swrr88
02-10-2004, 10:59 PM
"...Fairfax County has lost at least 38 paramedics in the past three months, and the fire department is approaching the limits of its daily staffing requirements.
Most of the paramedics have retired or dropped their advanced life-support certification amid newly increased national requirements for paramedic education and ongoing certification. Fire department sources say many more paramedics are eligible for full or partial retirement.
Meanwhile, the county's remaining paramedics say they are being asked to work 36-hour shifts. But fire officials say those paramedics are volunteering for extra work...."
This is part of an article linked to on the Firehouse site. Anyone around here from Fairfax Fire's career staff? Anyone from the area?
What is the issues behind the problem there? What solutions are they looking at for the ALS staffing problem...short term and long term?
Are they really being asked to work 36 hrs? I know from our volume that I would never "volunteer" for a 36 hr shift (let alone a 24 on a medic unit for that matter).
I am curious because of more and more stories about medic burn out and lack of retention in big and small departments.
Is it the shifts? too many runs in 24? Lack of support?
If I am correct Fairfax is a cross trained department with dual role personnel. That is typically used by the IAFF and other organizations as the "saving grace" to departments looking to improve design and morale. If they are having a retention problem what does that say about that idea?
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Most of the paramedics have retired or dropped their advanced life-support certification amid newly increased national requirements for paramedic education and ongoing certification. Fire department sources say many more paramedics are eligible for full or partial retirement.
Meanwhile, the county's remaining paramedics say they are being asked to work 36-hour shifts. But fire officials say those paramedics are volunteering for extra work...."
This is part of an article linked to on the Firehouse site. Anyone around here from Fairfax Fire's career staff? Anyone from the area?
What is the issues behind the problem there? What solutions are they looking at for the ALS staffing problem...short term and long term?
Are they really being asked to work 36 hrs? I know from our volume that I would never "volunteer" for a 36 hr shift (let alone a 24 on a medic unit for that matter).
I am curious because of more and more stories about medic burn out and lack of retention in big and small departments.
Is it the shifts? too many runs in 24? Lack of support?
If I am correct Fairfax is a cross trained department with dual role personnel. That is typically used by the IAFF and other organizations as the "saving grace" to departments looking to improve design and morale. If they are having a retention problem what does that say about that idea?
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]