DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services: EMS Task Force Rec 1 Details

Status		Action Item	Progress
	a	(Part 1) All entry-level candidates for operational positions shall be required to have the same minimum qualifications.	All entry-level candidates for operational positions are now required to achieve the following minimum certification requirements: National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic; CPR; Firefighter I & II (NFPA); Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operations; Emergency Vehicle Operator; and Technical Rescue Orientation.
	a	(Part 2) All operational employees shall be cross-trained at basic levels of EMS, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials and technical rescue.	Currently, approximately 80% of the operational workforce is cross-trained and fully functional in the all-hazards model. Approximately 195 pre-1987 hire firefighters are not certified as EMTs and 230 single-role EMS workers are not certified as firefighters. The Department is requiring all 195 non-EMT firefighters to successfully complete EMT training as a condition of employment. The Department is developing a plan to offer cross-training for the 230 single-role EMS workers.
	b	The Department shall offer current single-role providers basic training for all hazards on a phase-in basis. The Department shall allow single role providers to meet adjusted fitness standards that fairly and reasonably accommodate their incumbent status, including their age and level of experience.	The Department is developing a plan to offer cross-training for the 230 remaining single-role EMS workers.
	c	The Department shall continue to maintain a cadre of personnel who are specialized EMS providers at various levels of training who serve primarily in patient care. The overall size of the Department’s workforce creates an opportunity for specialization among employees, permitting the inclusion of those with a passion for patient care without compromising excellence in fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials response, and other services.	The Department is developing a plan to recruit, develop and maintain a high-level of specialized EMS provider and supervisory capacity at all levels of the organization.
	d	All employees shall have the same basic pay and benefits. The City Administrator shall develop a plan, no later than March 31, 2008, to transition to pay and benefits parity between current single-role medical providers and dual-role providers.	On April 9, 2008, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced the “One Force – One Standard” unification plan. Under this plan, all civilian, single-role EMS providers will become sworn uniformed members, allowing them to have the same pay and benefit opportunities offered to firefighters.Under this plan there will be no loss of base pay, no loss of rank, and there will be a unified promotional process. Former single-role employees will have two career options: (1) they may elect to become all-hazards, fully trained firefighters or (2) they will receive an orientation to all-hazards operations and then function as specialized EMS providers.