File picture of an ambulance serving Multnomah County. A scarcity of EMS personnel has left the trade scrambling.
Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
Emergency medical service suppliers all through Oregon are sounding the alarm about workforce shortages of their subject.
At a gathering of the Home Interim Committee on Veterans and Emergency Administration on Thursday, EMS leaders laid out the disaster occurring of their trade.
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“The businesses which can be in Southern Oregon are experiencing unprecedented workforce shortages and struggling to have the ability to present providers in a well timed method for our communities that we serve,” mentioned Sheila Clough, CEO of Mercy Flights, a nonprofit ambulance group based mostly in Medford.
Low wages, lengthy hours and difficult working situations are driving the workforce to depart for different industries, in line with audio system on the assembly. Oregon has seen a drastic lower in job candidates for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic started, leaving businesses with out the essential workforce they should serve communities.
Clough mentioned a regional survey of 21 Oregon EMS businesses revealed 158 vacancies for paramedics and 84 vacancies for EMTs.
“We’re nonetheless at 1990 staffing ranges,” mentioned Karl Koenig from the Oregon State Fireplace Fighters Council. “1990 staffing won’t resolve a 2022 and past downside.”
Clough mentioned she’s been compelled to show to nationwide recruiters with a purpose to discover candidates, and even then, the shortages nonetheless persist, particularly in small and rural communities.
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“We’re very involved that we’re at a breaking level. And if we did have a mass casualty incident of some sort, would we be breaking all the EMS system?” she mentioned.
Oregon will not be alone. A lot of the county is dealing with comparable EMS workforce shortages.
Whereas the committee spent little time discussing options, audio system talked about elevating wages, offering further hiring incentives, leveraging skilled partnerships and growing variety in hiring to broaden candidates as methods to assist deal with the issue.
“I believe we have now to take a look at our workforce and actually promote variety throughout the fireplace service and EMS occupation,” mentioned Roger Johnson, fireplace chief for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fireplace District. “I believe there’s lots of people that aren’t most likely taking a look at this as a profession, and we have to get out in entrance of that and produce extra individuals into this occupation that wouldn’t in any other case give it some thought.”
State economists expect Oregon will add 170,000 jobs over the next several years, bolstered by strong growth in the construction and health care industries.
The pace of job growth is slowing, though, as the state’s population ages, the post-pandemic labor boom recedes and as migration into Oregon settles into a slower pace. The Oregon Employment Department’s latest forecast anticipates just 8% more jobs during the coming decade, down from prior 10-year forecasts that predicted employment would grow by as much as 13%.
No. 9 Oregon State put on a show in its first 2025 home gymnastics meet Saturday, scoring 196.40 points to easily beat Brigham Young at Gill Coliseum.
Senior Jade Carey, performing in a home meet for the first time since winning two Olympic gold medals last summer, scored 39.725 in all-around. Carey had scores of 9.95 on bars and floor, 9.925 on beam and 9.90 on vault.
Carey had the highest score in each event on either team. The best scores by a Beaver gymnast aside from Carey were 9.85s by Natalie Briones (bars), Sage Thompson (bars), Lauren Letzsch (beam), Savannah Miller (floor) and Sophia Esposito (floor and beam).
Brigham Young scored 194.2 points. Kylie Eaquinto led the way with an all-around score of 39.050.
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— Nick Daschel covers the Oregon State Beavers. Reach him at 360-607-4824 or @nickdaschel. Listen to the Beaver Banter podcast or subscribe to the Beavers Roundup newsletter.
On Saturday morning at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, three-star prospect T’Andre Waverly announced his commitment to Oregon State over Washington and Notre Dame.
The product of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington, is ranked as the nation’s No. 96 athlete and No. 18 player in the state in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Once he arrives in Corvallis, he’s expected to play tight end.
“I believe in [offensive coordinator Ryan] Gunderson for the future,” Waverly told 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman. “And I’m excited to get to know the new tight ends coach [Will Heck].”
“[Head coach Trent] Bray seems like a real get to business guy and I like that. I don’t want a coach who will pamper me. I want someone who will tell me what I need to do and what to do.”
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Despite seeing the in-state prospect going elsewhere, tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has pulled in a promising batch at the position after signing four-star Baron Naone and three-star Austin Simmons in December.
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