The chief of the St. Louis Fire Department says paramedics have been so traumatized by the "bloodshed" they have seen on the job that they are quitting faster than he can replace them.
KMOX reports that Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson says the nature of his medical personnel's runs is taking a toll.
Jenkerson says 20 of the 55 paramedic positions in the city are vacant. The chief says that during a 12-hour shift, a paramedic might go on 15 emergency calls, and plenty of those have involved gunshot scenes with young victims.
"Quite a few of those calls are going to be very, very traumatic," Jenkerson told KMOX. "A lot of bloodshed. And when you get into the bloodshed that involves children, it gets to you."
Jenkerson says those medics who don't quit often call in sick just to get a day off for their mental health.
A solution proposed by the chief involves boosting pay and hiring enough paramedics to build out 16 to 18 crews, which would avoid an overwhelming workload. The department currently has only 12 crews.
