The American Ambulance Association has warned that the nation is facing a “crippling workforce shortage” that threatens to undermine the 911 emergency services amid an unsustainable turnover rate of staff. According to the AAA/Avesta 2019 Ambulance Industry Employee Turnover Study, turnover among emergency medical technicians (EMT’s) and paramedics was in the 20 to 30 percent range annually, which effectively equates to a 100 percent turnover over a four-year period. “With percentages that high, organizations are looking at replacing most of their workforces within a four-year period,” the study notes. “Also, at a national level, turnover has been trending upward since 2008.” “The voluntary turnover rates should remain an area of concern. Since EMTs and paramedics are on the front lines, delivering healthcare services to clients and patients, the high rate of voluntary turnover for these jobs is a critical issue, as is the high rate of overall turnover. This is especially true of part-time EMTs …