Sunday, April 12, 2020

There's shortage of volunteer EMS workers for ambulances in rural America

NBC News Article 

We live on the most dangerous section of the most dangerous highway in America
US-93

It's not uncommon for the LMRFD ambulance to take over an hour to respond. The golden hour to get a patient to the hospital is stretched to it's limit here. 



From the NBC News Article 
  “As the population in these communities shrinks, you’ve got a finite pool of people who are willing to volunteer,” said Wayne Denny, chief of Idaho’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness.

EMS volunteer work requires hours of initial training that costs hundreds of dollars, even at the most basic levels. In North Dakota, for example, emergency medical responders need 50 to 60 hours of training to learn how to drive an ambulance and assist with basic CPR and first aid. Those classes can cost at least $600, which must be shouldered by the unpaid volunteer.


Inside the collapse of America's emergency medical services.

No comments:

Post a Comment