NFPA Journal - July/August 2020 - 50

First Responder by John Montes

DISPATCHES
FROM THE
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
COMMUNITY

Fighting for EMS
THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO PROVE THAT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARE VITAL TO
THE WELL-BEING OF COMMUNITIES. SO, WHY DOESN'T EMS GET THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS?

hen I worked at Boston
argued for stimulus funding to commuEMS, our department
nities to sustain underfunded fire and
motto was "Where Public
EMS systems.
Safety Meets Public
So far, none of these efforts have
Health." COVID-19 has
gained much traction. While politicians
proven that motto true as never before.
and government appointees are happy to
It's time for political leaders, the health
thank responders in front of a camera,
care system, and communities to embrace
they have taken little real action to
that reality and make the changes necessupport their needs during the pandemic.
sary to keep this indispensable service
To date, according to the International
from collapsing.
Association of Fire Chiefs, 46 fire and
Every day, our first responders are
EMS responders have died from coronaasked to do more with less-less personal
virus-surprisingly low considering the
How many more
protective equipment, less funding,
circumstances. How many more need to
responders need to
fewer EMS staff. During the current
lose their lives or their jobs before leadpandemic, stressed health care systems
ers take action?
lose their lives or their
have depended on EMS personnel to
For real change to occur, society needs
jobs before leaders
move and divert patients, while also
to
adjust how it thinks about EMS.
take action?
keeping them out of hospitals by evalThroughout the pandemic, fire and EMS
uating and treating them at home. And
personnel have been in every hot spot
yet, in most cases, EMS providers are not
risking their lives to meet the challenges
paid for these critical services-instead,
of their communities-yet often these
they are only paid for transporting patients to the hospital.
efforts are met with less fanfare and resources than similar
In the UK, Australia, and most other industrialized countries, efforts in the health care sphere. But emergency responders
EMS falls under the national health services, meaning it is paid need to be treated as a part of the health care continuum,
for services provided under the same system as doctors and not as a separate entity. Every community in the US needs to
nurses. In the US, by contrast, only 11 states legislatively desig- know that, and demand funding for this critical piece of our
nate EMS as an "essential service," or one that must be provided health system. At the same time, our health care system needs
to communities. This lack of financial support has real conse- to acknowledge that EMS is a partner that it can work with
quences-our EMS system was not optimally prepared for the to provide the best possible care for patients in and out of the
first wave of pandemic. Immediate action must be taken so hospital.
that fire and EMS agencies are sufficiently supported for the
For the past four decades, many people responsible for leadsecond wave of outbreak, never mind the long-term support ing, planning, and funding the fire and EMS systems in the
needed to begin creating the first responder system we need US have followed the paths of least resistance. But we can no
for the 21st century.
longer afford this approach. Responders have to step out of
Throughout the recent crisis, many of the organizations the shadows, show the world the incredible value they provide,
that represent first responders have collaborated to push and make our elected and appointed leaders take the necesgovernment to stand up and take notice of these injustices. sary actions to support and sustain them. If nothing is done,
They have advocated for finally paying fire and EMS for the our communities will lose.
services they provide beyond hospital transport. They have
And who will pay that price?
fought for workers compensation and line-of-duty death benefits for responders who have contracted coronavirus. They have John Montes is specialist, emergency services public fire protection, at NFPA.

MICHAEL HOEWELER

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NFPA Journal - July/August 2020

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