The Fredonia Fire Department.

The Fredonia Fire Department will now require all new hires to be certified as paramedics or emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

The village Board of Trustees approved the move Monday and authorized the fire department to add an additional employee as part of the first two firefighter/EMT hires.

“In the past we’ve talked about the possibility of adding firefighter/EMTs positions to supplement what we currently have now, at a cost savings to the community,” Fire Chief Ryan Walker told the board.

“Our call volume continues to increase,” he said. “For years we relied on the commercial ambulance service. I just pulled some numbers earlier, and in the last six months, we’ve done about 80 percent of transports. We used to do about 20 percent.”

“The thought behind it was, instead of having paramedics, which is highest-paid, to drive cars, we can have an EMT there — not to replace paramedics, obviously.” Mayor Athanasia Landis said. Walker agreed that “this will be additional personnel to supplement the paramedics that are currently working.”

Trustee and Mayor-elect Douglas Essek asked Walker if there were any additional fire department personnel budgeted. “No, but currently, but we are one position down that could be utilized. Looking at my payroll lines, there’s enough money there to hire two firefighter-EMTs right now, send them to the academy, and still be under payroll budget when June 1st comes and they finish the academy.”

“If we can hire two people for the money that you have for one, you have double the time, two people working there — it makes more sense to me,” Landis said.

Walker said department employees hired prior to 2005 were not required to have paramedic or EMT certification and if they had them, they were paid stipends by the village. Employees hired since 2005 have had to have at least a paramedic or critical care certification.

“This is continuing to maintain those positions that we currently have, and have additional positions of firefighter/EMTs to help supplement that,” Walker said.

Trustee Kara Christina asked if most communities required firefighters to have certifications. Walker said the cities of Jamestown and Dunkirk require EMT certifications of their firefighters. “City of Buffalo teaches their (EMT) class before their fire academy. Most places do require firefighters to also have their EMTs,” he said.

When it came time to vote, Essek abstained, likely because he is a member of the fire department. Trustee Roger Britz voted “no,” stating he was “not quite comfortable with this right now.” The “aye” votes to pass the measure came from Christina and Trustees Michael Barris and James Lynden.