THANKS to EMTs

On Monday we said THANKS to Firefighters.  Tuesday we said THANKS to Police Officers.

Today we say THANKS to EMTs everywhere!!

EMTs have a demanding job.  Did you know an EMS event occurs every single second in the USA?  That's a lot of medical emergencies ... 36 million per year to be exact!

In fact, nearly 70% of all calls to a Fire Department are medical calls.  And despite tightening budgets, the public still expects very fast response times.

EMTs have a surprisingly dangerous job, considering the potentials attacks they face from violent patients and bystanders.  The big question is whether EMTs and Firefighters should carry guns.

EMTs are a vital part of the Public Safety community that serves the public tirelessly - both On-the-job and Off-duty.  For example, this Off-duty EMT bravely paid the ultimate price this year while reportedly protecting two women who were being threatened.

In a bit of good news, New York officials are pursuing new legislation to provide better legal protection for EMTs and Paramedics.

Throughout the chaos and devastation of Superstorm Sandy, many EMTs conducted life-saving rescues.

And at least one EMT competed in the 2012 London Olympics this year!

So this week, we say THANKS to EMTs everywhere!!

THANKS to Firefighters

We want to say THANKS to Firefighters everywhere!!

Firefighters are vital part of the Public Safety community, and this great country would not be the same without your great service!

Firefighters generally prefer to be fighting fires, but the reality is they get called on out far more medical emergencies.  In fact, medical calls outnumber fire calls nearly 3-to-1.

Nonetheless, firefighters have one of the most stressful jobs in America.

They fight wildfires, including the devastating Colorado wildfires this year.  And they fight structure fires.

Firefighters go the extra mile to save lives at dangerous traffic scenes - like this one in Santa Barbara, CA.

At least one firefighter proudly represented the USA in the 2012 London Olympics!

They invent genius new products - like this water misting station for heat relief.

They passionately care for the community and valiantly support worthy causes - like this cancer fighting non-profit organization.

And sometimes, firefighters are called to protect people from themselves.

So this week, we say THANKS to Firefighters everywhere - whether you are career, volunteer or on-call!!

Doing More With Less?

As you know, Public Safety professionals are very busy... from Police to Fire to EMS.

But Public Safety budgets are being cut all across our country.  Here's a few examples:

• Lane County, OR
• Utica, NY
• San Jose, CA
• San Diego, CA
• Detroit, MI
• Lynchburg, VA
• State of CA
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Los Angeles, CA

Ok, that's more than "a few."  But I'll stop here since I think you agree this trend of Public Safety budget cuts is a hot topic.

So what's the result of these cuts?  Well, imagine this...

You get sick or injured and head in to your local Urgent Care or ER.  Under normal conditions you expect... a short wait in the lobby... a brief visit with a triage nurse... a longer visit with a doctor... and current medical equipment and supplies to help you recover.

But!  If budget cuts have recently hit that facility, you are more likely to experience a lower level of service... perhaps a longer wait in the lobby because a receptionist was let go... perhaps a longer wait in triage because a nurse was let go, but the same number of patients need to be triaged... perhaps shorter and less frequent visits from a doctor for the same reason - same number of patients, less number of doctors... and perhaps outdated equipment and supplies are being used because more current ones were not budgeted.

Los Angeles Fire Department is a good example.  A recent audit found that (following recent budget cuts) LAFD now takes longer to respond to medical calls.

Rarely have we read of Police, Fire or EMS being lazy.  Public Safety professionals are widely regarded as hardworking and dedicated public servants who give 100% to their jobs, despite holding the most stressful jobs available.

So here's the question... how far can we push the idea of "Doing More With Less?"

To what extent can less resources be made up for with increased productivity?

And how can Public Safety professionals properly communicate the tension of this trade-off to the public.