FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A pay increase for ambulance staff might be a solution to the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority’s staff shortage.

TRAA Executive Director Gary Booher told the Fort Wayne City Council last night they’ve fined their contractor, PatientCare Logistics, $575,000 for failing to comply with response time standards. He adds that money could go toward hiring more workers:

“All parties are agreed and committed to take non-compliance fines and create some sort of grant or way we can support the local workforce,” he said.

The TRAA board declared an emergency over the paramedic shortage but was criticized by Councilman Russ Jehl for not making that declaration more publicly known and for not finding solutions sooner.