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
From skipped meals to nonstop radios, you can’t 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’s EMS landscape
Communities are rethinking who delivers care — and how to protect against the next sudden shutdown
EMS funding is broken — and communities are done pretending it’s not
What DSM-5 recognition of moral injury means for EMS
Professionally trained chaplains are building sustainable systems — and freely sharing tools and education with volunteer peers across the country
Discover how EMTs and paramedics can improve sleep and fight fatigue with simple changes like air filters, blackout curtains and humidity control
Staffing shortages, weak feedback loops and outdated incentives are driving talent away. Stay interviews and engagement plans could be the solution.
Burnout tops the list of critical concerns. Discover how to recognize the signs and address root causes, to prevent and reverse burnout.
Real talk from the EMSpire Leadership Panel: leadership isn’t earned in crisis, it’s built daily, through intentional coaching, vulnerability and passing the torch with purpose
Break the one-size-fits-all approach and build trust through personalized, people-first communication
Engaging payers, the medical director, administrators and field providers was key to MedStar’s successful telehealth implementation
With burnout ranked as the top concern, the EMS Trend Survey reveals a profession pushed to the brink — and what must change to protect it
In an era of thin resources and rising demands, it’s not just tech or tactics that define great EMS teams — it’s leadership rooted in everyday respect
“If you’re reading this and you’re close to your own breaking point, hear me”
Discover key findings from Florida’s largest EMS survey, highlighting job satisfaction issues, retention risks, and the urgent need for system-wide support and leadership reform
No family should have to wonder whether their loved one might still be alive if an ambulance had arrived sooner
The 2025 CoAEMSP survey underscores a critical need for systemic improvement in how paramedic education programs access and utilize clinical and field resources
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
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
“You can’t oversee EMS medicine from behind a desk.” 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
When leadership turnover is persistent, is this a personnel issue or a deeper systemic problem?
Understanding the Employee Value Proposition is the key to attracting, engaging and retaining good people for your EMS organization
If we want to keep up, it’s time we change gears and evolve from a traditional recruitment strategy
Upcoming changes to TPS and DACA programs could impact EMS professionals across the U.S.
Through a partnership with the Girl Scouts of America, Camp Fury is igniting a passion for public safety and emergency services among young girls
What CoAEMSP has learned about EMS student attrition and retention
Stay interviews help employees feel valued, respected and supported, improving their engagement and motivation
Fitch & Associates and EMS1 break down trends in staffing, operations and career longevity
Early career exposure can make or break future career choices; here’s how one agency is fostering school-age children’s interest in an emergency services career
Paramedic chiefs and EMS leaders need to set shift length based on call demand, available personnel, equipment supply and time on task
Avoid these mistakes to onboard EMTs who will thrive in EMS, and give their all to your agency
EMS Chief Peggy Fonseca was fired due to budget overages and personally responding to calls
There is no substitute for high-context communications and training that occurs between two people, engaging privately, face-to-face
Is building a new kind of clinician merely a Herculean task or a fully Sisyphean one?
3 steps to stop staffing problem solving and start reinventing your agency
Creating a mindset to achieve diverse, equitable and inclusive hiring practices
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PFD Assistant Chief Jeff Schripsema shares a powerful story highlighting the department’s commitment to its members
Inside the 72-hour program helping veterans and first responders face trauma at its source — and reclaim their lives
Real culture shift starts small, with consistent actions from a committed minority willing to lead differently
In a profession defined by chaos, simple routines can reduce stress, improve sleep and create stability where it matters most — at home
Self-awareness is the uncomfortable mirror that exposes the habits keeping you stuck — and it’s 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 — by others or yourself — has the power to shift behavior. Discover how self-awareness can improve resilience, focus and well-being
Achieve peak performance through foam-rolling, active warm-ups, deadlifts, functional dumbbell exercises and high-intensity interval training
Use the habit loop to set goals in motion and achieve success
Understaffed, overworked first responders need robust wellness programs to combat stress
Who could use a little more sleep?
EMS providers are more susceptible to sleep disorders and their inherent dangers and health implications
Contract negotiations may hold the key to closing the gap between what medics expect and the reality of the job
Will a schedule change improve work-life balance or worsen fatigue?
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
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’s what you need to know
Try one (or all) of these ideas and make movement a priority — together!
LEADERSHIP
EMS leaders open summit with call for unity and coordinated action
Annual evaluations don’t break careers — silence does. Without clear, quarterly feedback, confusion replaces growth and courage gets outsourced to paperwork.
“EMS professionals are watching, not for speeches, but for behavior. They are listening, not just to words, but to tone. They are deciding — quietly — whether their leaders are present, consistent and trustworthy.”
Burnout, distrust and attrition won’t 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 does your agency social media presence convey?
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’t 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 — and be horrified by failures
“The next evolution of EMS leadership will not be measured by how many calls we answer, but by how many crises we prevent.”
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 — ensuring the next cohort won’t start cold
Don’t 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
The Overrun weighs in on how the dismissal of all NEMSAC members could reset priorities at the federal level
In an era flooded with statistics, EMS leaders must learn to frame the facts in human terms. Storytelling transforms metrics into meaning — and meaning into momentum.
How new federal tax rules could affect your paycheck, deductions and long-term savings
Why the termination of NEMSAC is a giant loss to EMS
With shifting legislation and rising costs, EMS leaders must master the art of financial transparency. This guide demystifies ambulance funding models, cost drivers and how to make the numbers make sense.
From shrinking Medicaid rolls to rural hospital closures, this 870-page bill could shake EMS to its core. These 7 key takeaways will help your agency prepare.