Questions: Society & Politics

There has been an ongoing shortage for years of fire trucks/apparatus and ambulances. In addition, the nation is grappling with a nationwide firefighter shortage. A senator who owns a private ambulance company told me there is also a shortage of EMS personnel.

Nationwide, there has been a 20% drop in volunteer firefighter participation since 1985. 20 percent may seems small, but it is huge.

At the same time, the fire service and EMS has not evolved too much in years, if perhaps, decades. Policymakers and state leaders have neglected fire, rescue, and EMS while everyday citizens haven't noticed much. The 100% volunteer model of service is severely outdated today, and with people having to work multiple full time jobs to stay afloat along with pessimism and nihilism in younger generations regarding the overall state of the country, we can see why no one wants to put in the strenuous training hours and time.

The only branch under the public safety realm that I have seen sustain itself and even thrive in many cases is law enforcement.