Recently an EMS1 member chided us through Facebook that we were being “too negative” in our portrayal of the profession. I can certainly see why — so many recent stories reflect the ongoing disaster of DCFEMS and an EMT paying an undercover reporter to take his recertification exam.
Not the prettiest parts of our industry, I’ll admit. But the lessons learned from these incidents can resonate loudly through our ranks, and lead to ongoing improvement in the service. It’s one of the reasons why we make sure these stories are covered within our trade. As you read them, imagine what impact it has for you, your organization, your region. Is there some nugget or pearl you can take out of the article that you can apply, right away? Is the message a harbinger of things to come? An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure in medicine; it’s the same for organizations and industries as well.
There are plenty of positives, though. Whether it’s an EMT building a ramp for a patient in need, a cardiac arrest survivor meeting his rescuers, or efforts to recruit adolescents to our field, there are local pops of brilliance that remind us how great EMS can be.
It’s far easier to troll in bad news waters; after all, it’s what sells the news, regardless of the medium. It’s more of a challenge to find those positive, upbeat stories. I encourage you, fellow EMS1 reader, to send us such news — we’d love it. Meanwhile, our industry is like everyone else’s: filled with highs, lows and more than our fair share of funny, occasionally ludicrous, and once in a while amazing stories. I hope you continue to enjoy them all.
