The problem with Rural EMS

[JPINFV]

Maybe not take control away from them, but regulate how it can be maintained, so it will not fall below a uniform standard.

Look at how much different programs differ from state to state. Some clearly lack the ability to maintain a modern EMS system.

I think you're missing the point. The federal government lacks the power, for the most part, to regulate EMS. They can do general mandates via the 'power of the purse,' but regulating EMS based off of the interstate commerce clause is a bit of a stretch. The federal government can't just run things because they feel like it or because it's a good idea. See court cases like US v Lopez for an excellent example of a "common sense" law being ruled unconstitutional.

[Chief1C]

I'm not missing the point, but I have no idea how to repair what time and poor planning has done to EMS. There is no correct answer at this point. That's all I have to say. I don't have the answer, you probably don't. You're not saying anything that hasn't been said before. I can just hope that what gets done is healthy for the future.

As for Rural EMS. That's all I know. I've never been in a city for more than a week at most, in my life. Rural areas lack good EMS in PA. To address that, they came up with an idea for the future of EMS. By 2010, the EMT Basic Program would be gone. It would be replaced with the First Responder.

Then, after being an FR for a while, they could take another course, and bring them up to the EMT Basic level. My fear, for my part of rural America, is that it will draw a crowd of people that we would not welcome into our organizations. People who will only step up to serve, if we dumb the process down a bit. Those aren't the kind of people we're looking for..

[spenac]

OP are you out there? What is you big break thru?

[Chief1C]

OP are you out there? What is you big break thru?

This isn't about rural EMS.. It's an advertisement.

Right click, and copy his email address..

Cut off the RWarwell@ and follow the link.

No, I'm not making a link to the site.

I'll PM the link to Spleen.. I don't want to advertise for the guy. I'm sure admin can sell him a nice Ad placement package.

"a grassroots effort to provide emergency medical care to rural areas and areas that are under served"

[WolfmanHarris]

Thanks for the heads-up.

I've read the guy's site twice and it took me a second to realize he's kinda a company (I think) that is hoping to take over EMS is some rural areas. Though the site looks about 10 years or more out of date (be design) so I'm not sure how current this is.

[Doug]

4cmk wrote: "Have to start from square one, on a national level. No individual EMS systems with in counties or states.

Take the control of EMS away from the states. Make scopes for entire vast areas, not from city to city. What works in center city Los Angeles, CA isn't fit for Medicine Lake, MT; or a secluded, snowed in village in Alaska, where transport time is going to be four hours"

These seem to be 2 contradictory statements...the exact trouble with federal government is the one size fits all attitude. 2 examples: the rural community I vollenteer with was offered 2 geiger counters under some grant from the national security deal...keep in mind I live in a town of @1000 people and the surrounding towns were offere the same, so you can't argue "shared equipment." We were offered them because nobody could come up with a guideline for what constitutes a "need" so in the OSFA attitude "give everyone who wants them one."

Unrelated to EMS but interesting none the less...Federal customs agents in Hawaii are given "cold weather breaks." You see here in the north east where it gets COLD the agents in Boston work in the recieving areas for 20-30 minutes with 10-15 minute break to go inside to warm up...thing is nobody could agree what "cold" was so they made it year round...then apparently the agents across the country found out and thought it was unfair that those boston guys got 10 minute breaks every 30 minutes so they made it universal.

I think local control is best.

[EMTChris]

Most of this garbage and criticism is coming from a paid agency member who wants to move into our station. Our residents don't want your service. You don't care. You do it for a paycheck. I've witnessed it for years, and although I do my best to judge it on a case by case basis, I've been in EMS too long to think otherwise.

Try getting out of bed at 2:00am, rushing to the station, then the scene when you aren't getting paid...then talk to me about response times...you condescending a-hole.

[crotchitymedic1986]

Sounds like you guys are promoting communism as the savior of EMS (atleast Federalism). Can you name one program that the feds do well ?

[JakeEMTP]

Try getting out of bed at 2:00am, rushing to the station, then the scene when you aren't getting paid...then talk to me about response times...you condescending a-hole.

Totally uncalled for Chris. I don't have to get out of bed and rush to the station, I'm already there. And seriously, if you really cared about your pt's then you would be too. Our response times would kick your response times ass. But that's not the point. I'm a professional EMS provider and am paid to do a job, just like your day job. I completed my 2 years of college to earned my degree. Why shouldn't I be paid? Just because you're rural, doesn't mean your citizen's don't deserve professional EMS.

[Arctickat]

Jake, what kind of shifts do you operate though? Some locations, mine included, work 6 days on 3 days off for some staff, 7 on 7 off for others, every shift is 24 hour on call. Would you be satisfied with your job if you had to stay at the base for 2/3 of your life, of being able to spend quality time with your family, even though you are getting paid for it? Rural services can rarely afford to pay staff for 12 hour shifts and even if they can, finding enough qualified staff is often the greater challenge. We have 2 ambulances and 7 full time employees and have a half million dollar annual budget. We are required to be in the ambulance within 6 minutes of a call out, day or night. We've become masters of the quick dress and dash.

You might be required to stay at the base, that doesn't make you a better medic or more capable to provide patient care. All it means is that you don't have to be on call 24/7 for most of your career.