With paramedics in short supply, Polk County offers $8,000 bonus, training for EMTs

LAKELAND, Fla. - Polk County is launching a new plan to recruit paramedic firefighters, which are in short supply nationwide.

The plan includes an $8,000 signing bonus.

It also is going to pay for EMTs to get additional training to become a paramedic, as well as paying them a stipend while go to school.

Polk County Fire Rescue is also planning to hire a full time recruiter who will find new talent at local colleges and elsewhere.

"That is something that has never been done. No one around us is doing that. That is huge. It is a game changer," said Lee Stringer, the president of Polk County Professional Firefighters Local 3531.

Polk County wants to hire 60 new paramedics, but like so many agencies, it has had an incredibly difficult time finding candidates.

"We just got to the point that we needed to go above and beyond and we needed to do things that are outside what other agencies are doing,"

Chief Robert Weech told FOX 13. "We needed to get more aggressive and take this seriously."

Polk County Commissioners are also considering raising the starting salary of paramedics. Right now, it is less than $15 an hour, which is what some fast food workers make.