The first priority of any EMT or paramedic is to be the best possible advocate for their patients.
(3)
In a similar vein, this page seeks to advocate for the employees who are suffering through the worst crisis in the 46 year history of Sedgwick County EMS.
The Advocates would like to wish everyone in our community a very Merry Christmas!
Our thanks to all of the O shift crews working today to provide care to those in need of emergency medical care. Thank you for your compassion and your dedication to your profession! We thank your families for their sacrifice in sharing your time and talents with all of us.
Come learn about a career with Sedgwick County EMS!
December 10th, 1 to 3 pm.
Please consider attending the EMS and Fire Career Fair hosted at the Regional Training Center on Saturday, December 10th. The fair will feature a number of public safety agencies that are looking to fill positions available immediately.
As a reminder, the Wichita Fire Department is hiring those that are a minimum of 18 years of age, posses a valid driver’s license, and have a high school diploma or equivalent. ALL REQUIRED TRAINING IS PAID AND PROVIDED!
Can’t wait for the career fair? Apply today at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wichita/jobs/2894018/fire-recruit-2023?keywords=Fire%20recruit&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
Our community is fortunate to have an integrated, professional team working hand in hand to save lives!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=497209669107470&id=100064553236964&sfnsn=mo&extid=a
The Advocates would like to again thank Jim Howell - Sedgwick County Commissioner for his outstanding, tireless efforts over the past 3 years to stabilize Sedgwick County EMS and return it to a place of organizational health. His consistent advocacy for integrity and transparency in local government is most admirable. Commissioner Howell has been a truly shining example of servant leadership and a huge supporter of the men and women of EMS who are caring for our community every day.
We hope the residents of Sedgwick County District 5 seriously consider the invaluable leadership Commissioner Howell has shown on EMS issues and we would be delighted to see them return him to office for another term.
Sedgwick County EMS is looking for skilled, professional, and compassionate paramedics!
Here are two ways you can help us reach our goal:
1. Share this post to your page
2. Encourage any paramedics you know to consider a full or part time position with Sedgwick County EMS!
Starting pay is $20.63 with an additional percentage increase for each year of prior EMS experience. 3rd shift and some 2nd shift positions receive an additional $0.75 /hr shift differential bonus.
In addition, we are now offering a $2,500 sign on bonus for paramedics!
Any questions regarding the position, salary, benefits, etc. can be answered by our recruiter, Kyle Burtch. Call 316-660-7917 (office) or 316-727-2444 (mobile).
Go here to apply for employment:
https://careers.sedgwickcounty.org/job/Wichita-Part-Time-Paramedic-KS-67201/833865600/?fbclid=IwAR2IoMDAPpGK4blKmQhv5SYMeO5fcQMf9MdLla6_hYOx9uFqMR8awYuKpI8
We would like to thank Paramedic Sarah Sisco for her nearly 5 years of service to our community. Sarah is leaving SCEMS to pursue a nursing degree.
Thank you, Sarah, for your flexibility and willingness to work a wide variety of day, night, and mid shifts with many different crew members. We appreciate your positive attitude and compassionate care of our patients!
Come back and see us anytime!
We are indebted to Lieutenant Alex Thomas for his 6 years of dedicated service to our community. Lt. Thomas is leaving SCEMS today and has accepted a position with American Medical Response in Winfield.
Lt. Thomas was one of the first members of the Special Response Team and assisted with the early phases of the implementation of the Community Response Vehicles.
Thank you, Alex for your dedication and professional care of our patients. You will be missed.
We wish you much success in your new EMS position. Come back and see us and please remember that there is a place for you here should you choose to return!
We would like to thank EMT Mary Merz for over 5 years of service to our community. Mary is leaving full-time service to pursue other opportunities in healthcare. We are grateful that she has consented to continue to serve on a part-time basis.
Thank you, Mary, for your positive attitude and compassionate care of our patients!
