS pay

The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what…

New EMS chief outlines progress on collections

With a projected budget deficit by Fiscal Year 2027, any news about increasing collections from those who owe the city of Austin money, including the state of Texas, is good news for City Council. Robert Luckritz, who recently joined the…

EMS union, city at odds over pay

Twenty-six Emergency Medical Services employees have quit their city jobs so far this year, and according to Austin-Travis County EMS Association President Selena Xie, that’s double the number of separations in 2020 and 2021. She added that, in all of…

EMS interim chief optimistic about future of the department

With 124 vacancies that need filling to round out the medic force, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services is applying a variety of methods to try to close the gaps, interim Chief Jasper Brown told the City Council Public Safety Committee…

With new EMS chief hire, Cronk shows commitment to change

In a somewhat surprising move, City Manager Spencer Cronk has selected an outsider with a diverse background as the new chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Robert Luckritz, chief operating officer of Transformative Healthcare, an EMS, medical transportation and…

EMS contract talks center on salary and staffing needs

With the city’s rejection of the Austin EMS Association’s proposed wage increase, the two sides now move to the interest-based bargaining phase of negotiations in an effort to achieve common ground on quality-of-life issues such as work-life balance and mandatory…

Back to Top