Interesting Article [Archive] - Fraternal Order of Paramedics & EMT's Society Forums

mcaldwell

11-02-2003, 03:14

I hope it was ok to post this.

OH MY GOD OOFDA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! :shock:

(Psych :wink: :lol: )

It is actually a good article, and I agree with most of it. I concur that there is a lost identify in EMS, but I don't think more separation is the answer.

I think there are distinct benefits to combination departments, and at the end of the day, we all arrive on the same calls anyway, so why not utilize the same leadership and command structure. We know too much red tape and unnecessary layers of communication only make an already hazardous scene more dangerous. The interoperability provided by unified services only makes sense.

I will certainly agree with the comment that there is inadequate representation and standardization on the national level (both in the US and Canada). EMS does represent the largest emergency call volume in any community (next to police), and it definitely needs more attention. I would hope this comes with the inevitable advancement of EMS personnel into top leadership positions in these new combined services, but I really can't forsee where it is going. Maybe it is going to need the support of a separate NFPA type organization to lobby for the EMS side of the industry.

I certainly understand the problem with the lack of volunteers as well. As a Deputy Fire Chief, I can take a kid off the street and with a few weeks of training, make him competent to work on the fireground under close supervision. After 6 months, that kid is probably pretty competent completing basic assignments with a regular partner. That technique will not work with EMS. You need at least a month of training to provide the most basic levels of care, and a rookie paramedic is a solid 6 months to a year in the making. That is a big commitment for a volunteer who is probably going to have to get a second or third job to pay the bills. I really don't know the answer to that one aside from staffing f/t stations, and we know full well that small communities cannot afford that.

I don't think there is a permanent solution to many of these problems. There can certainly be improvements made in the leadership and direction of EMS, but at the end of the day the fire service deals with largely the same issues, and they haven't figured it out yet either.