Mayor Martin J. Walsh celebrated the graduation of 20 EMT recruits and recognized nine department members recently promoted, in a ceremony at Faneuil Hall held before family and friends. Among those addressing the graduates were Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi, JD, MPH, and Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley. The graduating class will serve the City in frontline ambulances.
The graduation ceremony formally acknowledges the successful completion of an extensive EMT post-hire educational training for 20 of Boston’s newest EMTs. The recruits, already state-certified EMTs prior to hire, attended an additional 27 weeks of classroom and field training, to prepare them to work in Boston’s busy evolving urban system. Recruits were trained in a variety of emergency situations, including mass casualty incidents, human trafficking cases, hazardous materials exposures, transportation accidents, recovery services and life-threatening emergencies.
“It takes a special kind of person to do this work, and I hold every member of Boston EMS in the highest regard,” said Mayor Walsh. “EMTs and paramedics are there for us during our most vulnerable moments, and are an integral part of our public safety community. I’m pleased to welcome this new class of recruits and thank them for their service to our City.”
During their training, the recruit class responded to almost 3,000 incidents. The calls included illnesses, injuries, cardiac incidents, motor vehicle accidents, deliveries, shootings, stabbings, overdoses and more. With the guidance of an experienced EMT field training officer, recruits are not only comfortable providing care to patients regardless the circumstance, but also understand the level of care, clinical excellence and professionalism expected of them as Boston EMS EMTs.
Among others recognized at today’s ceremony was one department member who was promoted to Superintendent of Special Operations; two department paramedics promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent; and one member promoted to Captain, who have a combined 101 years of experience. Five department members were also promoted to the rank of Paramedic after successfully completing the necessary Boston EMS Paramedic promotional testing and selection, as well as a three-month paramedic internship.
Boston EMS is one of the busiest municipal EMS providers in the country, responding to over 125,000 clinical incidents per year. As a bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Boston EMS is committed to serving Boston’s residents through clinical excellence, emergency planning and preparedness, and community outreach.
“It is with deep admiration and respect that we welcome our new EMT graduates to the EMS community,” said Chief of Health of Human Services, Marty Martinez. “Their work will ensure that everyone in Boston, no matter circumstance or zip code, will have the same quality of care in their greatest time of need. I am proud to work with Boston EMS and the EMTs as they provide quality prehospital emergency medical care throughout Boston.”
“Public service and access to quality health care are at the cornerstone of our mission at the Boston Public Health Commission,” said BPHC Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi, JD, MPH. “Members of Boston EMS, in all their different roles, are essential to achieving our mission.”
“When we select individuals for the position of EMT or a promotion, we look for clinical expertise, critical thinking and their ability to treat others with kindness and compassion,” said Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley. “Once promoted, we remind them of the importance of also taking care of themselves.”
In Boston’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget, Mayor Walsh increased the funding for EMS with the goal of reducing response times and meeting the current demand for services. He recently invested in 20 new EMTs, bringing the total uniformed force to nearly 400 citywide, and added eight replacement ambulances to support them.
