Thoughts on EMS Week slogan

[firetender]

EMS. More than a job. A calling.

The second I read it I had a very visceral reaction. "That" I said to myself, "is the reason it's not a profession."

So many people are called to it for so many different reasons and so few stick it out because, let's face it, it ain't easy to heed the call to minister to the ill and injured. They even prep prospective Priests better than they do us!

At any rate, if nothing more than to goose some Sacred Cows, I'm curious about your take on the slogan and what is the calling that you got that brought you into EMS?

I put a more in-depth look at it up on my Blog; Caller ID, please.

 

[Tigger]

I couldn't help but immediately think about the whole career/volunteer debate when I first saw it. For many that I work with, EMS is not really a calling. It might have been at some point, but now it's a job. A job that most of us really enjoy and one that allows us to help people and give back to communities (and all that sort of stuff), but it's still a job. Many of the people that I know that volunteer for EMS services look at it as anything but a job, and have no interest in seeking employment in EMS. For many of these people, it is a "calling" of sorts, and without people like them there would not be a dedicated ambulance in my town I can't help but imagine.

I don't think that those in EMS that were not "called" to it are any less of a provider, so I suppose I might not be the biggest fan of the statement. Plus it seems a tad overblown.

 

[Akulahawk]

For many of us, EMS started out as a calling, became a job, and now it's just a giving.

 

[Veneficus]

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon."

-Napoleon Bonaparte

I agree with you firetender.

One of the ways to keep pay low is to make members feel like they are contributing to a higher purpose.

The military is very good at this, but public services are also placated by such BS.

Fighting for your country, defending your country, serving your country, etc.

The enlisted soldiers are not paid dirt, can expect life long problems if they are injured, and if killed somebody gets a SGLI payout, a flag, a wreath, a rock, and of course that piece of colored ribbon.

Spade: The purpose of any military is to impose the will of the ruling class by force.

Keeping the country safe really translates to: "Maintain control over reasources so that the ruling class can maintain its wealth."

Forget pride, propaganda, and all that crap, show me the money.

 

[Tigger]

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon."

-Napoleon Bonaparte

I agree with you firetender.

One of the ways to keep pay low is to make members feel like they are contributing to a higher purpose.

The military is very good at this, but public services are also placated by such BS.

While no doubt to true to an extent, without the "contributing to a higher purpose" line of reasoning many of those that are justly compensated for their work would be out of luck. There are many emergency service agencies that have successfully used this line as justification for increased compensation when more pragmatic reasons have fallen on deaf ears.

So now I wonder, while I (and many others) dislike slogans such as these, if I want to be compensated better should I just keep my mouth shut and let the public think that all I care about is serving them and hope that they reward me with a raise?

 

[DrParasite]

"I saved a life today... what did you do?"

 

[Veneficus]

While no doubt to true to an extent, without the "contributing to a higher purpose" line of reasoning many of those that are justly compensated for their work would be out of luck. There are many emergency service agencies that have successfully used this line as justification for increased compensation when more pragmatic reasons have fallen on deaf ears.

So now I wonder, while I (and many others) dislike slogans such as these, if I want to be compensated better should I just keep my mouth shut and let the public think that all I care about is serving them and hope that they reward me with a raise?

Where is that?

In all of my experience it is just the line that public figures spew on TV and press conferences right before they slash emergency service budgets in non election years.

Around the US, fire and EMS are seriously underfunded. BUt there is no shortage of photo ops talking about how important "our first responders are."

 

[Tigger]

Where is that?

In all of my experience it is just the line that public figures spew on TV and press conferences right before they slash emergency service budgets in non election years.

Around the US, fire and EMS are seriously underfunded. BUt there is no shortage of photo ops talking about how important "our first responders are."

Many fire departments in the northeast have found themselves to be the object of significant public scorn because they are seen to be making too much money in a time when everyone else is suddenly making less. The IAFF shops were very successful in garnering significant raises in the early and mid 2000s, often using the hero mentality. Now the citizens want to cut those raises that these gains have gotten, and one of the ways that the talking heads seek to do this is to point out that those in the emergency services are not heroes.

 

[Veneficus]

Many fire departments in the northeast have found themselves to be the object of significant public scorn because they are seen to be making too much money in a time when everyone else is suddenly making less. The IAFF shops were very successful in garnering significant raises in the early and mid 2000s, often using the hero mentality. Now the citizens want to cut those raises that these gains have gotten, and one of the ways that the talking heads seek to do this is to point out that those in the emergency services are not heroes.

That is an interesting perspective.

Having been involved in the fire service around then, I saw it a bit differently. So did a lot of firefighters.

We saw it as overhyping what the job really was and elevating expectations that could not be delivered upon.

Especially after Sept. 11, there was more "We are great heros" talk than ever before. Especially from the younger crowd.

Instead of underpromising and over delivering, many in the fire service overpromised and can't possibly deliver the superhuman feats they adverted, not least of which is the reason that opportunities to do heroic things don't happen very frequently.

I see the current proposed cuts as simply a roleback to prepropaganda days.

Not because I don't think safety forces don't deserve that money, but because they used a short term strategy and couldn't demonstrate the value they professed.

 

[CANDawg]

I wonder how many people weren't "called" to EMS per se, but were rather "called" to drive the big vehicle with the flashy lights and siren that can legally break the speed limit and run red lights.











And then grew to enjoy the other parts of their career too, of course.

 

[Sasha]

I'm seriously disappointed in the swag this year.

 

[danburyfirerescue]

After working in several different fields that requires helping people ( I've work in law enforcement and been in the military and now currently a vol. firefighter and EMT-b) and honestly i can say non of them were what most would say is a calling. I got my start simply because I wanted to help others so they wouldn't have to go through things in life that i did and for the simple fact i was told i wasn't aloud to join the military by one of my parents. Every time i started a new "job" I fell in love with the line of work and the fact that i was able to help others. I do this "job" because I want too not cause I have too, but non of them started out as a "calling".

law enforcement... I got started with that because of the a-hole my mother was dating while i was going up and the crap he put us all through ... plus having a gun was a plus

Military (Army) .... I wanted to be able to travel and also to be able to shoot all types of weapons ( I was a ammo specialist )

Fire Fighting ... Well i got my start there cause a friend talked me into it and 3 months into becoming a firefighter i was baptized into it by a Mountain fire that took a week to be put out. Since than I love running into burning building and getting to put the wet stuff on the red stuff lol

EMT-B .... I'll be taking my state exam on June 15 to get my cert and I decided to get this cert to better myself and my fire dept on medical calls.