Driving an ambulance

[eaw0913]

Hello, I was just wondering how possible would it be to be an ambulance driver during college? I am going to get into college next year, and I want to get into the EMS field (I really want to fly the life flight helicopters, but I need a job to get the money to pay for flight training). I would like to be involved in this type of work, and I'm just wondering how possible it would be.

If anyone knows anything, please help me out. Thanks!

 

[Shishkabob]

Do you want to just drive an ambulance or do you want to be an actual healthcare professional as an EMT or Paramedic?


If you actually want to be an EMT or a Paramedic you need to go to school and get an education and certification. Most places don't hire just drivers. They are usually EMTs or Medics.

 

[eaw0913]

At this point, I would much prefer to just be a driver.. but I am interested in both.

 

[Shishkabob]

Like I said, most places don't hire people who JUST drive and don't do any patient care, but without knowing your city/state it's hard to say.


Some places do hire wheelchair van drivers, and all you need for that is a CPR card.

 

[eaw0913]

Hmm. The only thing is I would like to go on and get into it while I go to college, but I have no experience so I couldn't really do more than just drive.

I'm in Georgia.

 

[JPINFV]

Everyone starts someplace without experience. In EMS, the entry level position is that of an emergency medical technician (EMT or EMT-Basic). EMTs in the US receive a rather short and limited amount of training (generally between 110 to 200 hours depending on location and institute), after which they are qualified to serve on an ambulance. Depending on the service, you might be paired with another EMT and rotate who drives or paired with a paramedic (who has generally around 1000 hours of training) where you would do the majority of the driving. Outside of volunteer services (and even then, it's relatively rare), you won't see people being hired solely as ambulance drivers without other medical training. If you're interested, go run through the class. EMT class isn't that difficult and the calendar length of training varies from several months (meeting 1 day a week in the afternoon or evening) to 2 weeks full time (generally over summer or winter break).

 

[Shishkabob]

Take an EMT class. At the worst you'll have wasted 1 semester. At the best you'll fall in love with medicine and continue on in your education.


And using the "I dont have experience so I can just drive" is not true. Thats WHY you go to school, to get the experience, to get the job.

 

[eaw0913]

Would there be a way to do something such as an internship while I take the class in college? Would it just depend on the place I go to?

 

[Shishkabob]

Would there be a way to do something such as an internship while I take the class in college? Would it just depend on the place I go to?

You mean while getting paid? Not likely.


Look at your local EMS agencies. They might hire supply room techs, give yourself a foot in the door while training.

 

[Dominion]

If you live in Indiana some services there hire just drivers as the state only requires 1 EMT certified person on the truck.

 

[robbaN28]

Haven't most flight for life helicopter pilots done combat in the military? I know most of the ones in Colorado has.

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

Would there be a way to do something such as an internship while I take the class in college? Would it just depend on the place I go to?

It might be important to add that the "EMT school" is actually an EMT class. If you take 110 hours and divide it by the normal 18 week semester, its only 6-7 hours a week, maybe a little more with extras.

You could very easily complete "EMT school" during your first semester of college, whether its offered at your university or you have to take it at the local JC.

To me it just sounds like you want to do a high action job, whether its a life flight pilot or driving lights and sirens. If you are only trying to raise money for flight school, I am sure you could find other employment that will better expedite your plans. For example In n' Out employees make much more than EMTs in my area, I'm just saying. Also, I don't really see how being an "ambulance driver" prepares or lends to your becoming a pilot.

 

[Motojunkie]

If you want to be a pilot, join ROTC in college and go fly in the military.

 

[LucidResq]

Haven't most flight for life helicopter pilots done combat in the military? I know most of the ones in Colorado has.

Yeah.... if you want to be a helicopter pilot, EMS experience is pretty irrelevant and you are going down the wrong path entirely. If that is really what you want to do, you need to join the military ASAP. Maybe CO is completely different from everywhere else, but all of the pilots on all of our medical helicopters pretty much enlisted straight out of high school and started flying soon after. It's the only reasonable way to obtain enough hours to meet their minimum requirements and be a competitive candidate.

Here's a good pamphlet on the minimum requirements and expectations of a major air medical company that provides the non-medical elements to several organizations across the US:
So you want to be an Air Methods pilot?

 

[TransportJockey]

Go ask over on Flightweb. I'm sure they'd love you over there

 

[joeshmoe]

No you cant just be an ambulance driver. An extra set of trained hands eyes and ears is important. If you just want to drive a truck, get a CDL. If you want to drive an ambulance, become an EMT.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

For Future Note (might want to make this post a sticky) :

Anyone that wants to become an "Ambulance Driver" need not invest time, energy, and money into schooling, training, and education to become a legit medical provider. Who needs that anyway? Provide medical care outside of a hospital? Hah... Driving fast; that saves lives. There is always an easier way to get behind the wheel of an Ambulance:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=nw20100501102232158C216702

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14998521?nclick_check=1

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/sto...ance-for-joy-ride/9X8Ifh4gn0G3HOXZnatt7Q.cspx

 

[fortsmithman]

No you cant just be an ambulance driver. An extra set of trained hands eyes and ears is important. If you just want to drive a truck, get a CDL. If you want to drive an ambulance, become an EMT.

In my service we have EVO's who just drive even though all of our EVO's upgraded their skills and are now EMR's (equivalent to EMT-B).

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

For Future Note (might want to make this post a sticky) :

Anyone that wants to become an "Ambulance Driver" need not invest time, energy, and money into schooling, training, and education to become a legit medical provider. Who needs that anyway? Provide medical care outside of a hospital? Hah... Driving fast; that saves lives. There is always an easier way to get behind the wheel of an Ambulance:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=nw20100501102232158C216702

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14998521?nclick_check=1

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/sto...ance-for-joy-ride/9X8Ifh4gn0G3HOXZnatt7Q.cspx

* L4L runs to drop all his courses before add/drop period ends

 

[bravesfan160]

The company I work for in Memphis tn hires emt externs who are CPR certified emt students who drive while they are in school and getting licensed.