Any EMTs here?

[*Shinzon*]

So, I'm considering taking an EMT certification course because the NYFD is hiring or rather accepting applications for their test at the end of the year. However the NYFD EMS is also hiring and after a year of service as an EMT I would be eligible to take a promotion exam for the Fire Department should I not be selected after the test.

My question is, basically what are some of these course like, and what can I expect. Basically looking to gain some general knowledge about the job specifically as an EMT and not a Paramedic.

[Heavencloud]

I have a good friend in college who's an EMT. He said the course is pretty rigorous, so don't take any other classes while you're doing it. On the job, he said the main thing that he does is drive the ambulance. The paramedics do pretty much everything else, although you're trained to do more in the school (maybe for rare situations?). I can get more information if you'd like.

[Sev]

Shiz I am certified as a EMT. Work in boston the course it self is very easy if you can understand basic college anatomy. I can give you some more info but the red sox are currently on.

[Odesseiron]

Shiz I am certified as a EMT. Work in boston the course it self is very easy if you can understand basic college anatomy. I can give you some more info but the red sox are currently on.

You mean the Yankees are currently on.

[Sev]

I have a good friend in college who's an EMT. He said the course is pretty rigorous, so don't take any other classes while you're doing it. On the job, he said the main thing that he does is drive the ambulance. The paramedics do pretty much everything else, although you're trained to do more in the school (maybe for rare situations?). I can get more information if you'd like.

Depends on the system you work for. The course it self is pretty simple, skills take minor practice. If you work in a P/B response system which I doubt New York is then yes the Medics will do the brunt of the skills in the actual work environment. Working in the city mainly for response "911" work they run Double Medic and Double Basic trucks. Transfer jobs are a big change in everything, I do part time on transfer truck for easy over time lol. I know Boston EMS Basic EMT start in the $22-$24/hr range while brand new Boston EMS Medics make over 90k/yr. I am a medic now shiz recently.

[Sev]

You mean the Yankees are currently on.

Seeing they broke down and lost game one and now down 3-1 the Red Sox are on <3, currently posting this from P4 outside of Yawkeey way

[Komm Suesser Tod]

My ex-brother in law was an EMT, and he hated it. Most of what he did involved going to some of the worst shit holes in town and pull drug addicts and drunks out of their own filth. Now, that wasn't all of the people he had to deal with, but it happened enough for him to go get a job as a welder.

[*Shinzon*]

^ I'm only looking to use the EMT position to bridge into the Fire Department as a firefighter. At Heaven and Sev, Any information would be cool. I'm looking to take the course as soon as my semester ends.

[Sev]

^ I'm only looking to use the EMT position to bridge into the Fire Department as a firefighter. At Heaven and Sev, Any information would be cool. I'm looking to take the course as soon as my semester ends.

OK to more focus on the class room side of things:

Most programs follow this format:
Two 4 hour days of lecture, with associated reading on your own time.
One 8 hour practical day, learn the skills for your national exam.

You might be able to find an accelerated program.

All states learn via the national standards so you can become a Nationally Registered EMT-Basic. The actual learning aspect of the class is very simple for most people. You will learn basic Anatomy. You have to have a Health Care Provider CPR certification, again a very easy class put on by the American Red Cross. The topics are in all very easy, the medications for a basic are simple. The course itself prepares you to get your certification, you will basically learn alot once you enter the field. I teach EMT-Basic class, so I don't mind lending you any assistance.

Bridging into fire and beyond is a whole different beast. A vast majority of the Fire service isn't fires, it is responding on medical calls. Nearly 70% of all calls an engine responds to in most cities are Medical Aids. NYFD, doesn't run its own ALS ambulances or BLS ambulances, but they will usually give you a pay bump for getting your medic. Once you do get your certification you will basically learn all over again. Also note that you must do continuing education (28 hours not counting your refresher) and a 24 hour refresher to keep your certification, which NYFD will most likely require. Clean Back ground check and the ability to pass a series of stamina tests in most states to work on an ambulance.


As for skills heaven was mentioning are not much more then; Back Boarding& Ked, CPR, Splinting including Traction, Administering 4 Meds (5 in some areas), National Registered EMT states have Sub Q injections, Depending on Service; Specialty Driving courses.

As an EMT basic you can also obtain specialty training for different skills.

