The District of Columbia fire department has been experiencing shortage in staff and will be hiring nine new paramedics to increase efficiency in response calls.
The new paramedics will begin shifts on December 2. They are not official firefighters, but will assist on ambulance rides.
Washington will maintain current protocol of dispatching “dual-role firefighter-paramedics” for first response teams.
The deputy mayor for public safety says the new hires will be offered the chance to become firefighters if they are interested.
