Strategies to elevate paramedic safety, wellness, career development and operations
The state of the industry EMS Trend Survey explores issues tied to provider recruitment and retention; safety, health and wellness support; technology adoption; and career development, produced in partnership with Fitch & Associates and the National EMS Management Association.
EMS TREND REPORT
ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY
Share your priorities, challenges and outlook to help shape the future of EMS
In EMS, support is essential 鈥� but without limits, even helpers burn out. Here鈥檚 how to stay connected without carrying it all.
Even the most disciplined providers burn out when high demand meets zero recovery
In a profession defined by chaos, simple routines can reduce stress, improve sleep and create stability where it matters most 鈥� at home
Achieve peak performance through foam-rolling, active warm-ups, deadlifts, functional dumbbell exercises and high-intensity interval training
Who could use a little more sleep?
Contract negotiations may hold the key to closing the gap between what medics expect and the reality of the job
With a provider-first 24/72 schedule, advanced clinical tools and a culture rooted in teamwork, Stokes County EMS is redefining what it means to build a sustainable paramedic career
Resiliency training and a CISM program laid a foundation for the Richmond Ambulance Authority to support its providers鈥� mental health
Building mental and physical resilience isn鈥檛 just important 鈥� it鈥檚 essential for EMS professionals. If your program isn鈥檛 gaining traction, these 5 roadblocks could be to blame.
Identify and aid team members facing depression, burnout or compassion fatigue to foster an emotionally safe organizational environment
What UK 鈥楳ed Twitter鈥� taught us 鈥� and what comes next
The jury may start after the sirens have stopped.
From skipped meals to nonstop radios, you can鈥檛 control the clock. What you can control is how you recover, reset and protect yourself for a career that lasts.
A firsthand look at how Pro EMS turned candor, humility and field-tested leadership into a scalable, mission-first organization
Insufficient sleep impacts decision-making, wellness and risk-taking, putting providers and patients at risk
Financial collapse, market churn and rising risks define today鈥檚 EMS landscape
Communities are rethinking who delivers care 鈥� and how to protect against the next sudden shutdown
EMS funding is broken 鈥� and communities are done pretending it鈥檚 not
It鈥檚 time to match praise with policy for those on the front lines
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
What does your agency social media presence convey?
New Florida data shows the profession must evolve or continue to lose talent at unsustainable rates
With burnout ranked as the top concern, the EMS Trend Survey reveals a profession pushed to the brink 鈥� and what must change to protect it
When employees are happy, engaged and productive, and the organization is meeting their individual needs, they are more likely to meet their full potential
As you begin your EMS journey, remember: the calls are real, the people are counting on you, and your training is just the beginning
Join Mike Taigman, Chris Carlson and Daniel Brown to explore how data-driven decisions, BLS units, telehealth and nurse advice lines can reshape emergency services 鈥� without risking lives
Union pressures mayor as investment in equipment outpaces investment in people
If you鈥檝e ever worked tired, driven drowsy, or taken one shift too many, this one鈥檚 for you
With 17 paramedic vacancies, the county turns to sign-on bonuses, but will it solve the real problem?
City leaders seek millions in funding to improve EMS wages
Program aims to recruit and train 50-75 paramedics annually to strengthen workforce
State EMS Director Joe Schmider on how Texas鈥� data-driven plan brought in 10,915 new providers
Recruitment efforts can focus on non-traditional members, people who live outside the area and even members of neighboring departments
Eve Grau, co-founder of Royal Ambulance, a Glassdoor Employee鈥檚 Choice winner, shares the moments that matter, and how to recognize performance
From coffee, to healthy snacks and hydration options, make sure your EMS crews have everything they need to recharge between shifts with cost-saving subscription options
When the overtime pool is deep, many EMTs and paramedics will swim for as long as they possibly can
No one wants to join a sinking ship
Colorado Springs, Sacramento and Richmond: Integrating analytics into decision-making to enhance patient outcomes, personnel support and sustainable operations
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 oversee EMS medicine from behind a desk.鈥� With a full-time medical director, providers gain a mentor, coach and advocate.
