Age requirements for FR, and EMT-B

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Fedekz

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Hey,

What states offer EMT-B, or First Responder courses to students under 18? I'm currently 17, and live in Washington State and am enrolled full time in college; however, In Washington State, you have to be 18 to enroll in a EMT, or FR course. I have read that Maryland offers EMT-B, and FR courses to individuals 16 years old +

Any others : ]?

Thanks,

-Fedekz
 
Should be 25 so that you are able to deal with what we see and do.
 
NM requires at least 18. Private EMS requires at least 21 to work so you can drive, some more. Local fire mostly is at least 18. I think 20-21 should be minimums
 
I started my EMT at 17, turned 18 half way though...

National Reg. is 18+
 
North Dakota

You can get your state emt card before you are 18. But North Dakota services usually only take National Registry... so it would be tuff to find a job.
 
Fedekz said:
Hey,

What states offer EMT-B, or First Responder courses to students under 18? I'm currently 17, and live in Washington State and am enrolled full time in college; however, In Washington State, you have to be 18 to enroll in a EMT, or FR course. I have read that Maryland offers EMT-B, and FR courses to individuals 16 years old +

Any others : ]?

Thanks,

-Fedekz
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Fedekz,

In our state (Washington) you have to be 18 in order to be certified. You can in many areas, start the EMT class if you are going to be turning 18 before the class is over.

Washington requires you to be sponsored for EMT class by the agency you will be working for. There's not a lot of incentive for one of these agencies to sponsor you if they will not be able to utilize that training once the class is over. Doesn't matter how mature you are or aren't. The only thing that matters is if you are going to be carried on their license, they want to be able to hire you, this means insure you to drive their rigs and have you meet all the other criteria of a legal adult.
 
17 and a fulltime college student?

Patience. Stay in college. You have plenty of time before running off to join the EMS circus after you are 18 and have a college degree on your resume.
 
VentMedic said:
17 and a fulltime college student?

Patience. Stay in college. You have plenty of time before running off to join the EMS circus after you are 18 and have a college degree on your resume.
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Damn good advice!!
 
Linuss said:
Because 17 year olds don't go to war and see worse...
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And we see how well that is turning out for the mental health of our young soldiers. Sadly military suicides are at an all time high and mental professionals can not stay up with the cases of PSTD etc they are getting.
 
Linuss said:
Because 17 year olds don't go to war and see worse...
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And have you seen what happens to these young people who can't handle what they see in war?

If not, I encourage you to tour the psych wards and clinics of VA hospitals...that is for the lucky few that can get assistance from the government to be treated.
 
This can get out of control quickly...but I'll throw in my .02

CT lets you become an EMT at 16. Do I think 16 is old enough? Hell no but it is not me to decide. As a vet I still find new things that get to me but I've had plenty of practice on keeping things from bothering me and interfering in my life.
 
BossyCow said:
Fedekz,

In our state (Washington) you have to be 18 in order to be certified. You can in many areas, start the EMT class if you are going to be turning 18 before the class is over.

Washington requires you to be sponsored for EMT class by the agency you will be working for. There's not a lot of incentive for one of these agencies to sponsor you if they will not be able to utilize that training once the class is over. Doesn't matter how mature you are or aren't. The only thing that matters is if you are going to be carried on their license, they want to be able to hire you, this means insure you to drive their rigs and have you meet all the other criteria of a legal adult.
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First off, thanks everyone for all the quick replys : ] I appreciate it.

I'm not exactly familiar with being "sponsored" by an agency in which you will work for; however, I am currently a Ski Patrol "trainee", and once I receive a First Responder cert. or a EMT cert. I can be a full fledged Ski Patroller. My Ski Resort wrote a letter for one of the trainee's to get him into the EMT-B class at the community college, in which that worked, he got in and was able to complete the course, and is now a ski patroller.

Here is my plan, theoretical of course.

I can take the EMT-B course next winter (winter quarter of 2009/2010); however, receive the EMT-B cert. just after the ski season ends, which is what I'm trying to avoid. My birthday is in early Feb. so I would be 18 before the winter quarter ended. Conversely, I was wanting to possibly travel to another state this summer and take the First Responder, or EMT-B course, receive the cert. (in that state), then travel back to Washington State in time for the ski season. Although I don't know if being cert. in X state would do me ANY good in Washington.

Anyways,

thanks for all the replys so far !

-Fedekz
 
Be very careful with taking it in another state. You will have to research rules very carefully to see where reciprocity goes to... And that might not do you any good because if the minimum age to be licensed is 18, they will not recognize a license from another state until you are 18.
 
Fedekz said:
I'm not exactly familiar with being "sponsored" by an agency in which you will work for; however, I am currently a Ski Patrol "trainee", and once I receive a First Responder cert. or a EMT cert. I can be a full fledged Ski Patroller.
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In order to possess a valid EMT-B card in the state of Washington, you have to actually have a job as an EMT. Most reputable classes won't let you in unless you have that future job/volunteer position lined up. The agency in which you will work signs you up for the class. Many students who want to work for a private agency will sign on with a vollie service of some sort to get their cert and then use the cert to get a paying job elsewhere.


