RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Wake County Emergency Medical Services is hiring more employees as they prepare for an expanded ambulance fleet.

More EMS workers are coming on board over the next few months after Wake County’s $1.8 billion budget paid for 3 new ambulances and 20 new people to staff them. The ambulances won’t be in until January 2025 but officials are already starting to hire people who will eventually work in those vehicles.

 “I think it’s very safe to say by the end of the academy, we’ll have most, if not all of those expansion positions filled,” said Don Garner, Wake County EMS chief operating officer.

As the county grows, so does the demand for emergency help. Wake County says the number of calls spiked by five and a half percent each year over the last five years. Garner believes they’ll need to ask for more ambulances in next year’s budget.

“With that growth, there’s also increase in demand for services and EMS is no different,” Garner said.

County leaders tell CBS 17 that 54 people just started a new academy and they’ll start another academy class in March.