Tag Archives: Austin/Travis County EMS
Friday, April 3, 2020 by Jo Clifton
Public Safety
No hiring freeze for public safety employees
While most city departments are exploring how to do more with fewer employees in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Austin’s public safety departments are currently on track to continue hiring as previously budgeted. Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Captain Christa…
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 by Andrew Weber
Health & Human Services
Doctors, first responders see need for more resources – and distancing – before COVID-19 cases rise
As Central Texas prepares for an inevitable spike in COVID-19 diagnoses, medical professionals are calling on local officials to address unmet needs and implement tighter restrictions on public gatherings. In an open letter to officials Monday, nearly 200 doctors asked…
Friday, March 6, 2020 by Jessi Devenyns
Budget
Public safety departments present preliminary budget requests
Budget season at the city has already begun for the 2021 fiscal year. In preparation for its deep dive into budget requests from the public safety departments, the Public Safety Commission listened to preliminary budget forecasts at its March 2…
Monday, February 10, 2020 by Jessi Devenyns
EMS
Austin EMS union outlines effects of high call volume and sick leave policies
In recent months, Austin Emergency Medical Services has implemented new policies to improve the lives of its medics. The department has adjusted its start times to be on a more natural wake-up schedule and has instated a new code for…
Wednesday, September 4, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
EMS
Public Safety Commission questions path forward for EMS providers being assaulted
After reports from EMS personnel raised questions about the frequency of field officer assault by patients, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services conducted an internal survey. The results showed that the majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the…
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 by Andrew Weber
EMS
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say assaults on the job are common and ‘unavoidable’
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the job in the last two years, according to an internal survey. Most first responders also say they don’t feel properly trained to address aggressive behavior. Austin-Travis County Emergency…
Monday, February 4, 2019 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: ATCEMS Employee Association
Selena Xie, the newly elected president of the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association, sits down with Austin Monitor freelancer Jack Craver in this week’s edition of Austin Monitor Radio. Listen in below to hear the latest on retirement…
Tuesday, January 22, 2019 by Jo Clifton
EMS
EMS leader seeks changes in retirement system
Selena Xie, the newly elected president of the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association, has a mission. She wants to change the retirement system for EMS workers so it is more in line with the systems for other public…
Friday, March 23, 2018 by Jo Clifton
EMS
Council OKs short-term EMS contract
City Council approved without comment a six-month contract with the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association on Thursday that essentially duplicates their previous contract. Members of the union approved the contract in voting that ended Wednesday night. Between now…
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 by Jack Craver
Public Safety
What happens when top public safety officials are accused of harassment?
Members of the Public Safety Commission expressed concern and befuddlement over policies that the Police, Fire and EMS departments rely on to hold their top officials accountable for harassment. “It doesn’t make sense to me that the policies are so…
Thursday, February 1, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Public Safety
Council rejects first aid services contract
During Tuesday’s work session, City Council members expressed enough objections to a contract to hire an outside firm to provide medical services at the Austin Convention Center that city staff agreed to remove the item from today’s agenda. Council members…
Thursday, January 11, 2018 by Nadia Hamdan
EMS
With labor dispute focused on police, Austin’s EMS union feels overlooked
Austin police officers aren’t the only public safety personnel without an employment contract with the city. For the first time in nearly 10 years, emergency medical service employees are without a contract, too. Tony Marquardt, president of the Austin-Travis County…
Tuesday, November 7, 2017 by Jo Clifton
EMS
City, EMS labor negotiations likely to continue
Even though its negotiating team declared an impasse with the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association last week, City Council appears prepared to direct staff to resume negotiations, but not immediately. Council members Ann Kitchen, Delia Garza, Leslie Pool…
Friday, April 7, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Downtown drug crisis pushes Adler, Council to pledge increased support
Austin’s police and public health departments will have extra budget and other resources available soon to help them focus on ending an increase in the use of the synthetic drug K2 downtown. At a press conference Thursday, Mayor Steve Adler…
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 by Caleb Pritchard
Travis County
County orders election for new emergency services district
The Travis County Commissioners Court has called for an election this November that could create a new emergency services district in the county’s rural Northwestern corner. The proposed Emergency Services District No. 7 would largely share the same boundaries as…
Thursday, August 20, 2015 by Tyler Whitson
EMS
City may shorten ambulance provider workweeks
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ambulance providers are under a lot of strain as they try to keep up with population growth and an increasing number of special events, but a new proposal could reduce some of that pressure. On…
Monday, June 15, 2015 by Jo Clifton
City Council
Houston comes out against sole-source contracts
At the June 4 City Council meeting, Council Member Ora Houston voted against an Austin Water Utility contract with Austin White Lime that would allow the company to provide about 21.5 tons of lime per year to soften the city’s…
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 by Audrey McGlinchy
EMS
Momentum slows on Austin/Travis County EMS bill
A bill that supporters say would bring more transparency to the way Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services workers are decredentialed has slowed after some unanticipated momentum. Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Association President Tony Marquardt has been trying to reform…
Monday, February 9, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
EMS
Decredentialing process gets public safety spotlight
Last week, the Public Safety Commission examined the continued tension between the city’s medical director and the Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Association over decredentialing. Medical Director for Austin/Travis County EMS Dr. Paul Hinchey spoke to commissioners about the de-accreditation…
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 by Michael Kanin
Public Safety
Clerical error causes city to overpay EMS employee by $200,000
The City of Austin has overpaid a former Austin/Travis County paramedic by perhaps as much as $200,000 over an eight-year period that began in 2004. Though the problem was first discovered in 2011, it took until 2013 for the city…
