Small BLS Service - Scheduling Issues

U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
I have a question and am hoping to get different thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc.

I belong to a small BLS service in the south east. We average about 600-700 runs per calendar year. We have about 14 active members, vary from Basics to P's. Due to limited size we run two people per 12 hour shift.

Scheduling is pretty much done at one's will just as long as we have coverage 24/7/365.

However, weekend call is not evenly distributed across members and some folks are raising concerns about having too much weekend time.

What do other services do? Pre-set days/weekends, Rotations, etc.

I know the issue would not be as pronounced if we had more staff.
 
MrRevesz

MrRevesz

Forum Crew Member
37
0
0
We have a set crew, Monday - Friday night, and Sunday Day and Night... We're required to ride a 24 hour on saturday from 6 AM Saturday to 6 AM Sunday. We use a rotating schedule, Monday night will go, the following Sat is Tuesday night, then Wednesday Night will take it and so on, and when we get to Sunday night, it starts all over again the following Sat. Personally I think this is a good system, has everyone doing the same amount of time and doesn't overload certain people who would most likely be the guys responding all the time.
 
OP
OP
U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
Being a small service most of our folks also have other full-time commitments.

we do run into situations where some folks can only take 6hrs of a 12hr shift.

I know the net net is we just need more people and we are hiring but most folks want a full-time job but our service is more volunteer than paid (there is some pay)
 
W

WuLabsWuTecH

Forum Deputy Chief
1,244
7
38
I'm on a small service but we have a lot more members than you do. Assumming you have 14 members, that means each guy should be on one 24 a week?

Crews A-G

Week 1 (all from Sun - Saturday)
A, B, C, D, E, F, G

Week 2 (shift by 3 days)
D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Week 3 (Shift by 3 days)
G, A, B, C, D, E, F

Week 4 (Shift by 3 days)
C, D, E, F, G, A, B

etc.

You should see that the important thing about this schedule is that no one has 2 shifts close together, and every 7 weeks, a rotation will happen so you take a weekend day on average of once a month. Also, if there is a guy that has conflicts on sundays (say for church) then he and another guy can arrange a trade. Every sunday that I'm suppossed to be on, you take, and I'll take every saturday that you're suppossed to be on.

It'll keep everyone's number of days the same, and keep the weekend average of once per month the same.

We just signup for shifts online and they fill up pretty quickly so we don't have a problem here, but we have about 30-40 active members (mixed paid and volly).
 
wyoskibum

wyoskibum

Forum Captain
363
2
0
upmm019 said:
However, weekend call is not evenly distributed across members and some folks are raising concerns about having too much weekend time.
Click to expand...

Is it that some of your volunteers can not or will not take weekends? In my paid service we have our regular shifts during the week and then everyone has to do 1 weekend shift a month. Perhaps you could mandate something similar.
 
OP
OP
U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
Yes, I think that is the case.

Due to the small numbers we have and the fact these individuals already have full-time jobs of their own they can seldom take 24hour shifts during the week. So do on the weekends.

Seems like folks are not able to take as much weekend call time.

I know the root problem is low numbers. Any ideas how to bring more folks in?

I know that being a low paid/volunteer is not real appealing but some surrounding counties around ours have double the numbers... 25 to almost 40 members for a similar size county.
 
MrRevesz

MrRevesz

Forum Crew Member
37
0
0
upmm019 said:
I know the root problem is low numbers. Any ideas how to bring more folks in?
Click to expand...


Do you guys promote at all or have any type of events to let the "public" know who you are? Or on that motion, do you guys go to town / county events as an organization?
 
OP
OP
U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
No, not really.

Didn't do anything for EMS week this year.

I know the service I was on before did a annual fund drive. I think they had like a chili feed with a band or something like that.

Wonder if something like that may help ... get some extra funds but also plant the seed for people letting them know we need more help.

However, I'm not sure how many more people we can support. Seems like if we get too many people then people are concerned that what they do get paid will be less but then again on the flip they complain about too many shifts or the schedules not being fairly distributed.

I'd like to arm myself with a few things for our next meeting. Some folks like to complain, etc but I'd really like to find a happy medium for this issue.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
W

WuLabsWuTecH

Forum Deputy Chief
1,244
7
38
Just out of curiosity, this struck me the first time I read your OP and again now.

You are a BLS service that has medics? Do you guys just decide not to equip the rig with more than basic equipment?
 
OP
OP
U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
not sure I follow your question.

We are a basic service, who have B's I's and some P's.

We are not large enough to be ALS
 
W

WuLabsWuTecH

Forum Deputy Chief
1,244
7
38
upmm019 said:
not sure I follow your question.

We are a basic service, who have B's I's and some P's.

We are not large enough to be ALS
Click to expand...
Well around here, if there are paramedics, and ACLS drugs on board (as well as a few other pieces of equipment) then they are considered ALS. Around here, no one would outfit a rig with only BLS equipment but hire paramedics since the medics could only work at the basic level.
 
OP
OP
U

upmm019

Forum Probie
21
0
0
Yep, there are med kits and such as well as other equip. for the medics.

They can perform ALS services.
 
MrRevesz

MrRevesz

Forum Crew Member
37
0
0
upmm019 said:
No, not really.

Didn't do anything for EMS week this year.

I know the service I was on before did a annual fund drive. I think they had like a chili feed with a band or something like that.

Wonder if something like that may help ... get some extra funds but also plant the seed for people letting them know we need more help.

However, I'm not sure how many more people we can support. Seems like if we get too many people then people are concerned that what they do get paid will be less but then again on the flip they complain about too many shifts or the schedules not being fairly distributed.

I'd like to arm myself with a few things for our next meeting. Some folks like to complain, etc but I'd really like to find a happy medium for this issue.
Click to expand...

It could be an idea, if anything you'll have some fun out of it. I'm sure afterwards, you'll get a few new members. Do a christmas fund-drive type of deal, or some sort of christmas party type of deal for donations.
 
W

WuLabsWuTecH

Forum Deputy Chief
1,244
7
38
upmm019 said:
Yep, there are med kits and such as well as other equip. for the medics.

They can perform ALS services.
Click to expand...
So you guys aren't a BLS unit? If you have everything the state requires to be an ALS unit, including the staffing, you're an ALS unit right?

I could be missing something, but I assume your call sign is "Medic 99" and not "Squad 99" ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top