Albuquerque Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo is moving forward with her paramedic deployment plan, set to begin Aug. 23, and disputing union claims that firefighters have been shut out of the process.
The changes come after a months-long tension between the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 244 and Mayor Tim Keller’s administration over how the city’s 777 firefighters—including 212 paramedics—respond to more than 104,000 emergency calls each year across 189 square miles.
In her first in-depth interview since winning a key ruling from the Intragovernmental Conference Committee, Jaramillo pushed back on claims that firefighters were excluded from the process. She said more than 500 firefighters participated in three department-wide meetings, each lasting four hours, and that she revised the proposal twice based on their feedback.
“To say that I didn’t take that input, I think, is kind of falsely representing the multiple ways that I’ve taken input on this staffing decision,” Jaramillo said.
This story is part of ongoing coverage of the paramedic staffing dispute. Previous reporting covered City Council efforts to require two-paramedic teams and the union’s objections to the proposed changes.
What Each Side Wants
The staffing dispute is centered around how AFR deploys its 212 paramedics across the city’s emergency response system.
- Current traditional model: Two paramedics work together on each rescue ambulance, with basic emergency medical technicians (EMTs) staffing fire engines.
- Chief’s proposed model: Split paramedics between ambulances and fire engines, putting one paramedic on each truck to expand coverage.
- City Council’s position: Passed a resolution in March requiring two paramedics on every ambulance, arguing it’s safer for patients and firefighters.
- Union’s position: Supports the Council resolution, saying two paramedics working together on critical calls provides better patient care and safety.
- The core issue: Whether spreading paramedics across more trucks improves response times and coverage, or whether keeping paramedic teams together provides better emergency care.
The Plan Moving Forward
Starting Aug. 23, Albuquerque Fire Rescue will expand its experimental deployment model to stations 5, 11 and 12, Jaramillo said. Stations 2 and 3 have used the model since 2023.
A July 11 internal memo shows the department also plans to open a new Station 23 at the end of August with paramedic coverage and assign Battalion 5 to Station 7 to improve command support in Southwest Albuquerque.
The memo outlines how paramedic drivers will bid to fire engines, while paramedic lieutenants bid to rescue units. That means one paramedic will ride the ambulance and the other the engine, instead of pairing both on the ambulance.
Jaramillo said the model helps paramedics reach more calls while keeping two-paramedic coverage for critical emergencies. For routine calls, only one truck will respond. But for life-threatening emergencies like cardiac arrests or major trauma, both units will be dispatched.
“On critical calls, when both trucks respond, you’re still getting the two paramedics,” she said. “They just are coming on different trucks.”
She said the setup also allows faster response when ambulances are stuck at hospitals or busy with other calls, because the engine’s paramedic can respond immediately.
Jaramillo said the department originally planned a broader rollout but scaled it back after talks with union leaders and Keller.
“We can do it with existing people, because we’re just splitting them and then moving someone from the engine to the rescue and someone from the rescue to the engine,” she said.
She said a new contract that took effect in July eliminated pay disparities that had made such changes difficult. The memo also confirms plans to add two more transport-capable units in Southeast Albuquerque by the end of 2025 to help with high call volumes.
Defending the Research
Jaramillo cited a 2010 federal study to support her plan, saying research shows that having one paramedic on each truck—rather than two on the ambulance—gets critical tasks completed faster.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology study, conducted with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and International Association of Fire Fighters, found that “crews responding with one ALS provider (paramedic) on both the engine and ambulance completed all the same tasks more quickly than a crew with a BLS engine (staffed with basic EMTs) and two ALS providers on the ambulance.”
Addressing Morale Concerns
Union President Miguel Tittmann previously told CityDesk ABQ that morale is “at an all-time low” and firefighters feel management is ignoring their expertise.
Jaramillo acknowledged the dispute has affected morale but said the feedback hasn’t been one-sided.
“I actually agree with Miguel and do believe that this is impacting the morale of our firefighters,” she said. “However, I’ve even received input that conflicts where they feel like the union isn’t listening to them.”
One firefighter, commenting on earlier coverage, echoed that view. They said they support rotating between ambulances and engines—contradicting the union’s official stance—and were frustrated that the issue went to City Council without more internal discussion.
Jaramillo said some crews already using the new model have responded well, noting one shift “has, I would argue, the best morale in our entire department.”
She said she scaled back the plan twice after hearing concerns—first from department-wide implementation to five stations after input sessions, then to three stations following talks with union leaders and the mayor.
Comparing EMS Systems
Jaramillo said other departments have made similar changes with success. Firefighters from cities like Phoenix, Ariz., and Henderson, Nev., reached out during the controversy to say, “We made this switch a couple of years ago, and we love it.”
“I’ve seen a lot of departments transition to more of this type of model,” she said. “I haven’t seen any switch back to the traditional two-paramedic ambulance system.”
She said the long-term goal is to have two paramedics on every truck, but current staffing levels mean the department has to deploy its personnel strategically.
“We’re always trying to train more paramedics,” she said.
The Bigger Picture
The chief said the fire department continues to deliver high-quality service, despite the staffing dispute.
“When residents call 911, we provide some of the best care, I would argue, in the country,” she said.
AFR currently operates 22 stations, with a 23rd set to open at the end of August, according to city data. The department staffs at least 210 firefighters daily on 48/96 hour shifts and includes 471 basic EMTs and 212 paramedics covering the city.
Jaramillo said the new model helps fix a long-standing issue where paramedics get “stuck” on ambulances for most of their careers, limiting their firefighting experience.
“We train you to do all of these skills that then you’re not getting to do because you’re not working on the other truck,” she said.
The changes, she said, create more opportunities for job rotation and skill development.
Looking Ahead
Jaramillo said she’ll track response times and patient outcomes to measure the success of the new model, and she’s open to changes if the data shows problems.
She said the Southeast Albuquerque stations set for expansion handle some of the city’s highest call volumes, and the changes aim to ease workloads and speed up care when ambulances are tied up at hospitals.
“If you live in the southeast and you call 911, you can be confident that a paramedic is going to be responding to your call even if the other trucks are out of service,” she said.
The Firefighters Local 244 union and the City Council have filed a court petition challenging the ICC ruling. But Jaramillo said the rollout will move forward as planned and AFR will continue providing the same level of service.