For two hours, members of SEIU Local 200United wore purple and carried signs that read “Highest Trained, Lowest Paid,” “Be Fair To Those Who Care” and “Save Those Who Save You.”

Joe Snyder, SEIU Local 200United chairman and executive board member, said Wednesday’s gathering of employees in front of the Foote Avenue hospital was to shed light on the low wages many emergency medical technicians and paramedics are currently making in addition to “dangerously low” staffing levels at both ends of the county.

“Our goal today is raise public awareness to the staffing shortages that are in Chautauqua County,” Snyder told The Post-Journal. “Since UPMC has taken over, they’ve been unwilling to try and negotiate a competitive livable wage. … Our staffing has just been eroded.”

The current three-year contract for Alstar EMS employees expires Dec. 31 of this year.

Alstar management and UPMC Chautauqua have not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Snyder, a paramedic with Alstar since December 2002, said the union met with the company Wednesday morning in an attempt to negotiate a new contract.

“They did make a little move on the wage, but it was not even close to what we are looking for,” Snyder said.

Dave Thomas, WCA Services Corp. executive director, went before the Chautauqua County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee earlier this year to discuss the critical lack of EMTs and paramedics locally.

He said in 2018, Alstar received 20,000 requests for service but could only answer 16,000 of them because of low staffing levels.

Thomas said Alstar lost several employees when the county started its new emergency medical services program and fly-car system.

When the program began, he said he lost four of his most experienced medics.

“We are in a crisis for EMS,” Thomas told the committee in February.

Snyder affirmed there is a need for more crews throughout the county. He said there are “hours” when there is no paramedic unit in Dunkirk and only one in the city of Jamestown.

In addition to both cities, many towns and villages rely on Alstar as many don’t have EMS coverage by local volunteer fire departments.

The low staffing, Snyder said, can be contributed to other EMS companies syphoning many longtime EMTs and paramedics. Among the companies are EmergyCare in Erie, Pa., (American Medical Response) AMR in Buffalo and — most recently — the county’s own EMS fly-car program.

“A lot of them are just leaving the county,” Snyder said of staff loss.