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Emergency Medical Services
***Helping your neighbors while helping yourself***
 | From the start, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has defied simple
explanation. Its mission – to save lives of sick or injured people in
emergency situations – seems simple enough. But EMS, and its unique history in
both healthcare and public safety, is much more complex. It was born in the
United States of several influential parents – trauma care, cardiology,
resuscitation science and military medicine – and it continues to cross the
boundaries of numerous disciplines, including healthcare, medical
transportation, public health and homeland security. |
Statistics for the NYS EMS System:
Current # of statewide certified providers (as of 7/1/05):
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Certified First Responder 11,740 |
|
Basic EMT 37,460 |
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Intermediate EMT 1,315 |
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Critical Care EMT 2,249 |
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Paramedic 5,878 |
Ambulance Services:
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Commercial 86 |
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College 11 |
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Fire Department 522 |
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Independent (Ambulance Emergency Squad) 335 |
Helicopters: 17
Total EMS Calls in NYS (2000)
Basic EMT calls 1,049,260
Advanced (Intermediate, Critical Care, or
Medic) 210,102
TOTAL - 1,259,362
| 891,000 EMS professionals |
| 16.2 million patients transported by ambulance annually |
| $2 billion spent by Medicare on ambulance transport |
| $461,800,000 unmet EMS funding needs |
EMS professionals are trained to different levels:
| First Responders, often police and firefighters, have about 40 hours of
training; |
| EMT-Basics have about 110 hours of training; |
| EMT-Intermediates have about 200-400 hours of training; and |
| Paramedics have 1,000 or more hours of training. |
NAEMT represents close to 20,000 EMTs and paramedics in the United States and
worldwide, making it the largest member association of EMS workers.
* Sources: Journal of Emergency
Management, Summer 2004; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as cited in
Annals of Emergency Medicine; GAO Report on Emergency Medical Services, Oct.
2001; Advocates for EMS Unmet Funding Needs.
Be it pledged as an Emergency Medical Technician, I will honor the physical and
judicial laws of God and man. I will follow that regimen which, according to my
ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of patients and abstain from
whatever is deleterious and mischievous, nor shall I suggest any such counsel.
Into whatever homes I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of only the
sick and injured, never revealing what I see or hear in the lives of men unless
required by law.
I shall also share my medical knowledge with those who may benefit from what I
have learned. I will serve unselfishly and continuously in order to help make a
better world for all mankind.
While I continue to keep this oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy
life, and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times. Should I
trespass or violate this oath, may the reverse be my lot.
So help me God.
________________________________________
Written by: Charles B. Gillespie, M.D.
Adopted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, 1978
As adopted by the National Association of EMTs
Professional status as an Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical
Technician-Paramedic is maintained and enriched by the willingness of the
individual practitioner to accept and fulfill obligations to society, other
medical professionals, and the profession of Emergency Medical Technician. As an
Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic, I solemnly pledge myself to the
following code of professional ethics:
A fundamental responsibility of the Emergency Medical Technician is to conserve
life, to alleviate suffering, to promote health, to do no harm, and to encourage
the quality and equal availability of emergency medical care.
The Emergency Medical Technician provides services based on human need, with
respect for human dignity, unrestricted by consideration of nationality, race
creed, color, or status.
The Emergency Medical Technician does not use professional knowledge and skills
in any enterprise detrimental to the public well being.
The Emergency Medical Technician respects and holds in confidence all
information of a confidential nature obtained in the course of professional work
unless required by law to divulge such information.
The Emergency Medical Technician, as a citizen, understands and upholds the law
and performs the duties of citizenship; as a professional, the Emergency Medical
Technician has the never-ending responsibility to work with concerned citizens
and other health care professionals in promoting a high standard of emergency
medical care to all people.
The Emergency Medical Technician shall maintain professional competence and
demonstrate concern for the competence of other members of the Emergency Medical
Services health care team.
An Emergency Medical Technician assumes responsibility in defining and upholding
standards of professional practice and education.
The Emergency Medical Technician assumes responsibility for individual
professional actions and judgment, both in dependent and independent emergency
functions, and knows and upholds the laws which affect the practice of the
Emergency Medical Technician.
An Emergency Medical Technician has the responsibility to be aware of and
participate in matters of legislation affecting the Emergency Medical Service
System.
The Emergency Medical Technician, or groups of Emergency Medical Technicians,
who advertise professional service, do so in conformity with the dignity of the
profession.
The Emergency Medical Technician has an obligation to protect the public by not
delegating to a person less qualified, any service which requires the
professional competence of an Emergency Medical Technician
The Emergency Medical Technician will work harmoniously with and sustain
confidence in Emergency Medical Technician associates, the nurses, the
physicians, and other members of the Emergency Medical Services health care
team.
The Emergency Medical Technician refuses to participate in unethical procedures,
and assumes the responsibility to expose incompetence or unethical conduct of
others to the appropriate authority in a proper and professional manner.
________________________________________
Written by: Charles Gillespie M.D.
Adopted by: The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, 1978.
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