Fluvanna supervisors approve new advanced-EMT job description and small FY27 budget transfers

The Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors on June 3 approved updates to Department of Emergency Services job descriptions that create an Advanced EMT (AEMT) classification and rename the current Advanced Life Support role to "Medic." The board also approved two fiscal-year-2027 budget transfers totaling $27,011 to implement pay-band changes for the updated positions.

County staff said the change recognizes new state certification levels and an expanded scope of practice for AEMTs, who must first hold EMT certification before completing an additional course (the AEMT curriculum is roughly 220 hours plus clinical rotations). "Someone has to have EMT first, then they're sitting through the advanced EMT class," a county presenter said, noting the additional training and clinical time required.

Staff described clinical differences between the levels: in addition to basic life-support medications (albuterol, aspirin, oxygen, oral ondansetron, naloxone and nitroglycerin), an Advanced EMT can provide additional medications and procedures not permitted at the EMT level, including dextrose for hypoglycemia, antihistamines, initiation of IVs or intraosseous access, and, under protocols, epinephrine in cardiac arrest and certain controlled analgesics. County staff said those additions improve local prehospital care.

To implement the changes, the board approved a transfer of $16,500 from departmental operational budget lines to personnel lines and a transfer of $10,511 from personnel contingency to the Department of Emergency Services personnel budget lines. The motion to approve the job-description updates and the two budget transfers was moved by Mr. Hodge and seconded by Mr. Go; the board approved the motion by voice vote (the transcript records a unanimous "aye" on the voice vote but does not list a numeric roll call).

County staff said roughly $27,000 is the estimated ongoing annual salary-and-benefits increase associated with the new pay bands; staff indicated about $15,000–$16,000 of that could be absorbed through operational reductions and the remainder from contingency. The board's action authorizes the positions and the transfers; hiring and implementation will follow standard personnel procedures.