Winston Salem Times

As municipalities battle staff shortages in vital fields, like EMT and paramedic units, councils across the country — including some in North Carolina — have passed plans to raise salaries in those fields.

In March, Wake County commissioners approved raising starting salaries for paramedics to $28, up from $21; EMTs will see a smaller increase, with a base of $20, up from $17. Guilford and Forsyth counties are conducting studies to determine how much they can increase salaries.

“We have started to adjust with everybody else,” Guilford County Commissioner James Upchurch told WGHP. “This year will be pivotal for us moving forward.” 

When Upchurch was campaigning for his spot on the commission, one of his promises was to look at wages not just for first responders, but for other essential employees in the county. These fields are seeing a lot of vacancies as people have struggled with burnout and health concerns during the pandemic. 

Upchurch told the news channel that EMS wages have increased by more than 25% in the past four years. Currently, Guilford County pays EMTs about $15.80 per hour, while paramedics make $19.25 per hour.

“We have a lot of competition, and we are doing what we can that we make sure that we stay higher than the surrounding counties, and we have to be mindful of the dollars and budget we have,” Upchurch said.

The 8.5% inflation rate and the rising costs of everything have made tackling the matter more urgent.

“Going home and now having to deal with inflation and rising costs – that’s just an additional burden,” he said. "So whenever you lift the salary, you can lighten that burden a little bit.”