Fort Worth EMS Makes Gains, Faces Staffing Battle | Dallas News

Fort Worth’s EMS is making strides since going in-house, slashing ambulance use by 28% and cutting emergency response times by over 23%, now averaging two minutes faster per call — even hitting the eight-minute target recently. But behind the progress lies a staffing crisis: despite hiring 114 new EMTs, a 20% attrition rate has left them down 85 employees, fueled by grueling hours. To fix it, they’re launching two new recruit classes, partnering with Tarrant County College for paramedic training, and tweaking schedules from 7x12-hour shifts to 24/48 rotations — aiming for a 24/72 model that cuts weekly hours from 56 to 42. The city took over from MedStar last July for financial sustainability, and while response times are improving, keeping staff happy remains their top priority. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/efab48210f982371