There is an urgent need for public safety workers in rural Wisconsin, according to state officials. Many rural rescue operations in Wisconsin are on the brink of shutting down due to a lack of staff and funding to keep going.
It's the shortage is a problem that leaves our most vulnerable without enough emergency medical staff to help them when they need it most.
"It's pretty chaotic. So, I'm on two different fire departments and I currently run the rescue squad right now as the president and service director. I'm always pulled in different directions," says Thomas Arthur, president and service director at Wausaukee Rescue Squad.
At Wausaukee Rescue Squad, Thomas Arthur also spends his weekends as an EMT, and works full-time as a firefighter with Johnson Controls. A schedule that often tops out at more than 100 hours a week.