Health News
Volunteer emergency medical service squads appear to be dying out around the nation as rural populations change and EMS evolves, and Kentucky is no exception.
Volunteer squads have long been the sole emergency responders in many rural areas, reports Candi Helseth of the health-oriented Rural Assistance Center, but according to a 2010 study, "Rural Volunteer EMS: Reports from the Field," 69 percent of 49 local EMS directors in 23 states reported problems recruiting and retaining volunteers.
The North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center study reported three main reasons for loss of EMS volunteers: high numbers of retirees or elderly in rural areas are unlikely to have physical strength required for EMS, many working-age individuals leave rural areas to find jobs elsewhere, and volunteers have too many obligations to cover weekends. Almost three-quarters of the all-volunteer EMS agencies hosted fundraising events to get necessary funding, requiring further time commitments. (Read more)
Volunteer fire departments have reported similar problems, but volunteer firefighters are called out less often and often receive stipends for attending meetings and training, said Michael Poynter, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. He told Kentucky Health News that that state is part of the national trend away from volunteer EMTs, but still has 17 services that are fully volunteer and 35 that use a mixture of paid EMTs and volunteers. Kentucky has more than 250 licensed emergency medical services.
- You Can Volunteer For Medical Research By Signing Up Through A National Registry That Connects Volunteers And Researchers
Have you ever wondered how you could volunteer for medical research? ResearchMatch provides this opportunity through a national registry that brings together volunteers who are interested in research, and researchers who are looking for participants for...
- Celebrate National Healthcare Volunteer Week April 10-16
Every year thousands of people generously donate their time to hospitals. These volunteers assist with the comfort, care and happiness of hospital patients and their families, as well as the needs of hospital staff. The week of April 10-16 has been designated...
- Levindale And Courtland Gardens Fete Volunteers
The beginning of December can be a chilly, gray time of year. However, for volunteers at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, the first week of month was filled with warmth and praise....
- Sinai Volunteers Give Back To Community
Sinai Hospital was the first place winner and Levindale was second in THE ASSOCIATED's 90,000 hours campaign, officials recently announced. As part of its 90th anniversary celebration, THE ASSOCIATED had a drive for the community to serve 90,000 volunteer...
- The Volunteers Are Coming!
Ahhhh spring: a time for new beginnings. Winter coats are stored away. Shoveling 50 inches of snow is a bad memory. Grocery store stampedes are over for now. Here at LifeBridge Health, spring means eager bright young volunteers will be showing up. The...
Health News
Volunteer emergency medical squads becoming less numerous
 |
| Belfry Fire and EMS responds to an accident. (Rachel Dove-Baldwin, Williamson Daily News) |
Volunteer squads have long been the sole emergency responders in many rural areas, reports Candi Helseth of the health-oriented Rural Assistance Center, but according to a 2010 study, "Rural Volunteer EMS: Reports from the Field," 69 percent of 49 local EMS directors in 23 states reported problems recruiting and retaining volunteers.
The North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center study reported three main reasons for loss of EMS volunteers: high numbers of retirees or elderly in rural areas are unlikely to have physical strength required for EMS, many working-age individuals leave rural areas to find jobs elsewhere, and volunteers have too many obligations to cover weekends. Almost three-quarters of the all-volunteer EMS agencies hosted fundraising events to get necessary funding, requiring further time commitments. (Read more)
Volunteer fire departments have reported similar problems, but volunteer firefighters are called out less often and often receive stipends for attending meetings and training, said Michael Poynter, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. He told Kentucky Health News that that state is part of the national trend away from volunteer EMTs, but still has 17 services that are fully volunteer and 35 that use a mixture of paid EMTs and volunteers. Kentucky has more than 250 licensed emergency medical services.
- You Can Volunteer For Medical Research By Signing Up Through A National Registry That Connects Volunteers And Researchers
Have you ever wondered how you could volunteer for medical research? ResearchMatch provides this opportunity through a national registry that brings together volunteers who are interested in research, and researchers who are looking for participants for...
- Celebrate National Healthcare Volunteer Week April 10-16
Every year thousands of people generously donate their time to hospitals. These volunteers assist with the comfort, care and happiness of hospital patients and their families, as well as the needs of hospital staff. The week of April 10-16 has been designated...
- Levindale And Courtland Gardens Fete Volunteers
The beginning of December can be a chilly, gray time of year. However, for volunteers at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, the first week of month was filled with warmth and praise....
- Sinai Volunteers Give Back To Community
Sinai Hospital was the first place winner and Levindale was second in THE ASSOCIATED's 90,000 hours campaign, officials recently announced. As part of its 90th anniversary celebration, THE ASSOCIATED had a drive for the community to serve 90,000 volunteer...
- The Volunteers Are Coming!
Ahhhh spring: a time for new beginnings. Winter coats are stored away. Shoveling 50 inches of snow is a bad memory. Grocery store stampedes are over for now. Here at LifeBridge Health, spring means eager bright young volunteers will be showing up. The...