Why Attending EMT School Is A Smart Move

A big change occurred in the Fire Service back in the 1970s that would forever change the career known as Professional Firefighter. Until then, the job title said it all. This was a paid position to fight fires and, to some degree, to foster fire prevention through inspections and educational programs. But through a top end decision in many fire departments, first responder (first aid response) duties came to the forefront. Where once it wasn't easy locating a local EMT school, suddenly they were popping up everywhere.

EMT, which stands for Emergency Medical Technician, is the title for someone who has received a moderate amount of medical training and is certified to perform certain procedures based on that training. The list of permissible procedures is governed by State law. An EMT can often be found riding in the back of an ambulance tending to a patient during transport or they may be the one doing the driving.  An EMT job is a great start on a career in the healthcare and emergency response industries.

Another typical place to find an Emergency Medical Technician is riding on the big, red, shiny fire truck. Since the fire departments got heavily into the the medical end of first responding (rather than concentrating their efforts only on fires) the need for medically trained personnel has mushroomed. EMT training has become a very popular curriculum.

Being a paid firefighter/EMT is a pretty good gig. The pay is reasonable, the benefits are good and they get a lot of free time with their schedules. There is a certain amount of danger involved but it's also a job that is normally highly respected by members of the community.

Fire departments are now filled with EMTs and, one step up from that job rating, Paramedics. Paramedics receive more training and, as a consequence, are legally capable of administering more different procedures. The trend in the Fire Service is for all members to be EMTs and to have one paramedic on each and every responding vehicle.

When someone has a heart attack and 9-1-1 is dialed the dispatcher will normally notify both the ambulance company and the fire department. Both services will send a unit to the scene and, in most cases, the fire department's response will be quicker. As first on the scene, the F. D. Members need to be trained in how to handle any and every situation.

Going to EMT school before applying for work as a firefighter is a good idea. These days, it's almost a must. There are many from which to choose.