EMS

2020 — A Year in Review

Hello, my with responding to calls in full PPE The mental health of our teams to ensure service models remain fellow Carolina to include respirators and/or PAPRs. became more important as well. They relevant and staffed. We must engage Fire-Rescue-EMS Though some saw call volume reduce faced many unknowns when they our legislators as well to help them Journal readers briefly, it quickly returned with a responded to calls. Transports in full know what we truly need and that the and followers. We vengeance. COVID took its toll on PPE created uncomfortable situations funding streams come to assist our all began 2020 morale and staff. We lost many patients due to heat and uncomfortable providers. While much of the funding with hopes and to COVID and even experienced equipment. Once allowed to go home, did assist with the purchasing of PPE William Tatum dreams for an loss of friends, family and coworkers. masks were still required in the public and equipment to respond to the amazing year. I am Resilience became essential for venues. Team members in some cases pandemic, expenses such as overtime sure I speak for us all when I say that operations to continue. Creativity were made to isolate themselves from cost, increased costs of doing business, a pandemic was not how I wanted to in response plans and product their families due to fear of passing and efforts to employee, train, and remember my year. However, in true acquisition was a must. along COVID to them. This pandemic retain staff may not have been clearly public safety fashion, we all adapted, Collaboration played a huge role took its toll on the psyche of many. expressed. improvised and overcame obstacles into the successes we did have in Even now with vaccinations and we each faced. Though we have 2020. Though our relationships with lessening numbers, we must remain experienced similar occurrences in other public safety professionals vigilant in our daily activities to make the past, the extent of sickness and and hospital care teams were strong sure another surge does not occur. loss of life surprised us all. before 2020, we had to solidify Remember you always have resources

We may have all considered workflows and earlier notifications of available to you for mental health ourselves essential at some point patient status. Even the questioning initiatives such as EAPs, the SC FAST in our careers but working through from 911 telecommunicators was Team (scfast.org), and the SC EMS COVID-19, the term became relevant altered to assist in crew notification Association (scmesa.org). for many professions outside of public of known or presumed COVID Even with all the negativity that safety, as well as boosting each of patients. When the EBOLA outbreak occurred with COVID, the healthcare our roles in the eyes of the public. occurred years ago, it better prepared profession did see an increase in Normal “perks” of living in our great us for what we faced during the interest in changing careers mainly nation were taken from us. Our peak of COVID. We were able to due to layoffs in other professions. children were introduced to e-learning, dust off old plans and procedures Amazon drivers sought out EMT restaurants were shut down, and life and update them to relative means courses after taking jobs as drivers for as we knew it halted in some cases. of work. Having a strong ability to ambulance services. Restaurant wait However, emergencies still occurred. collaborate with other public safety staff enrolled in EMT and Paramedic Law enforcement still had to deal professionals and providing constant classes as well. With all the education with domestic violence, robberies, conversation helped keep responders of disease process and enhanced PPE traffic stops and patrol duties. The fire and continued care teams safer options, folks who had not considered service still had structure fires, MVCs than had we not already established a career in health care quickly found a and public assist calls. EMS was faced relationships. desire to do so. Moving forward, we must continue to ensure a sense of heightened awareness, keep our communications path within public safety constant and open, and continue to seek people to enter our respective fields

Final Thoughts

We must remain united on all fronts. There is strength in numbers and when we can represent public safety with one voice, we cannot be ignored. I personally want to thank each of you for the hard work and long hours we all have faced in the past year. Also, a huge thanks to your families for supporting you and understanding why the term essential was so important to the public we serve and to the role you hold at home. Stay amazing everyone!

William Tatum serves as the President of the South Carolina EMS Association. He is also a career Paramedic serving as the Communications Supervisor for Prisma Health Emergency Medical Services. In addition, he is the S.C. Membership Coordinator and one of the Region II Directors on the Executive Board for the National Association of EMT’s (NAEMT). Tatum is currently involved as an Adjunct Instructor for EMT programs in the upstate and is part of many EMS and Public Safety Advisory Committees. He can be reached via email at president@scemsa.org.