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FDNY's plans to improve EMS retention and recruitment

1:31:33

·

148 sec

Chief Michael Fields outlines FDNY's strategies to improve retention and recruitment in EMS:

Focusing on increasing the number of EMTs through recruitment and training programs
Creating new promotional opportunities, such as the sergeant rank for EMTs
Improving facilities and technology
Enhancing leadership training for lieutenants and captains
Offering more peer support to address mental health concerns
Working on improving overall morale

Additional details: - FDNY is taking an 'all hands on deck' approach to recruiting - They're offering training to people who aren't already EMTs - The department is emphasizing the importance of empathetic and emotionally intelligent leadership

Mercedes Narcisse

1:31:33

So what's the plan that since you're seeing the problem?

1:31:36

What is the plan, what is the solution you think that's gonna be solving?

1:31:40

Because now, well, we're not in at the height of the pandemic, might have been changed.

1:31:45

So what are you doing internally to make sure that they stay with you.

1:31:50

I know the pay is a problem, what else is step we're taking to make sure that we keep on actually because this is the first line of defense before before even we get to the hospital, to a nurse.

Michael Fields

1:32:03

I mean, we I think the biggest issue that we're having right now or or or the best thing that we're doing to retain people is to make sure that we have the personnel.

1:32:13

So we're trying our best to make sure we have a large sum of EMTs that are either coming on board or trainees, which are the ones that we can train.

1:32:21

So making sure that we have staffing, that's that's a a a a a good problem.

1:32:26

Making sure that there's promotional opportunities within the fire department is another solution.

1:32:31

We have we have made it so that EMTs now can promote to a rank called sergeant.

1:32:36

Right?

1:32:36

So that gives the EMTs a a respective ladder in respect to promotion and becoming officers.

1:32:43

So the EMT can become a paramedic, paramedic can become a lieutenant, but we added to sergeant so that the EMTs can utilize can step up to a role of supervision.

1:32:53

And I think that that will help in respect of attention.

1:32:57

We're getting newer facilities.

1:32:59

Increased technology.

1:33:00

And sometimes it's just the approach of better leadership.

1:33:03

We're training.

1:33:04

We're spending a lot of time training our lieutenants, our captains on how to lead and how to mentor.

1:33:10

Right?

1:33:10

When you show up at your workplace, you wanna make sure that the people that are leading you that you have some confidence in them, that they can empathize with you, that their level of just emotional eye kill is relevant.

1:33:23

And I think that all these things are important.

1:33:25

We offer more peer support, because we're on the front line, and we are seeing these things and nobody ever thinks about the person that's in the mix and that's in the mud.

1:33:34

So we're dealing with those circumstances day by day, just trying to increase morale and and hopefully, that's gonna work towards increasing retention.

Mercedes Narcisse

1:33:43

And I do appreciate your work, and I appreciate what the work that actually, the first line that we have to protect the city of New York getting folks to the hospital and hoping that we can keep our hospitals open so we don't have to overburden the work that you do.

1:34:01

Thank you.

1:34:01

For MDNY, I have complained a lot for the sirens.

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Reasons for EMS staff retention problems

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Complaints about late-night ambulance sirens