Regional paramedic services set to add 20 full time staff beginning next week
Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services will have 20 new full time staff begin starting on Monday.
This is one of two hiring blitzes this year, with another 20 full time staff members expected to be hired on Nov. 1. The service is also looking to add 35-50 part time staff by the spring. The service has received over 150 applicants for the jobs.
Staff are first hired on as part time staff and are then elevated to full time based on seniority as council approves more full time positions.
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John Riches, the chief of paramedic services for the Region of Waterloo, said regional council played a key role in stabilizing, sustaining and expanding their services.
“Council has been extremely supportive over the last number of years in supporting a master plan that calls for expansion of services to meet demand out in the community,” said Riches.
One of the biggest challenges, Riches noted, is the impact the job has on the mental health of current members. He said first responders, like paramedics, police and fire fighters, are the ones who “stand between the public and the 9-1-1 call.”
“That takes a toll on first responders,” said Riches. “Our paramedics do an amazing job every single day, but this job takes a toll on those people who choose to do it.”
Riches said he is pleased with the quality of candidates that have applied for positions. He would have liked to see more applicants, but said that the number of applicants for paramedic positions has dropped below pre-pandemic levels.
