Your call.

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them all, and there you have the facts of life.

That's the thought that ran through my brain, while we are having a meeting about people dropping ambulance calls.

Yes, we actually have EMTs, at one of my companies, that believe that it's okay to pick and choose their calls. They think that they're too good for certain calls.

What you mean we can choose our calls?

The answer is no.

I mean, I'm not perfect. I have looked at a pager to see what the call is only rolling over, and go back to bed. But most of my companies run 8 calls an hour. I normally catch the next one. EMTs are actually not showing up with the exception of echo calls. They're even not showing up for an imminent deliveries. I'm sorry I remember taking the oath of "to do no harm." Ignoring calls does just that. I can tell you many calls get dispatched wrong. Recently, I had a broken hand turn into a broken head. The operator misunderstood the caller's accent. I can count on one hand how many times I thought I was going on a routine call, only to get the pucker factor in full force.

I don't know how these small companies are actually paying for all these people to go to school. Then not demand them to give back some time. Give back or refuse to help them maintain their certifications.

These memebers are all getting their EMTs, and not serving any time. Not even once a month. Not giving back anything to the fire department whatsoever, who believe I them to make a difference.

I'm no angel in this sector either. I do serve, but not as much as I use to, but I also serve at five total stations in three states. Plus, my home station doesn't really have a great a FTO program. You basically have to sit at the station for a month straight to be cleared right away.

The sad part is I'm cleared at my other four stations and will getting cleared at my MD very shortly. I blame my home station's poor FTO program for not setting goals for me, and not clearly stating what is expected of me. Plus, there is NO feedback. I run over each call myself. But insight in what could be improved would help.

So I'll get there.

I hope that all we covered can be implemented without little resistance. I'm trying to get this little station the service it deserves. They are great people.


What would you do? What has your station implemented to retain EMTs? Anything we should make sure the FTO programs has? Who should be "worthy" of becoming EMTs? How can we get more participation in the not so glamourous calls?

Honestly, anything will help.

-stay safe.