U.S. Ambulance Statistics
Number of Ambulance Services 15,276
Number of Ground Ambulance Vehicles 48,384
Number of EMS Personnel 840,669
Source: American Ambulance Association 2007 Ambulance Fact Sheet
How Are US Ambulance Services Staffed?
Both career and volunteer personnel 40 percent
Career personnel 38 percent
Volunteer personnel 22 percent
Who Provides Front-Line Care?
EMT-B 53 percent
EMT-P 41 percent
First Responder 11 percent
EMT-I 9 percent
Registered Nurse 8 percent
What Types of Systems Operate in the US?
Fire Department with cross-trained EMS personnel 38 percent
Government or Third Service 23 percent
Private company 13 percent
Other 12 percent
Hospital-based service 7 percent
Fire Department with separate EMS personnel 4 percent
Public Utility Model 2 percent
Police Department with cross-trained EMS personnel 0.75 percent
Police Department with separate EMS personnel 0.75 percent
EMS Call Volume per Week
1,000 to 10,000 calls 40 percent
100 to 500 calls 26 percent
10,000 to 50,000 calls 12 percent
500 to 1,000 calls 9 percent
0 to 100 calls 6 percent
50,000 to 100,000 calls 5 percent
More than 100,000 calls 2 percent
Source: EMS Magazine's 4th Annual National EMS Systems Survey
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for EMTs and paramedics is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Employment of emergency medical technicians and paramedics is expected to grow by 19 percent between 2006 and 2016. Job prospects should be good, particularly in cities and private ambulance services.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, www.bls.gov/oco/ocos101.htm.