Not a Dress Rehearsal

     Scene safety has become a mantra in EMS. We have been preaching its many components in this magazine for several years, everything from how to safely approach the scene to universal precautions, but people safety—that is, ensuring you are happy and stress-free in both your professional and personal lives—remains something we write little about.

     This issue's cover report seeks to remedy that. In EMS' Dirty Secret on page 74, Thom Dick exposes some of the dirt we have tried to sweep under the EMS carpet, including the negative impact volunteerism may be having on the development of EMS as a profession, the problems associated with our lack of national identity and the personal crises EMS folks face at home on a daily basis.

     The article is not an easy read and there will be many readers who are angered by some of Thom's assertions (especially those about the damage this nation's volunteers may be doing to the industry). Hopefully what this article will do is spur dialogue about where we are going in EMS and how to get there, because quite frankly, we seem to be stuck at the starting post.

     We welcome your comments on Thom's piece and encourage you to visit our online forum at www.emsresponder.com/forums under EMS Life: Health and Safety to further discuss this topic, or e-mail nancy.perry@cygnusb2b.com.