The EMS Leadership Academy highlights the urgent need to address funding, career pathways and wellness support
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PFD Assistant Chief Jeff Schripsema shares a powerful story highlighting the department鈥檚 commitment to its members
Inside the 72-hour program helping veterans and first responders face trauma at its source 鈥� and reclaim their lives
Real culture shift starts small, with consistent actions from a committed minority willing to lead differently
Self-awareness is the uncomfortable mirror that exposes the habits keeping you stuck 鈥� and it鈥檚 the first step toward reclaiming your direction
Discover practical ways to build simple movement into your day to reduce injury risk, improve resilience and help extend your career
How physical therapy, work hardening and smart rehab speed a safe return
Observation 鈥� by others or yourself 鈥� has the power to shift behavior. Discover how self-awareness can improve resilience, focus and well-being
Use the habit loop to set goals in motion and achieve success
Understaffed, overworked first responders need robust wellness programs to combat stress
EMS providers are more susceptible to sleep disorders and their inherent dangers and health implications
Will a schedule change improve work-life balance or worsen fatigue?
Chronic inflammation is driven by sleep disruption, poor nutrition, limited exercise and unresolved trauma
With 76% of EMS professionals facing burnout, agencies must prioritize recovery, resilience and leadership modeling to protect provider health and patient safety
A career in public safety or emergency response can take a toll on your loved ones; here鈥檚 what you need to know
Try one (or all) of these ideas and make movement a priority 鈥� together!
鈥淔atigue isn鈥檛 just about feeling tired. It鈥檚 a physiological and cognitive state that directly impacts decision-making, reaction times and the ability to perform under pressure.鈥�
There鈥檚 no denying that EMS takes a toll on provider health; this 30-day challenge can help you get your life back
Shift your mindset and identity to achieve and maintain your objectives
Forget protein bars 鈥� the best 鈥渆xercise snack鈥� happens in the patrol car, between calls or while restocking the rig
Female EMS clinicians report high rates of harassment, mental health struggles and limited career support. Research highlights key areas for reform to create a safer and more inclusive workplace.
LEADERSHIP
Asbel Montes calls on leaders to build accountability, courage and growth through intentional support
Not every call needs a transport (but every call needs to get paid)
A gut check on the serious business of billing for patients deceased on scene
From the chief鈥檚 office to the back of the ambulance, leadership behavior sets the standard
A 2,500-year-old strategy book might explain why your crews are frustrated and your culture feels chaotic
EMS leaders open summit with call for unity and coordinated action
Annual evaluations don鈥檛 break careers 鈥� silence does. Without clear, quarterly feedback, confusion replaces growth and courage gets outsourced to paperwork.
鈥淓MS professionals are watching, not for speeches, but for behavior. They are listening, not just to words, but to tone. They are deciding 鈥� quietly 鈥� whether their leaders are present, consistent and trustworthy.鈥�
Burnout, distrust and attrition won鈥檛 be fixed by more rules. The future of EMS depends on leaders who show up, own failures and advocate for their crews.
Just like training in the field, consistent practice builds a reliable, confident speaking style
5 lecture preparation tips to ensure you leave your audience wanting more
What the Full Medicare Ambulance Cost Report says about the EMS economic model
Ambulance services cannot afford to feed the billing department incomplete, inaccurate or misrepresented information
Reactive leadership won鈥檛 cut it. Discover how presilient EMS leaders build adaptive teams, reimagine risk, and turn uncertainty into opportunity.
Dr. Ed Racht calls for healthcare-first framing, action-oriented dashboards and the courage to celebrate wins 鈥� and be horrified by failures
鈥淭he next evolution of EMS leadership will not be measured by how many calls we answer, but by how many crises we prevent.鈥�
A powerful story of transition, resilience and the legacy of building teams that thrive beyond your role
After the abrupt dismissal of the federal EMS advisory council, outgoing members are stepping up 鈥� ensuring the next cohort won鈥檛 start cold
Engaging payers, the medical director, administrators and field providers was key to MedStar鈥檚 successful telehealth implementation
Don鈥檛 assume residents know what your agency does; spell it out and explain how additional funding would positively impact community members
How seeing other EMS systems transforms your own
How EMS agencies can work with states to obtain Rural Health Transformation Program funding
What EMS leaders need to know now
Dr. Cochran shares his journey of overcoming adversity, leading through challenges, and maintaining faith and integrity in the face of trials