Paramedic Recruitment and Retention in Fire-Based EMS Systems

updated May 27, 2008 return to Professor Ward's homepage

Flannigan: Tale of Two Cities 11 slide 365 KB Adobe Acrobat document

Ward: Paramedic Retention 38 slide, 3129 MB Powerpoint document

Workload and Staffing: SYSTEM STATUS MANAGEMENT: http://www.stoutsolutions.com/consulting

System Status Management and Ambulance Design [19 page, 219 KB Adobe Acrobat document]

Michael Anft and Van Smith (April 29, 1998) Burning Questions: Understaffed and Overworked, the Baltimore City Fire Department - Once Hailed as the Nation's Best - Faces a Crisis Point. Baltimore City Paper [Eight page, 183 KB Adobe Acrobat document]

Michael Newell (April 26, 2006) Dying for a Change: The City's Paramedic Shortage Puts Resident's Lives At Risk. Philadelphia Weekly. [Three page, 33 K Adobe Acrobat document]

“Gentlemen, Start Your Engine” 2004 City Paper article about DCFEMS Engine 10

48 - 96 work schedule: http://www.48-96.com/

Pinnacle 2007 seminar: http://www.pinnacle-ems.com/

American Ambulance Association: http://the-aaa.org/

Culture:

Team-based work groups under a para-military rank structure. Long tenure members with multiple capabilities.

Fire service wants to handle the life-saving, terror and high hazard events.

Schizophrenic behavior when it comes to most situations that represent 9-1-1 ems calls.

Significant cultural clash at the street and fire station level – major demographic and service changes will result in lasting effects on most fire departments.

Tony McDowell “An Appropriate Response” Fire Chief August 2002

"FDNY Sucks" (April 27, 2001) New York Press

Website for FDNYSucks http://members.aol.com/fdnyemswebsite/

Richard Huff (03 June 2006) Unsung Heroics of EMTs: More calls than Fire Dept. New York Daily News [Three page, 60 KB Adobe Acrobat Document]

IAFC EMS Section: http://www.iafc.org/sections/ems.asp

IAFF EMS Performance Measurement: http://www.iaff.org/secure/content/ems/performance.htm

9th Biennial IAFF EMS in the Fire Service Conference EMS: Under Fire . Houston (TX) June 24 - 27, 2007.

Volunteer "Rescue Squad" Culture : Strong community ties

Politically powerful members. Individuals that donate their services have made a LIFESTYLE decision that is based on their personal values and needs. They will continue to contribute or walk away based on individual time/reward assessment.

Dedicated and powerful community based emergency service workers

Challenge is imposition of volunteer culture on paramedic employees and when paid/volunteer conflicts arise

IT ALL STARTED IN ROANOKE : http://www.homestead.com/totherescue/

"The Battle over Kentland A339. I did not join the VFD to ride an Ambulance!" goes up to the point that the VFD sues the county ... the VFD prevailed in court 

“Brother vs. Brother” Fire Chief January 2003 [Six page, 74 KB Adobe Acrobat document]

Anderson (1980) "The Development of Municipal Fire Departments in the United States" The Journal of Libertarian Studies (29 page, 1,341 MB Adobe Acrobat - scan of paper document)

Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. (2005) "Maryland EMS Workforce Report" [60 page, 1,110 MB Adobe Acrobat document]

Michael Heller (April 2006) Heroes or Villains? National Fire & Rescue [7 page, 108 KB Adobe Acrobat document]

Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads: http://www.vavrs.com/

National Volunteer Fire Council: http://www.nvfc.org/

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