EMT-B on the side?

April 8, 2012 10:53 PM

I'd like to certify for EMT-B and volunteer with the local ambulance corps in Fort Lee, NJ. Considering what this line of work involves, I would like to be very, very good at it. Specific questions inside about where to take classes, time commitment, and getting into an ambulance corps, but any advice at all (or just your old war stories!) would be appreciated.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'm pretty resolved on it. For one thing, my town's ambulance corps transported my grandmother a few years ago, so that's a debt I'd like to repay. For another, over time scales like the rest of my life, chances approach unity that someone I like is going to have a medical emergency in my presence, so I'd like to practice the necessary skills before that happens.

I'm going to call the local ambulance corps (in Fort Lee, NJ) on Wednesday evening when the chief is on shift, but I was hoping to get a few questions answered here first so that I sounded a little less dumb when I talked to the chief.

Where to take classes: Most people I know who certified in high school went to Paramus, but is anyone familiar with the new Rutgers EMT course in New Brunswick? It sounds like it's only in its second year, and I don't know if it will run again this fall, but at least on paper the Rutgers course sounds like it offers more in both class time and practical experience. (Eligibility for the NJ training fund would be very nice, but is not a deal-breaker for me.)

Time commitment: The Rutgers course is fifteen hours a week for thirteen weeks and the Paramus course is twelve hours for fifteen weeks. If you include equal time studying outside of class (the Rutgers course asks for this explicitly; I'm assuming the Paramus course can't be that far behind), that's 24-30 hours a week. Has anyone successfully certified while working around fifty, maybe up to sixty hours a week? What does that look like?

Note: I'm a programmer and that's my actual career, so there's no downtime on the job and I need to come in every day well-rested and alert. On the other hand, I'm about to finish a CS/biochem/chem triple major, so I'm totally okay with having no life for fifteen weeks at a stretch.

Getting into an ambulance corps: I hope to keep this up for a long time for the reasons listed above, but it's definitely going to be only something on the side. I don't expect move up to paramedic any time soon, and my schedule probably won't allow for more than a few hours a week (i.e., more than the minimum listed on the website, but not much more) in the foreseeable future. I'm assuming that little volunteer ambulance corps out in the suburbs are less competitive than, say, the unionized FDNY gigs that actually pay money, but how much less? And if the answer is, "not much," what can I do to improve my application? If it helps at all, I'm already certified first responder (ARC EMR with professional CPR/AED) in Illinois.

I've seen these previous AskMes but am happy to be linked to others!

posted by d. z. wang to Work & Money (9 answers total)

I volunteered for an ambulance corp about 10 min from Fort Lee, and trained at the Paramus center.

The course was involved, and I feel like I learned quite a bit (though I did very little studying outside of class) but still felt quite unprepared when I began riding. The truth is, it's all about confidence and experience, which you gain with time. I never did, but if you're dedicated to it (even for just your one shift a week, or whatever) you'll become a good EMT.

It wasn't competitive to volunteer at my town's ambulance corps, and I imagine it won't be in Fort Lee, either. However, I was extremely turned off (and ultimately stopped volunteering because of) the internal competition, politics, machismo, etc. Your experience may vary, though I think there are a lot of politics across the board.

When you call, find out if Fort Lee has a "ride-along" program (basically shadowing). I didn't do this, but wish I had.

Good luck, and MeMail me if you have specific questions, etc.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 11:21 PM on April 8, 2012

I'm in Maryland, and some years ago I went through training to become an EMT with a local fire/ambulance department. I think a lot of your questions will be answered in your first conversation with the chief.

To this day, all of the local departments are clamoring for volunteers, despite the fact that most stations are now, out of necessity, supplemented by paid personnel.

In my case, once I joined the department (with zero experience at that point) they handled virtually everything, with the training provided by the county and bankrolled by the state. The volunteers at the station were always very encouraging, and I was welcome to drop by there any time during my training and practice techniques, be drilled on potential exam questions, and ask questions.

I was welcome to ride along on ambulance and fire calls as soon as I signed up, and was provided a full set of turnout gear.

I've never encountered a more supportive group of people anywhere, and everybody I knew genuinely wanted me to succeed, and pushed me toward that end.
posted by imjustsaying at 1:50 AM on April 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Could write a book on the subject (and maybe will someday). Forgive me if I ramble on.

