Latest graduating paramedics now staff El Paso fire stations 24/7

EL PASO, Texas -- The El Paso Fire Department now has a paramedic on staff for every shift and at every fire station after the latest class of 14 trainees graduated Thursday evening, beating a 2016 goal.

The 2017-2021 strategic plan outlined the department would work to have a paramedic assigned to every pumper along with all ambulances, a goal building on every firefighter already being certified as an emergency medical technician. That goal has now been met one year early.

The 14 new paramedics went through more than 1,000 hours of training, including spending two months in hospital rotations, certifying them beyond the EMT level every firefighter holds.

“Paramedic is just a higher level of certification, so they can actually push medications as well as have more skills available to them as far as the cardiac monitors,” said Fire Chief Mario D’Agostino.

The goal according to D’Agostino is to make sure a paramedic is available for every call, no matter where an ambulance is.

“We have 27 ambulance units and those require a paramedic in every seat every day. We’re also trying to get to where we have paramedics on every truck. What we do is we have the equipment already on all apparatus, but we want to get to a point where we’re staffed with paramedics on every piece of apparatus,” D’Agostino said.

“Even though the ambulance might take longer to get to an emergency every firetruck will bring that advanced care.”

The latest graduating class included one woman who wants others to join the service.

“A lot of citizens I've come across who are seeking help, who call 911 are almost pleased that there’s another woman around and they’re more comfortable sharing details about their illness or their emergency,” said Sharon McTague.