By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The Albuquerque City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting a controversial fire-department paramedic staffing model after a year of dispute, officials said.
• The policy shifts paramedics from two per ambulance to a model placing one on each fire truck, with the lone ambulance paramedic paired with an EMT, proponents said.
• The move restores operational authority over staffing to Albuquerque Fire Rescue Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo, council records show.
• The local firefighters’ union had opposed the staffing change, citing safety and workload concerns.
• A separate legal dispute between the union and city administration continues, authorities reported.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The Albuquerque City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday endorsing a fire department paramedic staffing model and restoring authority over operational decisions to Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo, ending a prolonged dispute between city officials and the mayor’s office.
The staffing policy, piloted at five fire stations, reallocates paramedics so that each fire truck carries one paramedic and ambulances operate with a single paramedic paired with an emergency medical technician, according to city records.
Councilors said the resolution supports an operational approach they believe strengthens Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s reliability and service performance, following debate over response efficiency and resource allocation.
The local firefighters’ union had opposed the staffing change, with leadership arguing it diluted long-standing policies and created safety and workload concerns for crews, union officials said.
Despite the council’s action, the administration has filed a lawsuit against the union alleging labor-relations violations, and that legal dispute remains active, city leaders confirmed.