EDITOR'S NOTE: In July, EMS1, Fitch & Associates, and the National EMS Management Association released their third annual EMS Trend Report, proudly sponsored by Pulsara. Because the articles and advice found within contain such critical subject matter, we've elected to publish each segment one at a time here on our blog. This excerpt is from The Consequences of Lost Passion for the Job, the third entry in the 2020 Trend Report. Read, enjoy, share, and take to heart the following information brought to you by the most prestigious thought leaders in EMS.
About the Author: Anthony Minge, EdD, is a senior partner at Fitch & Associates. Prior to joining the firm, he was the business manager for Northwest MedStar in Spokane, Washington, one of the largest air medical programs in the Pacific Northwest. He holds a Doctor of Education degree in organizational leadership.
Improve compensation, career path and safety to recruit the next generation, and retain the current EMS workforce
Parents typically hope for more for their children. This is not just a financial goal, but one of happiness and satisfaction, including a career that is gratifying. Parental encouragement and influential adults are contributing factors in young people’s career decisions that cannot be discounted. Many have followed in the footsteps of a parent, teacher, or other mentor who provided encouragement and endorsement of a particular field. There was a time when children took their parents to school and presented them to the class, bragging about what mom or dad did for a career. This year’s data suggests that not as many public safety/EMS parents are guests at show-and-tell.