An EMS event occurs in the US every single second!

In December 2011 the "National EMS Assessment" was released by www.EMS.gov.  You can access it online ... but its 550 pages!  So here's a few nuggets:

The EMS industry in the US is estimated to have:

• 19,971 credentialed EMS agencies
• 81,295 credentialed EMS vehicles
• 826,111 credentialed EMS professionals

Its a young workforce:

• 70% of EMS professionals are between 20 - 49 years old

Its a busy workforce, in 2009 an estimated:

• 36,698,670 EMS events occurred in the US
• 28,004,624 EMS transports occurred in the US

But few states track the Health and Safety of EMS professionals:

• 1 state (2%) monitors EMS on the job injury data
• 7 states (14%) monitor EMS blood-borne pathogen exposure data
• 18 states (36%) monitor EMS on the job fatalities

Each EMS event has risks, which is one reason why being a Firefighter is ranked the 2nd most stressful job in the US!

But your personal safety can often be protected with the right EMS supplies and PPE.  EMS supplies are made to help you do your job safely!

Its an emergency business, and an EMS event occurs literally every second (36 million events per year : 31 million second per year)!  So be prepared and keep your EMS supplies well-stocked!

Time, Distance, Shielding ... in EMS?

This 3-step approach is often used to reduce radiation exposure in HazMat incidents.  But it can also be helpful in handling EMS incidents.

• Time:  adequate time should be taken with a patient to ensure the highest standard of care is being administered, and when the job is done its time to go

• Distance:  onlookers and other people not treating an incident should be kept a significant distance from the scene

• Shielding:  precaution can be taken by shielding first responders with Personal Protective Equipment such as gowns, masks, respirators, gloves and other protective clothing

A simple approach, but very effective.  Try it!