WHAT QUALITIES ARE CRITICAL FOR AN EMS LEADER?
An EMS leader must be humble, yet confident; patient, but persistent; a communicator and a listener; an educator and a student. A leader must also have the integrity to do what is right, even when no one is looking or when it’s not popular. He or she should possess a passion for EMS and its future. A leader must dedicate himself to lifelong learning. The EMS field is not and will never be static. Leaders must remain flexible and able to adapt. DO YOU HAVE A PERSON IN YOUR CAREER WHOM YOU CONSIDER A MENTOR, AND HOW DID THEY ASSIST YOU? My career in EMS has thus far spanned 17 years, and it would be unfair to single out any one person as a mentor. Instead, I have taken a little bit of style, approach and personality from the many mentors I’ve encountered. From my partners and supervisors in the Honolulu EMS Division to the captains and chief officers of the Federal Fire Department, I am an amalgam of their tutelage. My education is not done, and I acknowledge I still have a lot to learn.
