In a city where politics is a form of contact sport, Chicago EMS providers are wading into the fray, supporting one of the candidates seeking to unseat the current mayor.
Mind you, I don’t agree with their stance of an all ALS fleet; it doesn’t make clinical or financial sense in this current climate. But I do applaud the paramedics for making the right moves to secure an EMS system that adequately serves its community.
It’s even more interesting that the Chicago firefighter union supports the current mayor, validating the notion that the two groups don’t see eye to eye on how to best deliver prehospital care for Chicagoans.
Of course, it’s anyone’s guess how these solutions will be paid for. It’s easy to make promises, harder to keep them. But it seems pretty clear that there is some skin in the game for all sides.
Politics makes for interesting happenings. EMS systems are not immune from what happens inside city hall - in fact, many systems can change quickly when the political winds blow in their direction. It’s critical that field providers remain aware of what is happening around them, and not be complacent or blindly trust what is said in the media. Professional advocacy is essential to improving the profession itself. We can’t allow others to do it for us.
