Number of Emergency and Medical Workers Across America
Which metropolitan areas in the United States have the most emergency and medical workers per 100,000 residents? Are areas with a high number of nurses likely to have a high number of doctors as well? It may come as no surprise that Jacksonville, FL — the largest city in the state with one of the biggest populations of elderly residents — has more primary care doctors than any other metro area, but some other statistics are less predictable. Did you know that the Birmingham, AL, area has more registered nurses and more police officers per 100,000 people than any other metro area in the country?
The following infographic breaks down which of the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the United States have the most registered nurses, primary care doctors, police officers, firefighters, and EMTs and paramedics per 100,000 people.
What Jobs Are in Emergency Services?
Emergency services are generally recognized as services that can be summoned by the public in the event of a crisis. The three main branches of emergency services are police, fire, and emergency medical services.
- How Many Police Officers Are in the U.S.? There are approximately 665,280 police and sheriff’s patrol officers employed in the United States. Their main purpose is to maintain order and protect lives by enforcing laws and ordinances. They may be employed by cities, states, or the federal government.
- How Many Firefighters Are in the U.S.? About 324,620 firefighters are employed in the United States. Most firefighters also have basic emergency medical technician certifications.
- How Many EMTs and Paramedics Are in the U.S.? An estimated 260,600 people are employed as emergency medical technicians and paramedics in the United States. The biggest difference between EMTs and paramedics is the level of education they’ve completed and the services they are permitted to administer. Paramedics have completed EMT training and then progress to paramedic training, which is more extensive and advanced.
How Many People Are Employed in Health Care in the U.S.?
Health-care workers make up a large portion of the workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are more than 15 million people working in a health-care capacity. While there are a variety of health-care professionals, spanning from doctors and surgeons to dietitians, for our purposes, we chose to analyze the number of primary care doctors and registered nurses in major metropolitan areas around the country.
- How Many Doctors Are in the U.S.? Family medicine physicians are the primary care doctors who diagnose, treat, and provide preventative care to individuals over the course of their lives. There are an estimated 109,370 family medicine physicians currently employed in the United States. While there are other specialty doctors that will diagnose or treat more specific issues, these primary care providers are the most common specialty.
- How Many Registered Nurses Are in the U.S.? The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are 2,982,280 registered nurses in the United States. There are other types of nurses, including licensed practical nurses and nurse midwives, but registered nurses make up the largest contingent in the nursing industry.
