EMS Recruiters

[Tibby]

Oh yeah, don't forget about free shit! The Recruiters for the Military love giving out free shit. Pens and water bottles and shirt and keychains with the logo on them! I got all kinds of pens from my college and career days back in high school!

[THE_DITCH_DOCTOR]

But of course you have to look at the flip side of the coin- you're going to attract the people who "can't find anything better to do" (read as

'weren't smart enough to get into college'), not to mention attracting a very large number of immature adrenaline junkies, even more than we wind up with now.

Yes, you might attract a few new excellent medics and even a greater number of decent medics- but no matter how much you speak of the reality of EMS, you are still going to increase, by a far greater factor, the number of glory seekers, attention whores, and Randy Rescue wannabes that you wind up with. Instead of attracting the younger versions of Buddha and Ridryder, you're going to attract more people along the lines of IcyHot and LittleFireCracker. We already do a piss poor job of weeding out these people from volunteer agencies as it is, so why go and increase the numbers even further?

Let me use this website as an example- we had a very good group until that JEMS advertisement ran. Since then the number of members has taken off at a very accelerated rate, and I think increasing the number of good productive members is a great thing. But the trouble becomes that when raise the awareness of something, especially something perceived as being "cool" or "exciting" by a good portion of the general public, then you are going to attract a lot of less than desirable individuals- the a--holes, the fruitcakes, the egocentric wannabes, the people who live out where the buses don't run and the phones don't have 911. The question is this- is the cost in having to put up with the 10 or 15 people as annoying and obtuse as IcyHot, worth gaining one person who is eager and willing to learn (for example CVFD_EMT). In the online world, it maybe fine to have this balance, but in the real world I think it would be a dangerous balance.

[Tibby]

Yes, Steve, I thought about that before I posted it. But then I remembered the reason Rid wants to recruit is because there is a shortage of Medics. It would be great to have a dept full of Rids and Buddhas, but it is like the old saying goes, Beggars can't be choosers.

[THE_DITCH_DOCTOR]

Yes, Steve, I thought about that before I posted it. But then I remembered the reason Rid wants to recruit is because there is a shortage of Medics. It would be great to have a dept full of Rids and Buddhas, but it is like the old saying goes, Beggars can't be choosers.

So you're saying we should except morons, egomaniacs, and assorted whackjobs simply because we can not recruit the intelligent, the humble and mentally sound? Nice theory Tibbs.

[Tibby]

Well, that is a rather extreme way to view things, Steve. I don't see things as black and white as that. I believe there is a middle ground between "morons, egomaniacs, and assorted whackjobs" and "intelligent, the humble and mentally sound." EVERY job, no matter what, will have both of these types of people, but most people are simple, average Joes. This isn't a prefect world. If it was, they wouldn't need us.

[Ridryder 911]

Actually this going to be in the end of Basic EMT & Paramedic classes, senior level...near graduation. A quick congrats on behalf of the service & if they looking to change or do not have an EMS home... I usually talk to the instructors prior & get their opinion on the "better students".. & try to recruit them. I know there are many students that are apprehensive on getting their first EMS job or changing EMS sites. I was hoping this would increase visibility & maybe a better place for them to increase their profession.

Thanks,

Ridryder 911

[Tibby]

In that case, the free shit rule still applies. And yes, it would help if the EMS Depts in the area came to my class and recruited.

[SA_Medic]

I think this is a great idea,

Here in South Africa there are no agency's concentrating on EMS, all are just Nursing and Doctor's. Most of the EMS companies here (government and private) advertise in the local press. Or the vacancy gets "advertised" by word of mouth.

Lots of the current guys I know, got their jobs due to them knowing someone in the specific service they now work at. It's not what you know that counts here, but WHO you know.

We suddenly have a surplus of Paramedics in South Africa it seems and a great shortage of EMT-I's.

So yeah, it would work, especially here.

[Guest]

We already had one recruiter come to our class. It was for a volly service, but that's neither here nor there, EMTs and Medics are required everywhere. The guys who spoke to us were very knowledgeable and were obviously trying to get their name out. I am sure that they have a hard time being a volly service, people just don't have the time anymore. Anyway, I for one would be willing to listen to anyone who would make the effort to come and show us what they offer. =D>