EMS is the most dangerous job in the US

One would think that there'd be some sort of compensating differential for pay, but I've yet to see it in my reading.
 
Including 2007/2008s air medical data in this is going to MASSIVELY skew the numbers :rolleyes:. Ground EMS is dangerous for stress injuries, but not fatalities. HEMS is a whole different kettle of fish.
 
usalsfyre said:
Including 2007/2008s air medical data in this is going to MASSIVELY skew the numbers :rolleyes:. Ground EMS is dangerous for stress injuries, but not fatalities. HEMS is a whole different kettle of fish.
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HEMS accounted for 31%
 
EMS is still significantly lower than construction when it comes to the annual BLS fatality rate.

2011's rate per FTE was 8.9. 2010 was even higher.

This data demomstrates a higher than average fatality rate, but no where near the highest in FTE or total quantity.
 
We've run this before and come up with almost no deaths due to patients and bystanders, more likely to die in a work related vehicle death or maybe even assault at the hands of a coworker (haha).

I'm sure underground miners, loggers, active firefighters, commercial fishermen and inner city seventh grade teachers wold be amused to read this.
 
mycrofft said:
We've run this before and come up with almost no deaths due to patients and bystanders, more likely to die in a work related vehicle death or maybe even assault at the hands of a coworker (haha).

I'm sure underground miners, loggers, active firefighters, commercial fishermen and inner city seventh grade teachers wold be amused to read this.
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It is a 4 year accumulation of data, I am not sure why it claimed EMS is the "MOST DANGEROUS" job, but it certainly is dangerous. Which we all knew all along, just now there is data to prove it. The study never said anything about being attacked by a patient causing death(not that I saw) It showed that being struck by a vechicle, or in an Ambulance crash were the most option causes. And that HEMS accounted for a large amount.

This data shows that within this 4 year margin, FF's deaths were lower than EMS within the same 4 year margin.

"Finally a formal study confirms what we knew in our heavy hearts: EMS has far too many line-of-duty deaths and work-related injuries. The data examined from 2003–2007 comes from a series of credible national sources: The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the occupational supplement to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

The researchers discovered a total of 65 EMS fatalities (13 per year). The EMS fatality rate was 7.0 per 100,000 full-time equivalents (FTE) EMS workers with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 4.7–9.3.

By comparison, the average for all workers is 4.0 and 6.1 for firefighters in the same four-year period......."


One thing that is also important is that Police & Fire have actual formal reporting and tracking of their line of duty deaths, EMS does not. And like this article states, there most likely are deaths related to EMS that were not reported or included in this data.
 
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Flight-LP said:
EMS is still significantly lower than construction when it comes to the annual BLS fatality rate.

2011's rate per FTE was 8.9. 2010 was even higher.

This data demomstrates a higher than average fatality rate, but no where near the highest in FTE or total quantity.
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I wouldn't dispute that, I just posted that in the title because the article stated it.

But also remember, 2011 and 2010 were not years that were used in this study.
 
2011 marked a 5th year decline in FTE fatality averages. The years included in this study were higher.

EMS has the same formal reporting requirements as fire and police. The OSHA 300 log must be submitted yearly for any occupational injury or illness beyond the first aid level. This is a requirement for all employers in the US.

I like the study and the emphasis on a cultural need for safety improvements. The problem lies in the fact that the numbers can be seen through quite easily.
 
The rate is not good, but it is not that high.
 
Fish said:
It is a 4 year accumulation of data, I am not sure why it claimed EMS is the "MOST DANGEROUS" job, but it certainly is dangerous. Which we all knew all along, just now there is data to prove it. The study never said anything about being attacked by a patient causing death(not that I saw) It showed that being struck by a vechicle, or in an Ambulance crash were the most option causes. And that HEMS accounted for a large amount.

This data shows that within this 4 year margin, FF's deaths were lower than EMS within the same 4 year margin.

"Finally a formal study confirms what we knew in our heavy hearts: EMS has far too many line-of-duty deaths and work-related injuries. The data examined from 2003–2007 comes from a series of credible national sources: The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the occupational supplement to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

The researchers discovered a total of 65 EMS fatalities (13 per year). The EMS fatality rate was 7.0 per 100,000 full-time equivalents (FTE) EMS workers with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 4.7–9.3.

By comparison, the average for all workers is 4.0 and 6.1 for firefighters in the same four-year period......."


One thing that is also important is that Police & Fire have actual formal reporting and tracking of their line of duty deaths, EMS does not. And like this article states, there most likely are deaths related to EMS that were not reported or included in this data.
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Nothing there to argue with. The "Most Dangerous Profession" headline is like "Teen Suicides Increase", it appears periodically.

Digging into it for my old thread, one thing which struck me (and has stricken me repeatedly here reading the back and forth) is the absence of an official, or even generally agreed-upon, definition for "EMS" or "EMS worker". Is it prehospital, or include the ED? Does it include only dedicated medical personnel, or firefighter/security guard/law enforcement-slash-medical responders? Volunteers?
Without that, it will continue to be poorly recorded and subject to influence by the reporter's agenda, such as keeping their insurance rates low and refusing hazard pay.

And the blue letters above? Whenever you read those in a "study", start suspecting the content. That was once lesson from Statistics I did remember. Doesn't mean it is incorrect, but it does tend to reveal bias and appeal to mass sentiment rather than sheer logic. WIll sell more magazines though.

PS: I totally spaced off being stricken by passing motorists! Never heard of a coal miner being whacked by a car full of drunken lookie-lous, or a kid texting while driving.
 
Hmmmmmm........this study looks a bit skewed in my opinion. I can think of a few professions that are more dangerous than ems.
 
How much of this is brought about by our own actions, such as Code 3 driving?
 
Excellent point. A good breakdown of specific causes/incidents would be great to look at.
 
Considering we go code to EVERY 911 call and go code to the ED on 95% of ALS transports, I can see traffic collisions being the top contributor.
 
#1 for firefighters on the job is cardiac failure. I think wildland firefighters have MVA's as their #1 cause, cardiac #2, and falls as #3.

Need bigger trucks!
 
Chris07 said:
Considering we go code to EVERY 911 call and go code to the ED on 95% of ALS transports, I can see traffic collisions being the top contributor.
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86081_ORIG-lol_wut4.jpg


lol wut? Code to EVERY 911 call?

We go code to about half our calls. I can count on one hand how many times i've driven code to hospital this year
 
usalsfyre said:
Including 2007/2008s air medical data in this is going to MASSIVELY skew the numbers :rolleyes:. Ground EMS is dangerous for stress injuries, but not fatalities. HEMS is a whole different kettle of fish.
Click to expand...

HEMS in the states seems to be very, very broken for some reason.
 
the_negro_puppy said:
86081_ORIG-lol_wut4.jpg


lol wut? Code to EVERY 911 call?

We go code to about half our calls. I can count on one hand how many times i've driven code to hospital this year
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My agency runs code to everything. Even transfers.
 
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