Menter Ambulance addresses dangers EMTs face and burnout in the career field

FULTON, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — For Joseph Provost, being an EMT is a rewarding career but he knows he’s putting himself in danger every day.

“It’s a real risk. I come into work every day and think ‘You’re going to be assaulted.’ It’s not a comfortable feeling, I don’t think anyone wants to deal with that, but they know it’s the reality of today,” he said.

He says the number of dangerous incidents Menter ambulance members experience has increased over the past five to six years.

“We deserve to do our job without the fear of violence,” Provost said.

The first step to combating the problem is raising awareness.

“If we don’t raise awareness to this what’s going to happen is people are going to a service and expect, our providers, paramedics, EMTs, to just take whatever happens,” Provost said. “We’ve heard before it’s just part of the job, being assaulted is not part of the job.”

The rising number of violent incidents is causing a spike in EMS members to leave their jobs.

“Firefighters, police officers and paramedics and EMTS, we find the burnout rate is much higher when you come to work every single day and there’s the threat of assault,” Provost said. “EMS providers are probably the among lowest paid first response providers. So, coupled with that, the reality that you’re probably going to be assaulted, somebody can say, ‘Why would I do this?’”

To make up for the decreasing workforce, Menter Ambulance has a training center to train and hire EMTs.

“We have grown from our humble beginnings in this community to now having over 17 ambulances, three paramedic response fly-cars and multiple EMTs and paramedics,” Provost said. “We continue to offer EMT academies to help grow the workforce in the local community.”

Tomorrow afternoon starting at three, the Onondaga County Department of Emergency Communications will be holding a career fair at the Cicero Fire Department.

The agency is looking to recruit law enforcement, fire officers and EMS members.

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