First responders speak on new Austin-Travis County EMS Chief

First responders in Austin continued to roll out Tuesday focused on saving lives. With new leadership just around the corner, FOX 7 asked union leader Selena Xie if she's worried a reboot old problems is waiting for them.

AUSTIN, Texas - First responders in Austin continued to roll out Tuesday focused on saving lives.

With new leadership just around the corner, FOX 7 asked union leader Selena Xie if she's worried a reboot of old problems is waiting for them. "It is going to be a total reinvention," said Xie.

Xie is confident because she knows the man selected to lead Austin Travis County EMS. Robert Luckritz was identified Tuesday morning in an email from city manager Spencer Cronk.

"I think the thing that speaks to him the most is that we hear medics that have worked with him would follow him here," said Xie.

Robert Luckritz has been in EMS for more than 25 years, according to a statement released by the city.

"I think that we're at a time in our city where we need transformational change and we're able to accomplish that by hiring somebody from the outside," said Austin Council member MacKenzie Kelly.

Kelly understands the job. She is a former volunteer firefighter, serving eight years with the Jollyville Fire Department. Kelly told FOX 7 she knows a lot of EMS employees are frustrated.

"They are the highest-paid EMS units in the entire state. That aside, there are other jobs the EMS worker can get outside of working for the city. Where they might make a starting wage is much higher. So those are things that we have to look at and consider, especially as we move forward with the contract process," said Kelly.

The new EMS Chief is facing three big challenges: low morale, demands for better benefits and a growing vacancy problem. There are differing opinions about how much time Luckritz has to turn things around.

"I think the rank and file is very, very hopeful for a new start. And I really think they will be generous with the time; probably has about a year," said Xie.

Kelly doesn’t believe Luckritz can make a quick turn of the changes she is wanting to see.

"We need to give him several years," said Kelly.

Women have lead the Austin Fire Department and Police Department. It's important to note that of the more than three dozen applications for the EMS Chief job, less than six were women. Which begs the question, did Austin miss an opportunity to break through another glass ceiling?

"Yes, and it's definitely a challenge for the industry to recognize, and there are some up-and-coming chiefs and assistant chiefs. There just might not be as many chiefs at the level that we're talking about. And so the pool is just a lot smaller when it comes to people that have run really large EMS systems," said Xie who was one of the women to apply for the job.

Interviews with Luckritz are not being scheduled until he is approved by the city council on Feb. 17. If confirmed, his first day on the job will be March 14.

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New Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Chief announced
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