Medic wise tho and with my certifications I get all sorts of special toys =D

[Titanss]

When i first saw the thread title i thought you may have been having a heart attack and used your remaining motor skills to make the topic

[Sev]

When i first saw the thread title i thought you may have been having a heart attack and used your remaining motor skills to make the topic

Funny, tho responded to a active MI (heart attack) when inside the apartment FFXI was running on his computer lol.

[*Shinzon*]

OK to more focus on the class room side of things:

Most programs follow this format:
Two 4 hour days of lecture, with associated reading on your own time.
One 8 hour practical day, learn the skills for your national exam.

You might be able to find an accelerated program.

All states learn via the national standards so you can become a Nationally Registered EMT-Basic. The actual learning aspect of the class is very simple for most people. You will learn basic Anatomy. You have to have a Health Care Provider CPR certification, again a very easy class put on by the American Red Cross. The topics are in all very easy, the medications for a basic are simple. The course itself prepares you to get your certification, you will basically learn alot once you enter the field. I teach EMT-Basic class, so I don't mind lending you any assistance.

Bridging into fire and beyond is a whole different beast. A vast majority of the Fire service isn't fires, it is responding on medical calls. Nearly 70% of all calls an engine responds to in most cities are Medical Aids. NYFD, doesn't run its own ALS ambulances or BLS ambulances, but they will usually give you a pay bump for getting your medic. Once you do get your certification you will basically learn all over again. Also note that you must do continuing education (28 hours not counting your refresher) and a 24 hour refresher to keep your certification, which NYFD will most likely require. Clean Back ground check and the ability to pass a series of stamina tests in most states to work on an ambulance.


As for skills heaven was mentioning are not much more then; Back Boarding& Ked, CPR, Splinting including Traction, Administering 4 Meds (5 in some areas), National Registered EMT states have Sub Q injections, Depending on Service; Specialty Driving courses.

As an EMT basic you can also obtain specialty training for different skills.

Medic wise tho and with my certifications I get all sorts of special toys =D

So, is the CPR class a prerequisite to being able to begin, or to take an EMT Cert course? Can you be Certified for both at once? This is something new for me really. I've applied for several civil service positions including NYS court officer, and after speaking to a NYFD recruiter this sounds very appealing albeit a slightly different course for me.

My college offers an EMT Cert course but I'm not really sure where I could find out more information about it, I only know of it because the recruiter actually mentioned it when we spoke about the ability to use the EMT position to bridge into the FD. I'll have to ask around but I am graduating in a little over a month and I would like to pursue this as quickly as possible, and in the proper fashion.

[Talus]

BLS/ACLS/PALS are all usually offered by the American Heart Association, a lot of jobs (not EMT) will cover the expense (it's usually not more than $100, and takes the better part of a day to sit through the certification class/practical stuff and practice on manikins and shit). The Red Cross cert usually isn't carried by healthcare providers, the AHA ones are, at least in most of the places I've been (shadowing & as a volunteer).

AFAIK, each is good for two years, then you take a refresher course to renew your cert. As an EMT-B, you'll probably need the BLS before you start classes, and keep it current throughout your training & work as an EMT-B before you can make the move to firefighter.

[Boyiee]

I typed way too much.

FDNY isn't a cakewalk to get into, majority of paid Fire jobs are Civil service and that test is one of the most grueling and physically demanding tests around. EMT is pretty easy to do, read your book, learn some common sense skills, you are done. It's not even remotely comparable to a college level course. Most idiots can pass it, simply because the majority of jobs now are non emergent transports (bring old lady from hospital back to her nursing home), or volunteer.

Fire course in NJ is 6month somewhat physical course, the book part of it is simple as long as you read your book. Don't ignore the medic program, it's good pay, a good job, and it will most likely earn you ranks quicker in FDNY if you got in. Paid fire jobs in NJ are almost impossible to get, they take only a few applicants in every 2-3yrs. From what I've heard FDNY can be very picky and most of the people that make it in are the youngest, most p90x'd physically fit kids around. Goodluck.

Sev whats the didactic time like in Mass for medic program? I think currently some of the cities are paying around 30-35hr for medics in NJ.

