Did you make friends in rookie school, your original EMS class, or at the orientation for your first EMS assignment? Are they still your friends today? If you are a practicing public safety professional, the answer is likely “yes” and if so, you have had a significant advantage over those who did not. Interestingly enough, the very fact that you are still practicing may be directly linked to the connections you made. Cognitive learning, skill mastery, self-image, resilience, and even mental wellbeing are all influenced by the ability to make and keep connections among peers. More importantly, these connections directly correlate to long term professional success and to improved retention. EMS leaders play an incredibly important role in how practitioners interact within an organization and can strategically leverage personal connectivity to the organization’s benefit. This class will discuss the importance of building community in EMS organizations and describe evidence-based, real-world practices leaders can adopt to build functioning communities within their organizations.

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