CLEVELAND, Ohio — Concerns over emergency medical staffing shortages have led to a budget revision in Cleveland, with City Council advocating for the addition of 11 new EMS positions. The initial budget proposal from Mayor Justin Bibb did not include these positions, despite prior discussions about their necessity.

EMS Staffing Shortages and City Council’s Push for More Resources

Cleveland’s emergency medical services have been operating under increased strain due to staffing cuts made two years ago. In October, EMS leadership indicated they needed 11 additional paramedics to help restore previous staffing levels. However, when Bibb released his proposed budget in February, these positions were omitted.

This decision sparked criticism from the Cleveland Association of Rescue Employees, with Vice President Timothy Sommerfelt highlighting the urgency of EMS response times. “Cleveland can’t wait for an ambulance,” he stated, referencing the mayor’s previous campaign slogan.

City Council members, including Public Safety Committee Chair Mike Polensek, have stressed the importance of prioritizing EMS funding, labeling the issue as a matter of life and death. Council President Blaine Griffin and Bibb’s administration are now engaged in negotiations over the final budget, with council members arguing that funding EMS should be a priority.

Revenue Increases and Budget Adjustments

One factor influencing the debate is the city’s ambulance billing revenue. In 2022, Cleveland significantly increased ambulance service fees, raising base rates from $350-$500 to $750-$1,300. The revenue was intended to support EMS operations, but difficulties in collecting payments led to a substantial decline in funds.

In 2023, the EMS budget was reduced, cutting total personnel from 332 to 304 positions due to hiring challenges. Bibb’s 2025 budget proposal maintained staffing at 304, despite EMS leadership requesting 315 positions. Currently, EMS employs 292 personnel, with nine more trainees expected to start by the end of March. Union leaders argue that recent wage increases have improved recruitment efforts, making it feasible to restore positions that had been cut.

Investing in Emergency Medical Services and Community Programs

The proposed budget does allocate funds for new equipment, including ventilators and resources to develop a blood transfusion program. EMS leaders also hope to expand community outreach efforts, such as CPR and first aid training. However, Sommerfelt cautioned that without additional personnel, these initiatives could pull paramedics away from emergency response duties.

“Without increasing staffing, we’d have to take paramedics off 911 calls to support these programs,” Sommerfelt warned. The estimated cost to add 11 positions is about $1 million, a fraction of the city’s overall budget but a significant investment in public safety.

Addressing Billing Collection Issues

A key challenge in funding EMS has been the city’s inefficient billing collection. Despite the rate increases, revenue fell from $16.8 million in 2021 to just $4.1 million in 2024 due to staffing shortages in the billing department. To address this, Cleveland outsourced EMS billing to a private company in January 2025.

Initial results suggest the move is paying off. The new billing firm has collected $4.7 million in just six weeks, a dramatic improvement over previous years. The city now expects to collect between $15 million and $16 million in EMS revenue for 2025, with finance officials calling this a conservative estimate.

Final Budget Decisions Approaching

With budget talks ongoing, council members continue to advocate for reinstating the 11 EMS positions. Councilman Charles Slife expressed surprise that EMS leadership did not initially present their staffing request during budget hearings, but he and other council members are pushing for the positions to be added before the final budget is approved.

Polensek, a strong supporter of increased EMS funding, emphasized the need to invest in emergency services as a critical quality-of-life issue for Cleveland residents. As negotiations continue, the final decision will determine whether the city’s EMS workforce can meet growing demands and better serve the community in emergencies.

Concerns Grow as Records Show L.A. Mayor’s Staff Knew of Fire Risks Before Departure

LOS ANGELES — New records reveal that Mayor Karen Bass’ aides were warned about extreme fire conditions before she left for an international trip, raising questions about her administration’s response to the devastating Palisades fire.

Early Warnings Ignored?

On January 3, just a day before Mayor Bass departed for Ghana, the city’s Emergency Management Department (EMD) issued an email alert to multiple city officials, including more than a dozen of Bass’ senior staff members. The message contained urgent weather forecasts predicting strong winds and critical fire risks, with a meeting scheduled to coordinate response efforts. The National Weather Service had also begun publicly warning of heightened wildfire dangers.

Despite these warnings, Bass proceeded with her planned visit to Ghana, where she attended the country’s presidential inauguration and a U.S. Embassy event on January 7—the same day the Palisades fire erupted. The fire ultimately claimed 12 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.

Mayor Bass Blames Fire Chief

Upon her return, Bass fired Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley on February 21, citing failures in communication and fire preparedness. She has since claimed that had she been informed of the severity of the situation, she would not have even traveled as far as San Diego, let alone Ghana.

However, documents obtained through a public records request indicate that multiple members of her administration were informed of the potential for extreme fire conditions well before she left the country. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, a vocal supporter of Crowley, pointed to the email alerts as evidence that the mayor’s office was in the loop.

“She keeps saying, ‘I wouldn’t have left had I known.’ But her staff did know,” Rodriguez said. “This verifies that her staff was notified of the potential threat by EMD, whose responsibility it is to let us know of these potential weather events.”

What Did the Mayor’s Team Know?

More than a dozen Bass aides received the January 3 email, which included a National Weather Service forecast showing a large red flame icon and the phrase “Critical fire conditions.” The forecast warned of wind gusts up to 80 mph starting January 7, combined with dry vegetation and low humidity—creating a high-risk fire environment for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Additionally, two of Bass’ aides—Christopher Anyakwo, her executive officer for emergency operations, and Jacquelyne Sandoval, her policy director for emergency management—received direct emails with Zoom links to a coordination meeting set for January 6.

Despite these alerts, Bass’ deputy mayor, Zach Seidl, downplayed the warnings, arguing that the emails did not indicate an imminent catastrophe. “That is not a warning of disaster. That sends the opposite message,” he stated.

Growing Criticism and Political Fallout

Following the fire, scrutiny has increased over how the mayor’s office handled the alerts. The National Weather Service had been holding daily briefings on the wildfire risk since late December, warning on January 2 of a “damaging offshore wind event” and raising the fire danger level to its highest category—extreme—on January 5, just a day after Bass left the country.

By January 6, the National Weather Service issued an even more urgent alert, stating, “HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co.”

Bass returned to Los Angeles on January 8, more than 24 hours after the fire had begun. She told reporters that she took the “fastest route back” and remained in communication with public safety officials while traveling. However, the controversy surrounding her absence, along with the dismissal of Chief Crowley, continues to fuel debate over leadership accountability and emergency preparedness in the city.