[Churchill]

national reg test is pretty easy. wouldn't stress too much about that

[*Shinzon*]

BLS/ACLS/PALS are all usually offered by the American Heart Association, a lot of jobs (not EMT) will cover the expense (it's usually not more than $100, and takes the better part of a day to sit through the certification class/practical stuff and practice on manikins and shit). The Red Cross cert usually isn't carried by healthcare providers, the AHA ones are, at least in most of the places I've been (shadowing & as a volunteer).

AFAIK, each is good for two years, then you take a refresher course to renew your cert. As an EMT-B, you'll probably need the BLS before you start classes, and keep it current throughout your training & work as an EMT-B before you can make the move to firefighter.

Good info, my question is though. Can the CPR cert be including in the BLS course as well? Or do you need to have that cert before you can qualify to take the BLS.

@Boiyee Yeah the NYFD is the hardest of the civil service tests to get by. I'll have a little over 7 months to train for it, hopefully with proper training for the test itself I'll be ok.

[Rescue]

Good luck trying to get into a paid department. Do you guys need to be a resident of the town/city at time of application or is that just something they like to do in Connecticut? Also do the departments down/up their require you to have taken the CPAT in the last 6 months? I know it’s good for a year but all the departments in CT want you to have taken it in the last 6 months.

[Boyiee]

Good luck trying to get into a paid department. Do you guys need to be a resident of the town/city at time of application or is that just something they like to do in Connecticut? Also do the departments down/up their require you to have taken the CPAT in the last 6 months? I know it’s good for a year but all the departments in CT want you to have taken it in the last 6 months.

Every paid fire job I know of requires you to be a resident, they require proof of residency and will find out if you are not actually a resident and/or if you are just getting mail delivered to an address and picking it up once every 2 weeks. The police departments actually follow you for a week or 2, it's pretty funny.

Shinz most BLS courses I know of require you to have gotten your CPR done on your own time, there are even nursing programs that require you to get it done on your own. Firefighter1 in NJ is one of the only programs I know of that includes CPR in the course. Do you have any fire fighting experience? The civil service test takes a lot more than just training... the best way to prepare for it is to actually roll, carry, and run with lengths of 1"3/4 or 3" until you collapse. The 200lb mannequin running backwards through the gym for a few laps was the hardest part I remember, but most people will tell you it's the stairs.

[*Shinzon*]

Every paid fire job I know of requires you to be a resident, they require proof of residency and will find out if you are not actually a resident and/or if you are just getting mail delivered to an address and picking it up once every 2 weeks. The police departments actually follow you for a week or 2, it's pretty funny.

Shinz most BLS courses I know of require you to have gotten your CPR done on your own time, there are even nursing programs that require you to get it done on your own. Firefighter1 in NJ is one of the only programs I know of that includes CPR in the course. Do you have any fire fighting experience? The civil service test takes a lot more than just training... the best way to prepare for it is to actually roll, carry, and run with lengths of 1"3/4 or 3" until you collapse. The 200lb mannequin running backwards through the gym for a few laps was the hardest part I remember, but most people will tell you it's the stairs.

Ok good to know about the BLS course. I actually don't have any experience firefighting. My father, however has a client who is a captain and I've asked him to recommend me an actual training course that mimics the course and the tests the FD requires you to pass since he said there are several places in the city that offer workouts and supervised training.

[Talus]

Ok good to know about the BLS course. I actually don't have any experience firefighting. My father, however has a client who is a captain and I've asked him to recommend me an actual training course that mimics the course and the tests the FD requires you to pass since he said there are several places in the city that offer workouts and supervised training.

BLS is CPR/AED/relieving choking training. It's "Basic Life Support" i.e. chest compressions/rescue breathing, and I haven't checked out the last congress but the newest thing was hands-only CPR, i.e. no rescue breathing. You don't get a CPR certification before BLS, since CPR is included in BLS but BLS is oriented to healthcare providers. There's also a "heartsaver" CPR course, which is different and NOT oriented to HCP.

Don't get it confused with a First Aid course or something. ACLS is "Advanced Cardiac Life Support" - paramedics, nurses, PAs and physicians receive ACLS training, and anyone working in a pediatric unit usually gets PALS training. [Edit: ACLS is when they get into managing an airway, pharmacological intervention, etc.]

[Further edit: most health/allied health students, like nursing, med students, PA students, etc. have to have BLS before beginning any kind of clinical activities/learning.]