General Beginner Question

[whargro1]

Hello everyone! I have a few questions on becoming an EMT and making a career out of it.
Recently its been laid on my heart that becoming an EMT is something that I want to pursue and make a career out of it. I'm 22 year's old with military experience as well as past lifeguard and CPR experience and quite frankly don't really know where to start. I currently live in New York which is a state that does not recognize NREMT courses, but plan to move back down south to North or South Carolina in the next couple years where those courses are recognized. I live fairly close to Connecticut, which is also a state that recognizes NREMT training and am willing to commute.
With all that being said my questions are as follows.
1. Is it possible to be certified in a state that you don't live in?
2. How hard is it to transfer certifications from one state to another?
3. Is it required to start initially as an EMT-B and eventually work up to and EMT-P or a Paramedic? Or do those advancements require degrees?
4. Do states that require NREMT courses recognize state certifications that don't use the NREMT system?
Thank you all for your time! Hope to hear from you soon.
-Will H.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

1. Is it possible to be certified in a state that you don't live in?
2. How hard is it to transfer certifications from one state to another?
3. Is it required to start initially as an EMT-B and eventually work up to and EMT-P or a Paramedic? Or do those advancements require degrees?
4. Do states that require NREMT courses recognize state certifications that don't use the NREMT system?
Thank you all for your time! Hope to hear from you soon.
-Will H.

1- yes.
1.5- Is it possible to work in a state you are not certified in? No.
2- depends on the 2 states but in general no. Even easier if you have NREMT.
3- you have to be an EMT to be a paramedic although it is possible to go straight through EMT>medic without any actual experience as an EMT.
4- every state has different requiremts, you are best advised to check out DOH and EMSA websites of individual locations you are interested in. I'm general, state certs are reciprocal but you may need NREMT in addition for reciprocity.

 

[EMT11KDL]

1. Easy Answer Yes, hard answer NO, it all depends on the state and what agency you will work for, some agency require you to have a state driver license from that state.
2. Not hard if your going from a NREMT State to NREMT State.
3. Before you can take a Paramedic Course, you MUST BE a EMT-Basic at a minimum.
4. It is a case by case basis. If your planning on moving from the state that you are initially licensed it, it is in your best interest just to keep your NREMT current.

 

[Joey DeMartino]

beno and EMT11KDL are right on the red dot on this one. I have contacted quite a few states as well as the NREMT on this issue regarding reciprocity and legal issues while acting as an EMT on fires across the country. It is a very shade of gray area since there is no medical control within the Fed system-yet. Some progress is being made but I have opted to license within every state possible and pay strict attention to every individual states' scope of practice guidelines. This seriously limits us in areas such as AED and ALL med (including Oxygen) administration ( and to some degree assistance) so do your practicing with the legal vs. ethical possibilities/ dangers as your guide.