Emergency medical professionals are an integral part of our community, showing up when we need them most. This National EMS Week, celebrated May-25, Reading Hospital is honored to recognize our dedicated EMS professionals like Mike Lerch, who provide lifesaving emergency medical care each day. In recognition of the 50th anniversary of EMS Week, we spent a shift with Lerch to learn more about a day in the life of a paramedic.
Lerch, who has been a paramedic for more than 30 years, begins each shift preparing equipment and supplies he might need on a call. Each shift is different because you never know what emergencies may occur, he explained. “My day starts by getting a report from the previous shift, which usually includes the truck condition, the number of calls that we ran, as well as anything memorable about the shift,” he said.
“Next, a check is done on equipment, medication, and general supplies. We also check to see if there are any transports assigned.” Once the equipment is prepared for his 12-hour shift, he works with the team to clean the station thoroughly and complete station chores.
He then has free time until an emergency call is dispatched. “Some of us work on continuing education or cook meals,” he said. “For me, as a Field Training Officer, I have other responsibilities like training new hires in a classroom setting, training them on a shift, and following up with reports and paperwork.
” When a call comes through from the Berks County Communic.
