SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christina Solenne is committed to serving others. It's why she became an EMS trainee with the Sacramento Fire Department.
"It's just something that I always wanted to do," said Solenne. "I always wanted a career in the fire service."
Sacramento Fire started the EMS trainee program this summer. The goal is to hire more paramedics from diverse communities.
"I'm Japanese, Italian, El Salvadoran, Spanish, and kind of a big mix of things," said Solenne. "Since I grew up in Sacramento and was raised here, I always had a passion for the community."
Solenne is one of 19 people in the program. She says diversity in EMS is important during an emergency because people want to feel understood.
"They are at their worst point in their life," said Solenne. "They're very vulnerable and when they see a familiar face or something like that, it makes them comfortable. That can help them get through that moment and feel like they are being heard and seen."
According to research from the National Library of Medicine, white people made up the majority of EMS workers in the U.S. with 72% in 2019. Hispanic people accounted for 13% and Black people stood at 8%.
When it comes to paramedics, the same research shows white people represented the majority with 77% in 2019. Hispanic people represented 12% and Black people accounted for 5% of paramedics in the U.S.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows California is one of the states with the highest employment level in paramedics, right after Texas and New York. According to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority, there are currently 24,716 active paramedics in California. The majority are White men, too.
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Sac Fire employs 444 paramedics total. Just like the state, diversity is lacking in race and gender.
Assistant Chief Kim Iannucci oversees the Diversity, Outreach, & Recruitment unit with Sac Fire. She says the department is "only as good as the statewide eligibility list."
"We hire from a statewide eligibility list and our numbers reflect, typically, the statewide eligibility list, as far as diversity and gender," Iannucci said. "That means, we need to look at other ways to be more diverse and represent our community better."
It's one of the reasons why the department started the EMS trainee program. The internship is one to four years long, depending on experience. It comes with education, training and lots of opportunities to gain hands-on experience in medical care.
"It's a big commitment, a lot of schooling, and you're dealing with people's lives," said Capt. Justin Sylvia, Sac Fire Public Information Officer. "A paramedic does more advanced life care, including giving drugs, starting IVs, intubating people... sticking a tube down their throat to breathe, and using a cardiac monitor to potentially shock someone. It's far more advanced than an EMT."
Once an EMS trainee is hired, Sac Fire says the trainee must work as a paramedic with the department for at least 60 months. Solenne is encouraging others to become a paramedic, considering the need for more life savers.
"It doesn't matter what's on the outside, it's about what's on the inside," Solenne said. "If you're willing to put in the effort and work hard and not give up, then you can go as far as you want."
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