Emergency medical technicians and paramedicsPeople�s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics—EMTs with additional advanced training to perform more difficult prehospital medical procedures. Incidents as varied as automobile accidents, heart attacks, drownings, childbirth, and gunshot wounds all require immediate medical attention. EMTs and paramedics provide this vital attention as they care for and transport the sick or injured to a medical facility. In an emergency, EMTs and paramedics typically are dispatched to the scene by a 911 operator, and often work with police and fire department personnel. (Police and detectives and firefighting occupations are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook.) Once they arrive, they determine the nature and extent of the patient�s condition while trying to ascertain whether the patient has preexisting medical problems. Following strict rules and guidelines, they give appropriate emergency care and, when necessary, transport the patient. Some paramedics are trained to treat patients with minor injuries on the scene of an accident or at their home without transporting them to a medical facility. Emergency treatment for more complicated problems is carried out under the direction of medical doctors by radio preceding or during transport. EMTs and paramedics may use special equipment, such as backboards, to immobilize patients before placing them on stretchers and securing them in the ambulance for transport to a medical facility. Usually, one EMT or paramedic drives while the other monitors the patient�s vital signs and gives additional care as needed. Some EMTs work as part of the flight crew of helicopters that transport critically ill or injured patients to hospital trauma centers. At the medical facility, EMTs and paramedics help transfer patients to the emergency department, report their observations and actions to emergency room staff, and may provide additional emergency treatment. After each run, EMTs and paramedics replace used supplies and check equipment. If a transported patient had a contagious disease, EMTs and paramedics decontaminate the interior of the ambulance and report cases to the proper authorities. Beyond these general duties, the specific responsibilities of EMTs and paramedics depend on their level of qualification and training. To determine this, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) registers emergency medical service (EMS) providers at four levels: First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic. Some States, however, do their own certification and use numeric ratings from 1 to 4 to distinguish levels of proficiency. The lowest-level workers—First Responders—are trained to provide basic emergency medical care because they tend to be the first persons to arrive at the scene of an incident. Many firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers have this level of training. The EMT-Basic, also known as EMT-1, represents the first component of the emergency medical technician system. An EMT-1 is trained to care for patients at the scene of an accident and while transporting patients by ambulance to the hospital under medical direction. The EMT-1 has the emergency skills to assess a patient�s condition and manage respiratory, cardiac, and trauma emergencies. The EMT-Intermediate (EMT-2 and EMT-3) has more advanced training that allows the administration of intravenous fluids, the use of manual defibrillators to give lifesaving shocks to a stopped heart, and the application of advanced airway techniques and equipment to assist patients experiencing respiratory emergencies. EMT-Paramedics (EMT-4) provide the most extensive prehospital care. In addition to carrying out the procedures already described, paramedics may administer drugs orally and intravenously, interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), perform endotracheal intubations, and use monitors and other complex equipment. Related news articles Not always five alarms - 16 Oct 2006 Sapulpa Daily Herald,Many of the Sapulpa firefighters have continued their medical training and reached higher levels of Emergency Medical Technician and the level of a Paramedic. ... County Ambulance announces two major developments - 16 Oct 2006 iBerkshires.com,Massachusetts Department of Public Health Office of Emergency Medical Services (MDPH-OEMS), allowing the return of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training ... PSU games no-win situation for EMS - 16 Oct 2006 Centre Daily Times,She tells her hosts -- paramedic Tracy Reagan and emergency medical technician Nichole Garrity -- that she's smarter than them. ... 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County's volunteer fire companies confront growing challenges - 16 Oct 2006 Journal and Courier,...if I could help someone, that would be extremely rewarding," said Wilmington, who's been employed as a full-time emergency medical technician for Tippecanoe ... Briefs -- Published Oct. 16, 2006 - 16 Oct 2006 Stockton Record,...arts, finance, military, careers with animals, visual arts, human services, skilled trades/industry, firefighter/emergency medical technician, fashion/interior ... President Bush Attends Iftaar Dinner at the White House - 16 Oct 2006 AND,He spent the past decade with the New York City Fire Department, first as an emergency medical technician and now as a paramedic. ... Bush Marks Ramadan at White House - 16 Oct 2006 Voice of America..."We have with us New York City police officers and an EMT [emergency medical technician] worker who risked their lives to serve their fellow citizens on 9/11 ... Ahhh, the full Harvest Moon over Boulder - 16 Oct 2006 YourHub.com,Officers responded to a home on the 1100 block of 10 th street at about 9:20 pm after a passing-by emergency medical technician (EMT) called in and said he was ... Over-40 crowd speeds through midlife on big motorcycles - 16 Oct 2006 Grand Junction Sentinel,Fatigue may have been a factor in the accident, Jackson said. Vorhees, who was a local emergency medical technician, had ridden for eight years. ... Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner Urges Permanent Sales and ... - 16 Oct 2006 Yahoo! News (press release)...related safety issues date back to his collegiate days at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he worked as an emergency medical technician with Citizens ... Raisinettes And Roaches - Oct 15, 2006 New York Sun,..."Want me to cuff him?". Ms. Klopsis is an emergency medical technician on an ambulance in Brooklyn. This column details her observations and experiences. ... Paramedics: Saving lives - Oct 13, 2006 News Today Online,The NY EMS is composed of the EMT (emergency medical technician) and the EMS Paramedics (these were the highly trained and qualified driving force behind the ... BULLETIN BOARD - Oct 14, 2006 Asbury Park Press,Compassion and a willingness to help are the only requirements. State certified Emergency Medical Technician training can be provided at no cost. ... More information on Emergency medical technicians and paramedics from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Emergency medical technicians and paramedics occupation Number of Emergency medical technicians and paramedics in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Emergency medical technicians and paramedics Working conditions for Emergency medical technicians and paramedics Significant points for Emergency medical technicians and paramedics Training requirements for Emergency medical technicians and paramedics Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |