LOS ANGELES, Nov 7: At least one-third of the United States’ federal emergency workers would reach superannuation in the next five years, and an anxious Uncle Sam is looking for new blood.

From college students to retirees, the government is urging all to fill the depleting ranks of doctors, fire-fighters and engineers. The intention is to promote federal hiring practices.

The areas of need: FBI investigators, CIA agents, Centers for Disease Control epidemic monitors; Food and Drug Administration staffers; Federal Reserve Board analysts, and Environmental Protection Agency monitors.

The government plans to open doors for the ex-employees under the pre-condition that the returnees should surrender part of their pensions.

A lot of those who had left now prefer to stay back at homes, and the government is considering flexible schedules and other changes to lure them back, said Edmund Byrnes, speaking for the personnel office.

The Partnership for Public Service recently published projections showing overall rates of attrition at the top seven agencies that are part of the government’s emergency response plan.

At the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 47 per cent of staff would attain superannuation by November 2006.

The overall retirement eligibility rate at the Agriculture Department, which employs forest fire-fighters and deploys emergency food supplies to disaster-stricken areas, is 38 per cent in the next five years.