Lack Of EMT's Hurts Rural Towns Across US

[calhobs 110]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/18/rural...s.ap/index.html

Everyone is hurting for EMTs

[roeems87 0]

Not for anything, but i'm not sure a rural town in the middle of North (or South, who cares?) Dakota (with, as the article states, a population of 200) is anywhere near an accurate, fair, or non-ignorant assessment of volunteerism in this country.

On a side note... In a town of 200, there are 5 EMTs. That's 2.5% of the population willing to volunteer in their ambulance program. I can't imagine they have many calls, but that's not the point. If 2.5% of a town of 20,000 people volunteered, that would be 500 people in the ambulance corps. Assume that only half that amount actually care enough to do it. That's 250 people... There aren't that many towns with that amount of committment from any population. Only serves to prove further how ridiculous (and IMHO pointless) an article like this is...

[calhobs 110]

The average age of an EMT in North Dakota is 46, said Dean Lampe, executive director of the North Dakota EMS Association. About 20 percent of volunteer EMTs in North Dakota are older than 60, Meyer said.

Its not the amount of people its the age there is no one to replace them, this seems to be a problem every where now.

Edited May 21, 2006 by calhobs

[Guest]

I know that I’m the youngest by 11 years where I work. But I think the bigger issue surrounding this whole thing is really the fact that EMS fails to be a lucrative job opportunity by today’s standards. I took a two dollar pay cut to start a career in EMS, and countless other people have to work two (or more) jobs and pickup serious overtime to make ends meet. On the surface the age of providers may be an issue, but you dig a little deeper and it all goes back to being recognized, appreciated and respected as healthcare professionals and the third emergency service.