An EMT, or emergency medical technician, are the medical professionals who work on ambulances. They are the ones responding to a lot of emergency calls and dealing with serious trauma and accidents. EMTs have really only been around since the 1970s, but although they are young, they are an essential part of our modern health care system. Their quick thinking and response help to save hundreds and thousands of lives each year. They are quite literally heroes.
So how can you become an EMT? The requirements vary from state to state, but all trainings must meet minimum standards set by the federal government. Essentially, you need to find out what your state’s requirements are, and then complete a training program in order to receive your EMT certification.
The 4 Levels of Being an EMT
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (the department responsible for EMT certification, due to car accidents) recognizes four different skill levels in EMT training and certification.
1. EMT-B or EMT
This is the entry level. These responders are trained to stop bleeding, administer oxygen, administer pressure, and take care of basic splinting. They have spent at least 110 hours in training.
2. EMT-I/85 or Advanced EMT
This intermediate EMT level is often overlooked by states. Many states have training programs that take EMTs straight from basic tasks to the paramedic level, covering the skills in the middle but not giving out an additional certification for them. This level requires at least 200 hours in training.
3. EMT-I/99 or Paramedic
Now most often grouped with paramedics, this level is the advanced intermediate stage. They receive additional training time and are able to administer IVs and monitor cardiac systems. They often have 200-400 hours in training.
4. EMT-P or Paramedic
Paramedics are the highest level of medical treatment that you can get outside a hospital. Although not physicians, they can perform a variety of medical procedures that are needed while an accident victim is en route to the hospital. A paramedic must have at least 1,000 hours of medical training to be certified.
Contact us to find out more about various EMT training programs!
