By Brenna Angel
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-956469.mp3
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A government task force will soon explore issues surrounding paramedic training in Lexington.
Members of the Urban County Council's Public Safety and Public Works Committee heard some worrisome news Tuesday from the Emergency Medical Advisory Board.
Dr. Steven Stack says it's been three years since Lexington held a new paramedic training class, and an increasing number of runs take longer than the benchmark of 8 minutes for an ambulance to get to the scene.
"We think the first one is we've got to have a paramedic class this year in order to get our workforce where it needs to be. And then the next one, if it had to be in a subsequent year, would be to get that tenth ambulance on the road."
Stack says the need for more paramedics, who are also trained as firefighters, has not yet created a danger for Lexington residents. He urged council members to find ways to help, but recognized the larger budget problems facing the city.
Training a class of 20 paramedics costs around $400,000 and the process takes a year to complete.
Council members did pass a motion requesting Vice Mayor Linda Gorton to form a task force, which will look into several issues including response time, paramedic level staffing, and women and minority recruitment.