I can take the EMT-B course next winter (winter quarter of 2009/2010); however, receive the EMT-B cert. just after the ski season ends, which is what I'm trying to avoid. My birthday is in early Feb. so I would be 18 before the winter quarter ended.
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You will have to talk to the instructor before the class begins to see if that is all right with him/her. It will be his/her call.



Conversely, I was wanting to possibly travel to another state this summer and take the First Responder, or EMT-B course, receive the cert. (in that state), then travel back to Washington State in time for the ski season. Although I don't know if being cert. in X state would do me ANY good in Washington.
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As of March 31, 2009 the Washington State EMT-B exam is the NREMT exam. So reciprocity should be much easier than in years past. Talk to your regional EMS council rep to find out for sure. If you are doing this to avoid the 18 rule, it won't help. You will still have to be 18 to hold a Washington State Cert.
 
Fedekz said:
Although I don't know if being cert. in X state would do me ANY good in Washington.
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A license in another state won't help you out.

Will your ski resort accept certification instead of licensure? Most ski patrollers that I know don't even have a medical license, instead they are certified in first response by a third-party like the American Red Cross or National Safety Council. If they are not a registered EMS agency and instead provide just "advanced first aid" services, you may be able to get away with taking the American Red Cross Emergency Response class.

In any case, if you are interested in EMS; stay in college, take A&P, biochem, and get your paramedic when you can.
 
BossyCow said:
Most reputable classes won't let you in unless you have that future job/volunteer position lined up. The agency in which you will work signs you up for the class.
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Really? Maybe over in your neck of the woods...not so in King County. To sign up for an EMT-B class here, one must take the entrance "pre-test", a basic first aid test based on the ARC 'Emergency Response" text. If you pass the test and you have one of the top 40 scores, you're invited to enroll in the class.

For example, North Seattle Community College holds a basic class every quarter (AHE190) and routinely has 150 or so students test. 40 are chosen.

From North's Website: PREREQUISITE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION REQUIRED. There will be a written advanced first aid and CPR exam on 3/3/09, anytime between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM in the Library, Room 1141. This examination must be taken by all applicants to the program. An orientation session open to any interested persons will be on 2/24/09, 7-8:30 PM in the Library, Room 1141. Anyone needing information should plan to attend this session. APPLICANTS DO NOT NEED TO SIGN UP IN ADVANCE FOR THE ENTRANCE EXAM OR ORIENTATION. CPR is required prior to entry into the program. (See course information for AHE 191.CPR.) Permission required. Contact the Health and Human Services Division at (206) 527-3790 for additional information. *Cost is $679.07 ($113.00 tuition + $566.07 self support lab fee).

Near the end of the class, local ambulance companies and other groups come into the class to present a "sales pitch" to recruit new EMTs, knowing that the promise of affiliation will net at least a few.

So, the bottom line is... you DO NOT need to be affiliated with an agency or department to take the class, you must to be affiliated to GET YOUR CARD.
 
medic417 said:
Should be 25 so that you are able to deal with what we see and do.
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Tell that to the Israeli medics who get their training at 16 and then become combat medics in the army at 18.
 
bstone said:
Tell that to the Israeli medics who get their training at 16 and then become combat medics in the army at 18.
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Um... tell that to the Israeli First Responders at 15 or 16! Many work on an ambulance (under the supervision of an EMT) 4 or 5 afternoons a week, until they are 17, when they become EMTs, only to go on to the army and become paramedics.

Something like 30% of the Israeli population is trained to the First responder level, 18% to the EMT level, 8 or 10% to the paramedic level, and 3-4% to the MD level.
Their biggest problem on MCI scenes is having too many practitioners.

For the record, only those 18+ are allowed on to the scene of a terror attack. If an ambulance recieves a call for an attack, they drop of the high school students wherever they are and head to the call.
 
emt.dan said:
Um... tell that to the Israeli First Responders at 15 or 16! Many work on an ambulance (under the supervision of an EMT) 4 or 5 afternoons a week, until they are 17, when they become EMTs, only to go on to the army and become paramedics.

Something like 30% of the Israeli population is trained to the First responder level, 18% to the EMT level, 8 or 10% to the paramedic level, and 3-4% to the MD level.
Their biggest problem on MCI scenes is having too many practitioners.

For the record, only those 18+ are allowed on to the scene of a terror attack. If an ambulance recieves a call for an attack, they drop of the high school students wherever they are and head to the call.
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You illustrated my point perfectly, sir! I lived in Jerusalem for 2 years while in Yeshiva from 1999-2001. This was during the 2nd Intifada. No stranger to terrorists attacks and those volunteers and paid FRs and EMTs were amazing.
 
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