LANCASTER, Pa. — The Lancaster EMS is an ambulance and emergency service that serves over 260,000 residents in 21 municipalities encompassing urban, suburban, and rural portions of Lancaster County, according to its website.
Richard Pearson, director of Education with the Lancaster EMS, joined FOX43 on Dec. 15 to discuss what they do, how they serve the Lancaster community, and how to get involved.
Right now, the Lancaster EMS is experiencing the same staffing shortages that many industries across the country are.
Pearson says this is due to a lack of applicants and individuals leaving the field for a variety of reasons. Plus, the pandemic has taken its toll.
To address this, the Lancaster EMS has implemented its “Learn While You Earn” program, which was created to establish a more regular pipeline of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) amid a challenging hiring environment, according to previous FOX43 reporting.
As of Dec. 14, the service graduated its first cohort of seven new EMTS.
Lancaster EMS has also raised its starting salary, Pearson noted. Currently, there are dispatch, billing, transport, and clinical opportunities available. There are also 23 open EMT positions.
If you're interested in connecting with the service, or applying, visit their website.
To hear more of the interview, check out the clip above.