The past two days have been very busy for EMS with multiple instances of every available ambulance being assigned to an EMS call. Our crews have performed admirably with field ambulance crews, supervisors, advanced practice paramedics, community response vehicles, and even the ICT-1 crew mobilizing to make sure each call was being answered by some type of EMS resource. The field ambulance crews helped minimize response times by quickly becoming available at hospitals and volunteering for calls that they were closer to. Our field staff continue to perform with perseverance and professionalism in the face of significantly increased call volume and decreased resources due to the number of our staff who are ill -- they are remarkable people and our community should be very proud of them!
Finally, our thanks to Major Tom Seyfert, Captain Scott McBride, and Captain Bryan Bartholomew for coming out to fill field positions!
Many thanks to Jim Howell - Sedgwick County Commisioner for his continued support through such a trying time. Jim is a shining example of servant leadership.
Despite all of the challenges we currently face, the EMTs and paramedics of Sedgwick County EMS continue to stand ready to care for you!
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Sedgwick County continues to feel the pinch in their EMS department. According to Sedgwick County, EMS is down 17 of their 140 positions. Commissioner Jim Howell says the dep…
EMS is struggling with multiple staff members out sick or in quarantine. Yesterday nearly 25% of the shift was out sick and today nearly 20% are ill. Filling these positions on top of the normal staff vacation leave, injury leave, and long term open positions is very challenging.
Yesterday 10 part time employees and 3 full time employees (on overtime on their day off) stepped up to help out and Colonel Bill Robben, Major Shannon Reed, Captain Scott McBride and Captain Jessica Welch came out to assist in staffing field positions.
Today 7 part time employees, 4 full time employees, as well as Major Mitch Hansen, Major Shannon Reed, Colonel Andrea Maurer, and Captain Jessica Welch stepped up to help provide coverage for the day and night shifts.
We appreciate all the help from our team members in maintaining as nearly normal operations as possible amidst frigid temperatures and staffing shortfalls.
The citizens of Sedgwick County should be very proud of the dedicated EMS team members that put in long hours to ensure resources are available to respond to care for our community!
January 3rd was an extremely busy day for EMS with 274 calls for service. We believe this may be an all time record for daily EMS call volume. Unit hour utilization remains very high, often ranging from 0.60 to 0.66 many days, which is much higher than the industry standard for acceptable workload.
We are very grateful for our EMS crews who continue to persevere in the face of an escalating workload and frequent staffing challenges. Their dedication to their profession and caring for our community is an incalculable gift.
Many thanks to Captain Scott McBride, Captain Jessica Welch, and Colonel Andrea Maurer for stepping up to staff field units last night and again this evening. The O shift night crews greatly appreciate your assistance!
We would like to thank Lieutenant Emily Maurer for her nearly 6 years of service to our community. Lt. Maurer is leaving SCEMS this week to pursue other opportunities in healthcare.
Thank you, Emily, for your dedication, work ethic, sense of humor, and your positive attitude. You will be missed.
We wish you success in all of your future endeavors and remember that there is a place for you here should you choose to return!
We are grateful for all of the X shift crews who are on duty tonight and tomorrow to care for our community. A special thank you to Colonel Andrea Maurer who came out tonight to help staff a field unit on this holiday weekend!
The Advocates would like to wish everyone a very festive evening and a very happy New Year in 2022!
Please be safe tonight and utilize a safe ride service if needed, we want you to have a great night without any unfortunate incidents!
Today is another very busy day for EMS. Many thanks to Colonel Bill Robben, Major Matthew Manning, Captain Scott McBride, and Captain Bryan Shastid for coming out today to help staff field positions to keep resources up and running. We appreciate the assistance!
The Advocates would like to wish everyone in our community a very Merry Christmas!
A special thanks to all of the O shift crews on duty today that stand ready to respond to care for YOU!
It is a sacrifice for our responders to be away from their families on this holiday, to be sure. But this is the calling and vocation we have chosen to serve our fellow man.