First. Emphatically. Stick with this. I wandered into the EMS field more or less by accident and it was the best thing I ever did. If you enjoy helping people, handle stress well and like to see the bizarre and dramatic side of life that exists even in seemingly quiet towns, and especially if you're a bit of an adrenalin junky, you will love this job.

Secondly. The variety in EMS organizations is astounding. Visit one service and you find a clannish, cliquish, bigoted old-boys club. Drive ten miles and you find a welcoming, supportive organization willing to listen to new ideas and devoted to the welfare of its community. Volunteer, paid or hybrid, third-service, private or fire department, all have this variety, some great, some scary, etc.

The variety continues in the classes. You can take EMT courses at many colleges, or at vocational schools. Some EMS organizations teach their own, especially in communities that are hurting for volunteers. An increasing number of on-line hybrid courses exist, where you can do the didactic portion on your own schedule and report in person for the hands-on skills training.

Tips for being more competitive:

(disclaimer 1: I don't know the details of EMS in your region) (disclaimer 2: most volunteer agencies are short-handed and will do all they can to recruit you and help you become trained)

Be physically fit.

Make sure your CPR is the "healthcare provider" style, not just "community CPR"

Consider furthering your CPR training and becoming an instructor. Many EMS agencies struggle to keep their personnel certified, as the CPR cards are only good for two years. If you can help with this, you're an asset.

Consider letting them know (discreetly) about whatever computer expertise you have. Agencies too small to have an I.T. department often struggle with this too.

Tips for not sounding dumb when you talk to the chief

(disclaimer: you probably don't have to worry; EMS folks are used to people who don't know the ins and outs of the EMS field and usually enjoy filling them in. It makes us feel special.)

Learn about the next levels of training. Does New Jersey adhere to the National scheme of Basic, Intermediate and Paramedic? Or does it define some of its own levels. (A few states, including mine, still do this.) Be able to discuss them even if you don't plan to advance very soon.

To be even more informed, read up on the coming changes to EMS curricula. The "National Agenda for the Future" and related documents advance some pretty significant changes in what is required in the training for various levels. These will take effect soon. (Are they already in effect in the programs you're considering?)

Ask about a ride-along program, as Fiesta suggested. Also ask what sort of probationary period or (preferably) internship program they have for certified-but-inexperienced medics. This may be the most valuable part of your training.

I'll quit rambling now. I hope the information helps. I hope you find EMS as addictive as I did.
posted by wjm at 2:49 AM on April 9, 2012 [2 favorites]

25 (eep!) years ago I took a year off school and had a job. To fill the off time I went to the my local rescue squad in Berkeley Heights and asked to sign up. This was not EMT certification (AFAIK), at least not what it would be called today, but it involved taking a Red Cross advanced first aid course (which basically filled in all the holes of "don't move the victim", because we were doing exactly that), CPR, Water Rescue, and Light Extrication. Had I been in the area longer, they would've insisted on Defensive Driving as well.

I was on call once a week and one weekend a month. Until I had defensive driving, they wouldn't let me drive the ambulance to a site or from a site to the hospital, but they made me drive it from the hospital back to the station every time and back it into the garage (which by they sucked - there was literally 6 inches of clearance on either side of the vehicle).

Here's why you should do this work (or at least take the courses) - it will stick with you for the rest of your life. I have been the first responder at accidents several times since then. I've been the person who took care of victims while organizing people who were wringing their hands because they wanted to help but didn't know what to do. Don't be a hand-wringer for the rest of your life.

There are many things that I think New Jersey does right for the public good and this is one of them. Training your neighbors in first aid is a terrific thing to do. I also learned just a tidbit about local politics as we would do things like on my shift night in the summer, take the ambulance to a summer concert series and set it up in a place where we could get out in a hurry if need be. Showing the colors was important for the community.
posted by plinth at 3:22 AM on April 9, 2012

I volunteered as an EMT and firefighter for many years before becoming a career firefighter / paramedic. I would amplify a couple of wjm's comments. First, volunteer companies vary tremendously, so do some ride-alongs in nearby communities to see where you fit in. Look for people who treat patients with compassion, professionalism, and respect, and organizations that encourage and support new members. Expecting some respect for their officers and experienced hands is normal; treating new people like babies who are lucky to be cleaning their toilets is archaic and not worth your time.

