EMT-B student needs help...

[npiech1]

I guess an intro would be appropriate so here goes: I'm a 25 year old male who is currently enrolled in a EMT-B program here in Louisiana and so far I have loved everything that up to this point we have been learning. I'm excited to take the test for registry in June but I am also planning to leave the state after I am certified to work hopefully in Virginia. I have started to try to get all the information as possible on prospective employers in Virginia as well as read up on the paperwork I will have to fill out to be able to be employed by the state of Virginia. I guess I'm just looking for any advice or perhaps a checklist for exactly how and when I should begin the process of filling out all these forms as well as gaining certain certifications needed for employment when moving to another state to work. Through my job searching to this point I have begun to take a look at a private service that has many openings for EMT-B's but also requires EVOC-3 training. When I asked my instructor on how I attain this he said that I needed to get a Chaffeur's license and that usually the service would train me to be EVOC-3 certified. Is this true and is there a national rating/review of private services nationwide? I know I have alot of questions and any advice at all on any one of them would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your time.

[N2DFire]

Greetings & welcome to the forums.
As far as getting your Virginia Certification, This should tell you everything you need to know:
http://www.vdh.state.va.us/OEMS/Training/BLS_Reciprocity.asp

One thing to be aware of (copied from the site above) is that "Current EMT certification from the following states and U. S. territories is good in Virginia for a maximum of one year or the time left on the present certification, whichever is shortest. "

That being the case, I would not turn in any paperwork to the State until the last possible minute once you have employment & your living situation in VA resolved - that way you will maximize the effective time in state w/ your certification.

What you need to do to Re-cert after that 1 year period will be up to the Operational Medical Director (OMD) for whatever agency you end up working for. You WILL have to have the minimum Con-Ed hours but any written / skills testing is at the discretion of your OMD.

EVOC isn't that hard of a class here and to my knowledge there is no acceptance of a CDL in place of EVOC. Requiring you to have / obtain a CDL in addition to EVOC will be at the discretion of the agency you work for.

EVOC in a nut shell:
Class I - Response Units, Fly Cars, etc. pretty much anything in the standard 4 wheel passenger vehicle class
Class II - Ambulances, and Light / Medium Duty Rescue Vehicle
Class III - Anything larger than Class II up to but NOT including Tractor Drawn Apparatus.
Class IV - Tractor Drawn Apparatus

If you are certified at Class III - you can drive anything Class III and below (same for Class II & IV).

A "Standard" Evoc Class will comprise of 1 day of classroom time & 1 day of range time. Depending on the instructor if you want Class III - you drive a Class III rig & you're out - Others will have you drive all 3 classes (I, II, & III).

EVOC is taught by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) and the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads (VAVRS) and the larger the city / area you move to, the easier and more often these classes are taught.

Hope that at least gets you started. Feel free to PM or e-mail me here. I promise I'll answer either one but some weeks I can't promise how soon I'll be able to get back to you.

Good luck with class & the job hunt.

[npiech1]

Thanks for the advice and the information, although I do have some time to get my living/employment situation squared away I just wanted to get a head start and at least an idea of what I need to focus on if I do indeed move up there. Thanks again for the help.

[doughesson]

If you have any convictions bigger than parking tickets,make sure when you turn in the documentation to keep a copy of it for your own records and to ask if there is any other paperwork that must be filed in addition to just turning in the court documents.
I didn't do any of the above,and the school administration lost my papers when my instructor turned in the files.I had to resubmit the papers,I didn't get a diploma on graduation day and ended up arguing for three months with the school who didn't believe one word about me having already turned in the stuff.
Recently,I applied for a job with a local ambulance service and found out the state doesn't have any papers proving I've already been punished.The background check brought up the felony arrest part but the bit where it explains the District Attorney asked if I would plead guilty to reduced charges(the misdemeanor part of my conviction)apparently cannot be accessed by accredited law enforcement agencies.
I hate to keep explaining that I didn't need to be rehabilitated as I didn't start the fight but as long as I want to keep living better than my assailants,I have to keep on explaining that what I did is long past and already paid for.