Negativity, you won’t find that here.

A conversation that I had with a coworker this morning (Hi Kim!!) gave me the incentive to write this article. It brought up a question that I have to ask you:

Do you think that reading, listening to, or otherwise consuming online content is important for:

-          Your career?

-          Your Service?

-          Your Patients?

-          Our Profession?

And, why?

You could just stop reading here and throw in your own comment in the comments section, or you could read a few sentences into my own, rambling opinion.

I’m not just talking about my own, humble website here… I’m talking about the whole cacophony of online EMS content out there. You can see a lot of the stuff that I consume regularly in my blogroll, and can find a ton of other stuff through a simple Google search. You can follow the #EMS hashtag on Twitter, or you could do a Facebook search. Needless to say, there’s a lot of stuff out there for you to read and participate in.

But why is it important that you do so?

Because it is, that’s why. Trust me. I started my blog because I’m a ten year paramedic with a family to support and I have an obligation as a professional who cares deeply about my care for my patients and my wider community to change the profession for the better. I feel a deep-seated, compelling need to fix EMS and I’m not going to rest until I’ve changed the world. I am working the streets in my community every day taking care of the same patients that you do and I see the same problems you do… not only that, I feel them the same way you do. EMS is a big part of my life, and if you’re here reading this, it’s probably a big part of yours as well. There are plenty of people out there who you see and talk to all the time that will tell you that things can’t, or won’t change… but you won’t find talk like that here.

I think that participating in the wider online community of people who care about EMS is supremely important to the growth of our profession. When we communicate, we organize. When we’re organized, we’re powerful. One of the hallmarks of a profession as described in the literature is “Self Governance”, and we can’t self govern if we can’t communicate.

So, in a nutshell, Intelligent communication and discourse is essential to our progression forward. You’ll find that here (most of the time) and you’ll find a lot more of it out there. I can’t change this on my own. I need you. Yes, you personally to help us all by talking with your coworkers, bringing them into the discussion, and participating in the discussion of powerful ideas that are going to bring our profession out of the dark ages and into what we’ve been calling EMS 2.0.

What are your thoughts?

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Oh, and if you’re going to be at EMS Today in Baltimore this weekend, stop by and say “Howdy!”. I’ll be at the big EMS Blogger Meetup Friday night. I’d love to meet you. Need directions?? Tweet me @ckemtp.