Clinton Township Opens Firefighter Hiring to EMTs
Michigan fire departments facing paramedic shortages can now hire EMTs and develop paramedic skills after probation.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
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Clinton Township, Mich., has eased its firefighter hiring rules under a memorandum of understanding with IAFF Local 1381, allowing the fire department to hire emergency medical technicians rather than only applicants certified as paramedics. The change is expected to help the department fully staff its five fire stations.
Why it matters
The township could not find enough applicants who had completed training as both a firefighter and a paramedic, leaving it routinely understaffed and paying nearly a million dollars in overtime. Michigan's paramedic and EMT shortage, which began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, has made that dual-credential requirement a bottleneck for local government hiring.
Clinton Township incurred nearly $1 million in overtime costs from staffing shortages, and the new agreement is projected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Industry experts estimate more than 500 paramedic and EMT vacancies exist across Michigan emergency medical service agencies, and the township must staff five fire stations.
The players
Clinton Township Fire Department
The municipal fire department serving Clinton Township, Michigan, which operates five fire stations and negotiated the revised hiring terms.
IAFF Local 1381
The local affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters that represents Clinton Township firefighters and signed the memorandum of understanding.
Medstar Ambulance
A private ambulance provider that holds a transport contract with Clinton Township.
The details
Under the memorandum with IAFF Local 1381, the department can now hire emergency medical technicians, a change from a prior labor contract that did not allow EMT hires and required firefighter applicants to be certified as paramedics. Hires who complete a one-year probationary period as firefighters can then pursue paramedic training, letting the department build medical capability from within rather than depending on candidates who already hold both credentials. The township also holds a transport contract with Medstar Ambulance.
Timeline
Thursday, Oct. 29: Clinton Township officials publicly discussed the staffing problem and the new solution.
After one year of probationary service: eligible firefighters may begin paramedic training.
Market Landscape
Michigan's paramedic and EMT shortage, which began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, has left more than 500 vacancies across state emergency medical service agencies. Clinton Township's move to hire EMTs and develop paramedics internally follows a broader pattern of local departments loosening credential requirements to fill chronic gaps.
Employers in emergency services should review whether credential requirements that stack paramedic certification onto firefighter eligibility are limiting their applicant pool. Recruiters and HR staff should consider whether an EMT-first hiring path with later paramedic training could reduce overtime and vacancy costs; consult qualified labor counsel before changing collective bargaining terms.
The takeaway
Staffing shortages in emergency medical services are increasingly being addressed by building credentials after hire rather than requiring them up front. Local employers should track whether similar memoranda appear in other Michigan departments and monitor vacancy figures for paramedics and EMTs.
Further reading
For more on the staffing demands behind this change, explore Nursing Jobs coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FireRescue1.
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