In many ways our families sacrifice far more in being willing to share us with the community, to care for people they will never meet, to allow us to fulfill a mission they do not fully understand.
To all the spouses, significant others, children, parents, and extended families of our EMS staff: thank you for sharing your loved one with the community on this Christmas holiday, and throughout the year. Your sacrifice is greatly appreciated, thank you for supporting your loved one in this noble work they have undertaken. Their expertise, experience, compassion, and display of courtesy and respect has a profound impact on the patients and healthcare partners they work with each day. You seldom see the results of their work, but please know that it is invaluable and makes a real difference in the lives of others. You are the real heros!
And although we are often exhausted, grumpy, and withdrawn after a busy shift; know that we appreciate your support deeply and draw strength and encouragement from your love. We know that you are often missing us, so thank you so much for your sacrifice in sharing us with others!
Merry Christmas one and all!
Captain Bob Haig retired this week after 34 years of dedicated service as a Sedgwick County EMS field paramedic. He also served 20+ years in the United States Navy Reserve.
Bob was a legend - indefatigable, full of unique quips for any occasion, impeccably polite to all, and relentlessly upbeat day after day.
For many years Bob worked a tremendous number of extra shifts and took on various special projects for the department. When asked why he worked so much, Bob would simply reply that he "believed in the mission" of the department and it was obvious that he truly did.
Bob trained and mentored scores of new paramedics over the course of his career, all of whom were inoculated with his trademark sayings and filled with "Bob stories" which they still recount today. He leaves a legacy and shoes that will be very difficult to fill.
We would like to thank Captain Haig for his service and his relentless dedication to our department.
Best wishes, farewell and Godspeed, may your retirement be everything you have hoped for!
Sedgwick County is nearing the end of the hiring process for a permanent EMS director. The job posting closed October 16th and from what we understand two rounds of interviews with 7 candidates were held sometime during the first several weeks in November.
It is disappointing that the EMS employee rank and file have still not been given the names of the remaining finalists by county management. We hope to learn more about the candidates
at a scheduled forum on December 13th.
We remain hopeful that Sedgwick County management will allow EMS employees adequate time in the weeks ahead to thoroughly research the candidates and understand their work history and
professional accomplishments. Our hope is that management will only move forward with a candidate that has been fully vetted by all parties and has a broad base of support among EMS employees.
The bottom line for EMS employees remains the same as it was in May of 2019: we are looking for an EMS department head that is an outstanding example of integrity in leadership.
This means that these qualities are essential:
- humility
- servant leadership
- empathy
- honesty
- openness
- transparency
- demonstrated willingness to work collaboratively with employees
- inclusiveness when seeking input from employees
- the courage and willingness to advocate effectively for the needs of the department
- a leader who may not tell you what you want to hear, but will always tell you the truth.
- trusts employees to do the right thing
- believes in the ability of employees to utilize their collective education and experience to make good decisions
- eliminates obstructions to getting the job done
- listens carefully and does not pre-judge situations before receiving and carefully considering all of the facts
- fully embraces the principles of the Just Culture initiative and practices it every day
- a constant and deep concern about the workload and stressors experienced by street personnel
- a progressive outlook, a leader who is constantly thinking about the changes and new opportunities that are coming to our profession
- ability to cultivate strong working relationships with our largest stakeholders: the City of Wichita, HCA Wesley Medical Center, and Ascension Via Christi
- administrative, business, and budgetary competence to lead a department of nearly 200 full time and part-time employees
These qualities are essential in our leadership as we work together to rebuild our department to be a professional, compassionate, reliable EMS service that has one mission: providing the best care for YOU and your loved ones.
Sorry it's been a while. We wanted say we haven't forgotten you. We're still here and working hard to provide the best care that you, the public, deserves. We've shared a lot about us but wanted to branch out to a story about one of our healthcare allies.
