Keeping my EMT-B

jeepxj13

Adventurer
So I will be graduating in my and entering into the construction industry. I have been a firefighter/emt for the last three years and will miss it dearly. My question is how can I keep my emt-b up to date, while not working at the fire department? I would like to keep it up incase things do not work out I will have options.
 

JLH9

New member
All you have to do is find the closest Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department and run calls there for a shift a week. Then all of your re-certs will be covered by them.

Why are you leaving, those gigs are real hard to come by, much less get hired for.
 

HOOLIGAN

The 4x4 Podcast
Some community colleges will off the required CE's for recert. I also check out the any local "professional" fire/EMS agencies. They will sometimes offer recert hours.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 

jeepxj13

Adventurer
All you have to do is find the closest Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department and run calls there for a shift a week. Then all of your re-certs will be covered by them.

Why are you leaving, those gigs are real hard to come by, much less get hired for.

I started as a way to pay for college( I get my tuition paid for) and pay the bills for my wife and I. Now that I'm graduating college with a Building Science degree I can use my degree and be a project manager or stay at the fire department. It is a decision I will have to make come may. It is about a $20K difference a year to stay at te fire department.
 

AA1PR

Disabled Explorer
its your disonance you have to face, stay in it for helping others or go where the money is

best of luck to you

just volunteer your time somewhere in the end to keep the certs
 

roamingaz

Explorer
Here in Arizona I had to take a 24 hour refresher course to keep the state license but national registry wouldn't let me renew because I wasn't actively working as a EMT so my card expired in May.
 

bulrid8

New member
Where are you located?

Outside of Cal, no need to worry about county level. You need to find out your state requirements for recert.

NREMT will not let you recert without active affiliation with a service.

You can take refresher course for your CEUs, if that is all you need.

Sent from the all knowing box!
 

Pacific Northwest yetti

Expedition Medic
I still volunteer at a local station, We have weekly drills and monthly one of them is dedicated to EMS, this keeps my CE credits up. Most stations are always looking for a good hand. I did it as a way to help with college as well. I dearly miss being a "career" guy sometimes but the volunteering is a great way to help out and stay in the business.


Good Luck its always great to have an another brother of the service out there.
 

Arclight

SAR guy
I have my EMT through Los Angeles County, but the rules are basically the same statewide. (The new cards all say "State of California" instead of the county of issue). If you're current, you will need to complete 24 hours of CE units and then take a hands-on skills test.

You can get the CEs and hands-on test done by taking a 24-hour EMT refresher course every 2 years, or you can take the CE units on-line and then go in for a skills test. I typically do my units at:

http://ems-ce.com/

Down here, CARE Ambulance will do your skills test, and I think AMR will as well for a fee. Call your local ambulance company and ask for the training manager. If it's a smaller company, they might do it for free if you're a volunteer somewhere. I volunteer with San Bernardino Search & Rescue, and I can sometimes get my skills though the W-EMT trainer.

Other than that, it's just a matter of writing a check and filling out the forms/providing copies of stuff.

Good luck!

Arclight
 
Last edited:

HenryJ

Expedition Leader
Arclight, Just wanted to thank you for your post above^
Very helpful and that link is a good one. Oregon Health Authority Might be a useful one too.
The opportunities around here are pretty good if you are in the loop. Between the fire department and ambulance I get more than is required. We get people who join us all the time. Mostly CPR recert , mega code and case studies. There is a mobile training unit that visits the rural departments, but I have never seen it. Funding has been in jeopardy , so I suspect it may be grounded. You may be able to get some credit for [participating in the webinars?
In Hazmat we do get some credit for webinars and self study.

Keep up the certifications. They are a valuable key to have in your pocket. Thank you for your service.
 

Derek G

Observer
Mine is up for renewal in May so I'm going to have to do so crash course CE's to catch up. Luckily I still work PT/PRN for a 911 service so I'm pretty up to speed on practical applications. I primarily do this to keep up my proficiency since EMS isn't my primary career, but I would hate to let it lapse. I would hate to have to help someone on the trail or back country just to have my certification questioned based on the interventions or first aid I performed.
 

DesertJK

Adventurer
The department I volunteer for gives the required classes to all their EMT's. They even paid for my EMT class and arrange shifts in a lager town to get more Pt. contacts.
I have heard it is harder to find this deal in larger cities. My deal is good. I even have a stocked jump kit in my Jeep and a radio so I can respond to difficult to access locations on my own in needed. I will be responding via KTM 640 this summer.
 

jeepxj13

Adventurer
DesertJK you do seem to have a sweet setup going for you, I got mine renewed for another two year from march.
 

rwi862

New member
I was going to suggest you keep your National Registry cert, but looks like you did that. Since NR will only accept 10 hours of distributive (online) CE per 2 year period, try to find some seminars or conferences. You could also do a "live" web linked lecture for the refresher at www.nationalregistryprep.com

However, the most important thing you can have is your knowledge and the confidence to act when it is needed.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,531
Messages
2,875,589
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top