Ambulance Services Facing Staff Shortage

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ambulance-safe-2

The head of a Michigan ambulance service says staffing shortages are causing major problems across the state. Marc Breckenridge at Huron Valley Ambulance says they are in need of a thousand EMTs for the 125 communities they serve. He says it has been hard to retain employees.

“It’s not uncommon for EMS to be a stepping stone for other jobs,” Breckenridge said. “What we would like to do is make it a more fulfilling experience, and in the process, through better working conditions, lower hours, less stress, higher pay, keep trained, experienced professionals on the job longer.”

Breckenridge says the problem has become so severe that in small communities up north, staff shortages are lengthening response times. They’re also affecting services like transferring patients between hospitals.