Many of us have worked with Bev for what we commonly call a minute. She's been a staple in the nursing community in Wichita with years between Woodlawn, St. Joseph, and St. Francis.
Be Like Bev!
Nurses often inspire nurses, one woman, in particular, is doing just that inside Ascension Via Christi. Her name is Beverly Haynes, Bev for short.
Many thanks to Colonel Bill Robben and Major Kyle Burtch for staffing Medic 28 today. This was invaluable in supporting the field crews on this very busy day and was very much appreciated!
The Advocates would like to thank Captain Jacqueline Cook for her 26 (and a half) years of service to the public with Sedgwick County EMS.
Enjoy your retirement, #68!
Sedgwick County EMS is looking for skilled, professional, and compassionate paramedics!
Please share this post to your page, and encourage any paramedics you know to consider a career with Sedgwick County!
And as of August 25th, we are now offering a $2500 sign on bonus for paramedics!
Any questions regarding the position, salary, benefits, etc. can be answered by our recruiter, Kyle Burtch. Call 316-660-7917 (office) or 316-727-2444 (mobile).
Go here to apply for employment: https://careers.sedgwickcounty.org/job/Wichita-Paramedic-KS-67201/750889000/
Worth watching. Discussion of the EMS budget runs from approximately 35:33 to 57:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl5vekxfiZg
Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners MTG - 08/11/2021We encourage discussion and comments during today’s meeting. Please be aware of our social medi...
Words can't carry the weight. We're so proud of Cole, Vincent, and Emma for their exceptional care.
Paramedics and EMTs occasionally have the ability to really make the difference. These are the rare days that define us, reminding us why we do what we do.
For Samantha. For Mac.
On July 6, paramedics Emma Price and Vincent Alvarado were in ready position before they even knew they needed to be.
We're very excited to have Dr. Brinker on board as the interim medical director. Having been a street-level paramedic and supervisor for SCEMS, he brings a one-of-a-kind perspective to the table to better serve you.
Sedgwick County named Dr. Kevin Brinker as the Interim EMSS Medical Director, on a part-time basis.
Another great step moving forward. Very proud of the leadership working with EMS to take the best care of our EMTs, paramedics, and most importantly: You.
The move comes after former EMS director Dr. John Gallagher resigned last week after several EMS employees quit the department, citing a lack of leadership.
A reader recently reached out to express their concern that this page not be viewed as an official Sedgwick County EMS page, as they felt it did not adequately represent the views of all EMS employees.
We do not believe we have ever claimed to be acting in any type of official capacity and want to make clear that this a volunteer effort created to inform the public regarding EMS issues.
A major goal of this page is to advocate for the well being of EMS employees. If we are missing the mark, we invite any EMS employee to message us directly. We value frank, professional dialogue and are committed to being responsive whenever you reach out to us.
We are still processing all the news of the past week, and thinking carefully about what it means for the Advocates page moving forward.
Our core values are honesty, integrity, transparency, and an accurate reporting of the facts on the ground -- all within a framework of advocating for adequate resource levels so that our providers can provide great care to you!
We believe that the public has a right to know real time data of how their EMS agency is performing. We would be thrilled if in the future the county would regularly disclose the details of the EMS system's performance, making our effort unnecessary.
We invite feedback from you, our reader, to let us know what type of information you believe is important to track and publish. Comment below or message us with your thoughts.
Thank you so much for your interest and for the overwhelming support you have shown to our EMTs and paramedics. It means the world to all of us!
This evening, Thursday July 22nd, 2021 the following ambulance is not staffed on 3rd shift (the overnight shift):
Medic 26 (Maize, 4030 N Reed)
This closure is due to:
Open positions on 2nd & 3rd shift,
1 paramedic who is sick,
1 EMT who is sick,
2 paramedics on vacation.
Many thanks to the paramedic and EMT working overtime in addition to the 3 part time paramedics working tonight to keep ambulances staffed and available to care for you!
Wichita, KS
67213
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