Polk County Paramedic Union Reaches 3-Year Tentative Agreement
Polk County and the union representing its EMTs and paramedics have reached a tentative three-year contract that would add a fourth shift and shorten the standard workweek from 48 hours to 42.
The county announced the tentative agreement with the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics on Oct. 12. Union members and the Board of County Commissioners still need to approve it. If both approve it, the contract would stay in effect through Sept. 30, 2029.
What the D-Shift Changes
The agreement adds a fourth shift, called the D-shift, to the county’s existing rotation. Crews would move to a 24-hour-on, 72-hour-off cycle, bringing the standard week to 42 hours.
Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Shawn Smith said the deal includes the same D-shift that the county’s firefighters negotiated.
“The tentative agreement is good for everyone,” Smith said.
Smith described the pay terms as a “one-step pay increase.” The county’s release does not include wage figures.
Deputy County Manager Ryan Taylor said he is “pleased we have reached a tentative agreement” and looks forward to presenting it to the Board of County Commissioners.
A Second Contract in Ten Months
The tentative deal would replace a contract the commission approved less than a year ago. On Dec. 16, 2025, commissioners unanimously approved a three-year agreement with I.A.E.P. Local 917 R-5, which represents single-certified EMTs and paramedics. That contract was set to run through Sept. 30, 2028.
The 2025 agreement moved members from a 56-hour week to a 48-hour week on or before Oct. 1, 2026, and added a paid Kelly Day every 21-day cycle, giving crews a 24-hour shift off with no effect on salary. It also advanced members one step per year on the county’s 13-step pay plan and applied 2 percent cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2027-2028.
That means the new agreement’s 48-hour week took effect only this month.
The county has been moving its emergency responders toward the four-shift model on both sides of the house. In July, Polk County and the Polk County Professional Firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 3531 tentatively agreed to add a D-shift for firefighters, cutting that group from a 56-hour week to 42 hours on the same 24-on, 72-off cycle. A three-year firefighters agreement including the D-shift, effective no later than Oct. 1, 2027, went to a vote at the end of September. It would also run through Sept. 30, 2029, and covers firefighters from entry-level positions through battalion chiefs.
What Happens Next
Union members vote first, and the Board of County Commissioners takes it up after that. The county has not announced a date for either vote, and the release did not say when the new schedule would begin if approved.
Taylor, who has served as deputy county manager, was selected as the county’s next county manager on Oct. 6.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Polk County and the EMT and paramedic union agree to?
The two sides reached a tentative three-year contract that adds a fourth shift, called the D-shift, and shortens the standard workweek from 48 hours to 42. It also includes what Fire Rescue Chief Shawn Smith described as a “one-step pay increase.” The county’s release does not include wage figures.
What is a D-shift?
A D-shift is a fourth shift added to a three-shift rotation. In Polk County, it puts crews on a cycle of 24 hours on duty followed by 72 hours off, which produces a 42-hour standard week. The county’s firefighters negotiated the same structure.
How many hours a week do Polk County EMTs and paramedics work now?
Forty-eight. That figure came from the contract commissioners approved in December 2025, which moved members from a 56-hour week to 48 hours on or before Oct. 1, 2026. The 48-hour week took effect this month.
When would the new Polk County paramedic contract take effect and when would it end?
If union members and the Board of County Commissioners both approve it, the contract would remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2029. The county’s release does not state a start date for the new schedule.
Who has to approve the tentative Polk County paramedic contract?
Union members must ratify it, and the Board of County Commissioners must approve it. The county has not announced a date for either vote.
Sources: “Polk County, I.A.E.P. Union Reach Tentative Contract Agreement,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Oct. 12, 2026; “Polk County Approves New 3-Year Agreement with EMT and Paramedic Union,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Dec. 19, 2025; “Polk County, Firefighters Union Agreement Heads to Vote,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Sept. 30, 2026; “Polk County and Firefighters Union Tentatively Agree Upon D-Shift,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, July 14, 2026; “Ryan Taylor Chosen as Next County Manager for Polk County,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Oct. 6, 2026; “BoCC Organizational Chart,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Aug. 18, 2026.
