New into EMT, this the correct route?

[2003Slobra]

Hello everybody, my name is Matthew and I am currently seeking a career to be a Firefighter/Paramedic. I was just wondering if I can have a moment of you're time.

I have yet to take a class for EMT and plan too as soon as the CC near me offers the class next semestar.

Would this be the appropriate route for the following career? I would say that I am very determined in both fields of study, I am not just doing one for the other. I thought that in my area (if I was to get a job here) that the calls are based more on a 80/20 call volume where 20% would actually be fire based. Maybe even less than that.

I was going to take the EMT Course, then continue onto the Paramedic field where I can get my certificate and start to apply for jobs and then continue my education onto Firefighting. I know there will be common prereq's along the way such as tests and so forth, but I am not really concerned about those.

I am mainly worried that I have not spent any time at a station, on a rig or volunteered. Is this frowned upon? This is something that I have been thinking about for several years, just waited for a better time in my life to really decide on what I wanted to do, instead of some spur of the moment bandwagon jump because it was the thing to do.

Also, are there any books that you know you will be required to read for the beginning EMT course that I should pick up and get a head start before the class starts? Or should I just contact the school and see what the required reading is?

Any information will be greatly appreciated, thank you for you're time.

Sincerely,

Matthew

[leylandauto]

Buy any EMT textbook on ebay or Amazon and it will help you greatly when the real class starts. As far as then proceeding towards a Paramedic degree, you need to get some street time. By looking at your public profile I know nothing about where you live or anything about your background. Do you have the ability to volunteer at some local agency? The biggest problem I see time and time again is the lack of preparation I see from Paramedic students and that get assigned to my partner and I. We only get them for a few hundred hours and time spent helping them become competant EMTs in charge of scenes is time we cant use to make them Paramedics. As far as becoming a Paramedic just to become a Firefighter, well, that is another subject.

[Firedawg34]

Some Self study Websites

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.emtb.com/9e/

http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=gal/home

http://www.ecglibrary.com/ecghome.html

http://emergencyekg.com/

http://www.templejc.edu/dept/ems/Pages/PowerPoint.html

http://www.defrance.org/quizzes.htm

http://www.volstate.edu/EMT/study.html

http://www.testprepreview.com/nremt_practice.htm

http://smartmedic.com/quiz/index.asp

ftp://members.aol.com/henryhbk/emtquiz1.pdf

http://www.traumamedic.com/id30.html

http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html

http://www.mic.ki.se/MEDIMAGES.html

http://www.rale.ca/Repository.htm

http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp

http://www.alaskaems.org/quiz/mother.htm

http://www.lsti.org/

[2003Slobra]

Buy any EMT textbook on ebay or Amazon and it will help you greatly when the real class starts. As far as then proceeding towards a Paramedic degree, you need to get some street time. By looking at your public profile I know nothing about where you live or anything about your background. Do you have the ability to volunteer at some local agency? The biggest problem I see time and time again is the lack of preparation I see from Paramedic students and that get assigned to my partner and I. We only get them for a few hundred hours and time spent helping them become competant EMTs in charge of scenes is time we cant use to make them Paramedics. As far as becoming a Paramedic just to become a Firefighter, well, that is another subject.

Understood.

I live in South Florida. Palm Beach County to be exact.

I see what you are saying about the Volunteer work, but I have one question. I would atleast have the have the proper EMT lincense to get ride time correct? EMT-B is going to be the first field I take, and I will be taking nothing for granted. I don't want to come off sounding like I am just taking Paramedic to have a better shot to get accepted for a FF, I am just unsure at this time which I would rather concentrate on. I am still talking to as many people as I can, hoping I can get a better grasp and each field. Both have interested me for a long time, I just didn't have the right state of mind to continue on with my education in that field. I went straight into Culinary School when I graduated Highschool.

Thanks for you're reply.

[2003Slobra]

Thank you very much Firedog! Looks like I need to get to reading!!

[leylandauto]

Ah yes, Palm Beach County. My InLaws lived in Boynton for about 20 years. Seems like a good dept down there. I like the County Fire-Rescues down there. I am guessing there are not many volunteer situations down there. I would look into what if any ride along programs they might have there. You might not have any chance but it is good to look. Maybe you can befriend a FF/PM or stop by your local station to get some info. The Culinary background will be a big plus when you get hired :-)

[2003Slobra]

Ah yes, Palm Beach County. My InLaws lived in Boynton for about 20 years. Seems like a good dept down there. I like the County Fire-Rescues down there. I am guessing there are not many volunteer situations down there. I would look into what if any ride along programs they might have there. You might not have any chance but it is good to look. Maybe you can befriend a FF/PM or stop by your local station to get some info. The Culinary background will be a big plus when you get hired :-)

Yes, I had a feeling the Culinary skills will come back out of the closet, haha.

I know quite a few people who are FF/Paramedic's and I will begin to ask them some questions and see if they can give some detail.

Thanks again for the help!

[2003Slobra]

Seems the EMT-B Class will be offered first either 9/1 or 10/25 and that will be the first class I take. I am getting excited already!