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the police are not around, paramedics have to be
cautious in such situations, adding another layer
to their mental stress.
Fitness First
Along with mental fitness, a paramedic needs
physical fitness. It is a job that demands strength
and hard work. You are on the go all the time, and
you might have to lift heavy patient loads. Some-
times just reaching the scene of an accident might
mean climbing or making a long trek.
“It is a physical job. You need to be strong for
sure,” added Davis. “There are a lot of paramedics
who miss time with injuries.”
Paramedics make sure to work out and eat
right so that they are ready to deal with the physi-
cal stresses of the job.
In 2012, the National Association of Emer-
gency Medical Technicians reported a national
rise in cases of very, very heavy people. America’s
growing obesity problemwas causing problems for
paramedics, who had been forced to carry heavier
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