Second, being extremely good at EMS means running calls. There's some natural aptitudes involved (ability to remain calm and sort out difficult situations under stress, for example), but for the most part, you became a solid EMS provider through experience. EMT class just prepares you not to kill anyone. You start becoming an EMT your first day out of class, when you become responsible for the health of real patients.

Finally, in most localities, if you want to be competitive for career positions, become a paramedic. If this is your path, I highly recommend running calls as a Basic Life Suport provider (EMT) for a couple years first. All good Advanced Life Support skills come from good BLS. I have seen many a "paper medic," who shot straight through the paramedic course, struggle to get up to speed with real-world skills, even question whether they'd chosen the wrong career path, because they had little previous experience as an EMT.
posted by itstheclamsname at 7:01 AM on April 9, 2012

In college in the early 90s, I took the EMT-B class at the local community college over the summer. It was ~$300. We met twice a week for ~3 hrs. It was half lecture, half lab - lecture on the books, lab on various pieces of equipment (oxygen, splints/immobilizers, vitals, etc)

Back at school during the fall semester, the local volunteer brigade also offered the class free.
posted by k5.user at 7:45 AM on April 9, 2012

Keep in mind that some abulance corps can have some long requirements.

My local one requires 2 8 hour shifts a week. So if you do not have a lot of time it might be better to just take a first aid course.
posted by majortom1981 at 1:15 PM on April 9, 2012

I'm a volunteer EMT. You should really go and talk to someone from the volunteer department that you want to join before you go and take a course or otherwise invest a lot of time into this. They may have strong feelings as to which EMT-B program is better, and they can also give you an idea of what the time commitment will be once you are done with school and actually volunteering.

Just as a datapoint, the department that I volunteer with has very extensive (~2 months, 2x/week) pre-training before they will send anyone to EMT-B school, and then it can take months or years before they're allowed to OIC a unit or ride minimum staffing. Someone who comes in with an EMT-B from somewhere else -- not just out of state or out of the county, but just through anything except the department itself -- has to basically petition in and retake the certification test, otherwise our Medical Director won't sign off on them.* You have to get a very thorough physical from a county doctor, and maintain minimum hours that include significant administrative and fund-raising time commitments (~20 hrs/mo) in addition to 'street time.'

Some rural or severely understaffed departments may be a lot more flexible, or have less of a required time commitment, or may let you respond from home in your POV rather than sitting around the station waiting for calls... things can really vary. The department where I live is probably on the high-bar end of the spectrum (mostly because it's a wealthy area and, if push came to shove, could probably afford a 100% paid system), and you have to be really motivated and have a lot of time on your hands to get involved; when I lived in rural New England, it was very different.

Go to a meeting of the department you want to volunteer with, introduce yourself as a prospective EMT, and see what they tell you to do. You'll hopefully earn some points with your willingness to put yourself through EMT-B training, but be prepared to do some other stuff first.

* As an EMT, you aren't licensed to do anything on your own. Rather, you're certified to have received training, such that a physician will hopefully allow you to practice those skills out in the wild under their medical license (typically as "Medical Director" for the department, county, town, etc.). They can, if they wish, require you to demonstrate your skills and decide more or less arbitrarily whether or not to accept your EMT-B, or require additional training on top of it. I've worked under a few different Medical Directors and they all had different attitudes towards EMS providers.
posted by Kadin2048 at 2:36 PM on April 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

You will likely find the written coursework ludicrously easy; it is. Focus your energy on learning the skills protocols inside out and backwards, until you can do it in your sleep. That's what's going to be most helpful on the street. Practice, practice, and then practice some more.

As others have mentioned, most of your real learning will take place in the real world. If your program offers ride-alongs, do as many as possible.

I've taken two EMT-B classes, plus a refresher (don't move to states without reciprocity if you want to avoid this) and have been certified in three states + NREMT. The better courses were really hands on, skill drill, get-you-out-there. The rest were mostly a bunch of videos covering material that would take most people a few minutes to memorize from a book. Avoid that if possible.

Welcome to the world of EMS. It's rewarding, fun, and gives you s really neat perspective on the world.
posted by charmcityblues at 4:07 PM on April 9, 2012