State Senator Mike Halpin and State Senator Neil Anderson announced the advancement of Senate Bill 1750, aimed at creating incentives to recruit much-needed emergency medical technicians in Illinois fire departments.
“EMTs are critical to the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We hope to create incentives for individuals to pursue a career in emergency medical services and to help alleviate the shortage of EMTs in our fire departments. By reimbursing the mandatory training expenses for EMTs, we can make this career path more accessible and affordable for aspiring candidates and ensure that our fire departments have the necessary personnel to respond to emergencies.”
The bill would require the board of trustees of a fire protection district to reimburse the mandatory training expenses of EMTs, EMT-Is, A-EMTs, or paramedics who are employed by or under contract with the district.