Growing the ranks of first responders
Boston EMS now accepting applications for new cadet program
One of the most awe-inspiring parts of being mayor is seeing all the hard work that goes into delivering city services—the often invisible collaboration and dedication from city workers who go above and beyond everyday for residents they may never meet.
It’s truly a gift to work alongside so many incredible people who choose to serve our communities, and deeply humbling to have the responsibility to welcome the newest classes of first responders as they graduate from our Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) academies. This month I had the honor of swearing in the fourth EMS class to graduate under our administration so far.
It was a moving ceremony cheering on each recruit as they were pinned with their new badge by a loved one or friend, and then hearing the Superintendent put a call out over the radio to ask central dispatch to log off this recruit class and welcome them as official EMS staff.
Each of our first responder agencies holds a special role in keeping residents safe. EMS is the critical connection between emergency response and healthcare, delivering life-saving medical care on scene and carrying out emergency transports to the area’s many hospitals. Boston EMS is housed in the Boston Public Health Commission’s cabinet to ensure full integration with the City’s healthcare resources and programs.
Last year, Boston EMS responded to over 134,000 clinical incidents, serving residents on a huge range of medical emergencies—for illnesses, injuries, cardiac, respiratory, behavioral health calls, and more.
As the need for emergency response services continues to grow, and as agencies nationwide face labor shortages in healthcare following the pandemic, we’ve been creating new pipelines to boost hiring and support our staff. I announced at the graduation that Boston EMS is now hiring for a new cadet program—a full-time, six-month training role to help Boston residents prepare and then transition into the next EMT hiring cycle in the Spring of 2024, when the cadets will join the next recruit class.
The new EMS cadet program follows the successful cadet program model that has boosted more diverse and local representation in the Boston Police Department for many years, and one that was recently launched at the Boston Fire Department as well. As we look to diversify the ranks of our first responder agencies and tap into local talent, these innovative workforce development pipelines break down barriers to opportunity in Boston’s neighborhoods and connect new communities to city service.
Last spring I went on a ride-along with EMS Chief Jim Hooley, a 45-year veteran of the department. I shadowed several calls, from a shopping center, to a housing development, to the emergency room at Boston Medical Center.
It was remarkable to see not only their impeccable training in action, but each EMS member radiating compassion that immediately put patients at ease—kneeling down to explain next steps, holding a hand while gathering information on medical history, carefully building a connection with children on scene to ensure they were cared for in difficult circumstances. I was blown away to see the embodiment of the oath that I administer to graduating recruits:
I will serve my patients with integrity and compassion, and I will afford respect equally to all.
Thank you to Boston EMS for all that you do, day and night, to care for our communities. We’ll continue to grow the ranks of our first responders with the integrity, compassion, and respect that you model everyday.
Learn more about training and employment opportunities with Boston EMS here!
Leadership, inspiration and honoring those who serve the public in all roles including first responders who keep people safe everyday. Thank you, Mayor Wu!
Please address whether Boston needs all of its career firefighters and whether changing their schedule to 8-12 hour shift would negate the need for costly fireHOUSES. With a significant decline in fires, FF are unnecessarily racing EMS to medical calls in order to remain relevant. Those of us in the suburbs, need Boston to address this elephant in the room so we can move tax revenues to more prevalent community needs.