Although it’s something we should do year-round, we’re coming up on an especially notable time to say “thank you” to EMS workers. 

As every paramedic quickly learns, paramedic training doesn’t end with graduation from paramedic school. The realities of high stakes emergencies demand more attention, thought, and flexibility than the theoretical challenges presented in school. But on-the-job experience is not enough. Continuing education allows you to master new skills, remain abreast of current research, and practice skills you use only infrequently at work.

When transporting a critically ill patient, it’s easy to focus only on the medical emergency. But ambulance crashes are common; more than 6,500 ambulance crashes occur each year, claiming an average of 33 lives annually. The vehicle fatality rate of first responders is almost 5 times the national average. Ambulance safety depends on taking proactive steps to mitigate risk in the event of a crash.