Hi guys,

As you may or may not know (posted it a long while ago) I was on the JC waterfront when the planes hit the 11th. I was suprised how many people I worked with had EMT training (didn't expect it in a financial firm).

I had given thought to organizing classes for my company. It got back burnered with everything being so crazy. This weekend, a very good friend of mine got in a nasty car accident, and I stayed with her at the hospital, and obviously EMT training was on my mind again....SOOOOooo

Tell me everything you can. My understanding is you have to do Rescue CPR first...what are we looking at, time wise? Requirements wise? For me, it doesn't matter...I'll do it anyway. But I want to be able to make a compelling arguement to the training director at my firm....

I am extremely, extremely lucky...My firm is made up of hardcore libertarians (yes, believe it or not, and I didn't know that when I joined...God was watching over me...) who are "can do" people.....two of the partners also are EMT's(not the training guy tho) and they went over on the first ferry to the disaster site.....I know that if I frame it like, "We can all cut checks, but at our firm, I think the culture is such that we want to be able to take charge of bad situations." That is without question the culture. Add to it the great PR benifit, and I think it will get done.

So let me know! Everyone I work with/for is Type A all the way...hard core, always trying to better themselves/running marathons/whatever, so they will see this sort of thing through, and to be honest, after what I've seen the last couple months, I think it's almost criminal to at least not know a LITTLE bit about being able to help keep someone alive. With EMT training, hopefully a whole cadre of us can do more than that if something horrid happens or, more likely, we have to help a friend or family member when something happens.

Any input at all is welcome.


Live Free or Die.

Vass

I think your asking what it would take to get your people EMT training correct?

Contact your local EMS or FD and ask about EMT training.  Or contact your health department or who ever is in charge of EMS licensing and training standards.  They will be able to point you in the right direction in finding schools and or instructors.

The course can last as long as a school semester or as quick as three weeks.  Now remember you will have clinicals, which require you time in a box(ambulance), ER, Labor and Delivery.  This is the best parts of EMT training.  The hands on experience.

Hope this helps.  Good luck.

Pakrat
EMT B (almost a paramedic - soon I hope!)
Army Medic

You might want to check out a "First Responder" course. It is one step lower than EMT but maintaness all the Basice Life Support criteria. Time wise EMT coursess are tought at a school and take at least 1 symester. FR takes a few hours, couple nights a week.

R35

 Most of the really useful EMT skills are learned in the field after you get out of school. If I were you I'd go with a First Responder course for your people. Faster and, if taught by the Red Cross, free I think.

Vass,
On a company wide level, First Responder training may be the way to go.
If you are interested in EMT Cert, then you should be willing to put your skills to use on a Rescue Squad or even better, in EMS (because wider areas of your training can be used in EMS).
You get a lot of book learning in class, but the real education starts in the back of a rig under the watchful eyes of more experienced crew members.
In Pa, our classes are about 120 hours or so. Once certified, you should try to keep your skills up by being active on the street. We re-cert every three years. I re-cert online at [url]www.eminet.com[/url]

When you contact an organization for more details, ask about the different levels of training available to you. Then you can decide how much commitment you can give.

Good luck.

I also reccomend the first responder idea. EMT is really time consuming. I took it in High school as a PSEO; it lasted the whole year and I earned 11 college credits. If you take the condensed coarses that are offered, it won't take as long, but will still be 100+ hours.

Also, you better like exams on paper and on skills! [:)]

ARBen
EMT-B