It’s somehow fitting that a Karns City first responder had to leave a ceremony honoring her for 41 years of service Monday to answer an emergency call.

Nancy Brice, who will turn 80 in March, began her career in 1981 and almost immediately pursued being a paramedic. Brice is a full-time paramedic and board member with Karns City Regional Ambulance and a paramedic with Clarion Hospital EMS. She has no plans to retire.

Brice said that throughout her career, she has seen a major shift in the amount of personnel working in the EMS field.

“My paramedics class had 28 people. Now if you can get 12 people for a class, you’re lucky to get three or four people who can function,” she said.

The lack of personnel in this lifesaving profession was echoed by Pat Kelly, crew chief of Quality EMS, on national first responders day Oct. 28. At age 69, Kelly plans to retire from her role in January. Looking ahead, she fears ongoing troubles, stemming from issues of finding staff, acquiring equipment and gathering funding.

“It’s hard to get EMT students and paramedic students because they could go into other fields of medicine and make so much more money,” Kelly told the Eagle in October. “I’m an EMT instructor, and I know how the class sizes go.”

An estimated 4.6 million people serve as career and volunteer firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians and paramedics in the United States.

A first responder shortage has swept the nation, causing pressure for better recruitment and retainment in metropolitan areas as well as small towns.

Several studies have been conducted of people who left the EMS workforce. Their reasons for leaving included several recurring themes: insufficient pay for the work performed and lack of appreciation from the public.

There are few that can match the long-term service of Brice and Kelly, and Brice offered encouragement for people pursuing a career in emergency services.

“It’s the most amazing thing you’re ever going to do,” she said. “You may not get much in monetary satisfaction, but what you get in personal satisfaction is better.”

— JGG