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Eric Wisher, the president of the union that represents Troy firefighters, told the outlet that despite recently hiring three new recruits, the department is still short of 12 firefighters.
He told CBS6 the crux of the problem is that new hires are required to have paramedic certification instead of an EMT certification.
While the terms may sound the same to laymen, paramedic certification involves more complex training than EMTs receive, allowing them to perform procedures like inserting IV lines, administering drugs, and applying pacemakers.
The training costs thousands of dollars and has not been covered by the city of Troy since 2013, when it was cut to save costs.
Wisher told CBS6 the city could grow its pool of qualified candidates and solve its firefighter shortage by lowering the requirement to an EMT certification instead of a paramedic one.
Troy Mayor Patrick Madden said he would continue working with fire chiefs and command staff to meet staffing needs, but would not say whether the city would seek to lower the requirement.
Click here for the full story from CBS6.
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