The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Paramedics- Public Safety or Public Health
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
-
Who cares? After all they are just paramedics!!
Okay, now for a serious answer. If they are Firefighter/Paramedics then they are Public Safety, if they are Paramedics ONLY then in my humble opinion they are public health. This is MY opinion, others may vary.
-
Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
-
They are both. This controversy will never end until that fact is realized. Anyone that thinks that people that run emergency responses to help people injured in wrecks, fires, industrial accidents, etc. isn't public safety is ignoring half of the job. Anyone that thinks that taking care of people who are sick or delivering a child isn't public health is ignoring the other half.
To recap, arguing one or the other is an artificial distinction that ignores the reality that paramedics are both public safety and public health providers.
-
Permalink Reply by Marc Hansen on
-
Don,
All three groups are public safety and two of the three (fire and ems) are public health. The line blurring the public safety/ public health is disappearing more and more. Even the police are edging into public health by conducting bike safety classes, child seat inspections...etc. No matter the umbrella name you want to put everyone in the three groups into we must all work together to provide for the public's safety and health!
-
Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
-
I like Ben's answer.Paramedic is EMS..Emergency Medical Services. That is, in my mind, BOTH, public health and public safety. I think that is a rediculous question or topic in an essay to begin with. I hate the fact that they would put such a crazy topic. Consider this scenario..that one question/essay could make or break your final grade????? How sick would that be!! Good Luck The Pas...you will do just fine!
-
Permalink Reply by FireMedic29 on
-
Thanks people I know its a messed up topic and has many arguments for both s sides thank you for your input
-
Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
-
I do agree with Ben's comments here, although realistic, does have the sense of a politician with no definitive answer. :-)
Although, why are you writing an essay for a paramedic course? Is this an associate degree type of program? The paramedic courses that involve certification focuses on the skills and requirements necessary to do the job, not about some essay assignments that holds no bearing is is open to argument and interpretation. If this is a degree program, then I could see where something like this could come into some play.
My take on such an assignment would be to move beyond the either or choice that is given and instead focus on the absurdity of the assignment. Just as we see here an argument can be given one way or the other, but the nature of the job really does delve into both realms of public health and public safety. I would make such points for both to cover the assignment aspect, but also delve into why such a topic is ridiculous to even explore. I would be questioning as to how defining if a medic is either or is going to really change how one does the job. Quite simply, there is nothing going to change. A medic with a private EMS provider and perhaps considering themselves public health, is going to approach pt care the same way as a firefighter/medic who may be considered public safety.
In the end, the primary goal is going to be the patient care, so why should it matter what one is trying to define themselves as? Presenting such a case as concentrating on the patient and the skills as opposed to a definition may help to dissuade this topic from coming up in the future.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
