A thought on profit, public, private, etc

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to pose a question (albeit perhaps a rhetorical one) to all of

you. When we talk about the profit/loss debate, the public/private debate, the

hospital/fire/private/PUM/third service debate, we sometimes jokingly say the

public gets the EMS service it deserves. I'd suggest that we've failed in our

role as care providers and patient advocates. We have failed to inform the

public about who we are and what we do. I've told some of you stories about my

own family and friends knowing virtually nothing about EMS until I got involved

in EMS. I'm sure we've all experienced similar things. The fire and police

departments have us beat, hands down, at public education.

What is your EMS agency doing to educate the public? I'll be the first to admit

that we could be doing more here.

-Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, EMT-B

Austin, Texas

[Guest guest]

Fire and Police Departments have been operating for lifetimes longer

than EMS. They have had the benefit of countless years more public

service than we have. They have had the benefit of being a public

service in a time where people understood what was meant by

service. We haven't had that luxury. We began in a time of war,

polictics and times where people don't want to be responsible for

their own actions. Where will we be in a hundred years? The answer

is, we will still be a hundred years behind the fire and police

departments. We can do better and I think we are. Educating the

public should definately be near the top of our priorities.

Worrying about where our police and fire departments are in

comparison to us only serves to be self defeating.

Matt ,

EMS Administrator

Texas City EMS

>

> I just wanted to pose a question (albeit perhaps a rhetorical one)

to all of you. When we talk about the profit/loss debate, the

public/private debate, the hospital/fire/private/PUM/third service

debate, we sometimes jokingly say the public gets the EMS service it

deserves. I'd suggest that we've failed in our role as care

providers and patient advocates. We have failed to inform the public

about who we are and what we do. I've told some of you stories

about my own family and friends knowing virtually nothing about EMS

until I got involved in EMS. I'm sure we've all experienced similar

things. The fire and police departments have us beat, hands down,

at public education.

>

> What is your EMS agency doing to educate the public? I'll be the

first to admit that we could be doing more here.

>

> -Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, EMT-B

> Austin, Texas

>

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