Spotlights
First Responder, EMT, EMT – Basic, EMT – Intermediate, Paramedic, Flight Paramedic
EMTs respond to emergency calls, perform medical services and transport patients to medical facilities.
- Helping people every day!
- Everyday is a different day.
- The rush!
“Helping others! The best is when you actually see the thankful people later. Sometimes I’d bump into people I’ve cared for at the store or something. I had a lady hug me once and told me I was an angel because I picked her husband up several times when he was having withdrawals. Getting cardiac arrest patients back feels awesome…Breaking down doors or windows to get to patients is always cool.” Nidya Lopez, EMT
Note: Varies between stations.
- 0600: Shift change. Receive outgoing report. Clean/Check equipment. Check supply and medicine inventory.
- 0600-0700: Clean station
- 0700-0800: Breakfast
- 0800-1200: Training/Personal time
- 1200-1300: Lunch
- 1300-1800: Training/Personal Time/Work out
- 1800-1900: Dinner
- 1900-0545: Personal time/Sleep
- 0545: Wake up tones
Calls
The above schedule obviously does not include the average 10-20 calls per day that are split between the fire stations in the area. The time spent on a call can vary from 30 minutes to several hours or more and may involve one or two engines or every piece of available apparatus. This can have a significant impact on the schedule for the day and many times training or maintenance must be rescheduled to another day.
- Responds to 911 calls for emergency medical assistance, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or bandaging a wound.
- Assesses a patient’s condition and determines a course of treatment.
- Follows guidelines that they learned in training and that they receive from physicians who oversee their work.
- Uses backboards and restraints to keep patients still and safe in an ambulance for transport.
- Help stransfer patients to the emergency department of a healthcare facility and reports their observations and treatment to the staff.
- Creates a patient care report; documenting the medical care they gave the patient.
- Replaces used supplies and check or clean equipment after use.
- Physical strength: Must be able to lift heavy objects.
- Communication skills: Must be able to clearly articulate patient’s condition to healthcare provider to which you are transferring patient.
- Stress management: Must be able to deal with stress and extreme environments.
- Empathy and compassion: Must be able to provide emotional support patients in an emergency.
- Problem-solving skills under stressful situations
- Listening skills: Must listen well to the patients to determine the injury or illness.
- Documentation skills: accuracy and thorough recordings of situation, injury or illness.
1. 911 services: Integrated into fire departments and respond to emergencies.
2. Transfer services: Transfers patients between hospitals and other care facilities.
Modes of transport: ambulance, rescue vehicle, helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, motorcycle, or fire suppression apparatus (aka fire truck).
- You are on the front line: You are pre-hospital care so you will see all types situations (trauma, gunshot victim, gruesome accidents...etc.).
- Dangerous and life-threatening.
- Irregular and long hours when on call.
- Liked the outdoors.
- Liked helping people in need.
- Attracted to adrenaline-filled activities.
- High school diploma and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification is required.
- Training and certification from National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) at the following levels:
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Intermediate
- Paramedic
- Some states have their own certification programs and use different titles.
- Take anatomy and biology classes.
- If high school offers it, take the EMS/EMT program.
- 17% with HSDiploma
- 20% with Associate’s
- 12.7% with Bachelor’s
- 1.6% with Master’s
- 1.1% with Doctoral
- Most departments will have on the job type training b/c you are required 120+ hours of ride outs or precepting (instruction) for EMT-B’s. It’s a testing phase to see where you are in skills and patient care. Work hard and make relationships when you are training at these hospitals.
- Ask you instructors for leads and connections.
- Respond to job postings on job websites.
Having additional certifications like ACLS, ITLS, PALSAMLS, PHTLS, PEEP, BTLS make your resume more appealing. Most of those are required for paramedics and are provided by the organization after hire.
Alternate careers: Registered Nurse (very common), Firefighter
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You will always work under a supervisor and they are there to assist you on those tough calls.” Nidya Lopez, EMT
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