No drivers license

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wam

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Hello.
I am very sorry if this is not the correct place to post this.
I am currently investigating a career in the EMT / paramedic field. Unfortunately do to a vision disability I am not able to obtain a drivers license. To be clear I am able to see well. The disability does not overly impair my day to day activities, and any previous jobs that I have had.
What I am wondering is if a drivers license is an absolute necessity for working in the field. On most of the educational institution websites that I have visited they list a drivers license as a requirement for their programs. Any information relating to any jurisdiction would be appreciated. I would be willing to relocate to an area that would allow me to work.

Thanks!!
 
wam said:
Hello.
I am very sorry if this is not the correct place to post this.
I am currently investigating a career in the EMT / paramedic field. Unfortunately do to a vision disability I am not able to obtain a drivers license. To be clear I am able to see well. The disability does not overly impair my day to day activities, and any previous jobs that I have had.
What I am wondering is if a drivers license is an absolute necessity for working in the field. On most of the educational institution websites that I have visited they list a drivers license as a requirement for their programs. Any information relating to any jurisdiction would be appreciated. I would be willing to relocate to an area that would allow me to work.

Thanks!!
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You don't need a drivers license to get an EMT but, to work the road, yes.
Nothin says you can't use it in a different care setting though.
 
wam said:
Hello.
I am very sorry if this is not the correct place to post this.
I am currently investigating a career in the EMT / paramedic field. Unfortunately do to a vision disability I am not able to obtain a drivers license. To be clear I am able to see well. The disability does not overly impair my day to day activities, and any previous jobs that I have had.
What I am wondering is if a drivers license is an absolute necessity for working in the field. On most of the educational institution websites that I have visited they list a drivers license as a requirement for their programs. Any information relating to any jurisdiction would be appreciated. I would be willing to relocate to an area that would allow me to work.

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

If you can't get an EMT job on an ambulance, you could look at being an ER tech.
 
You don't need a driver's license. I got my EMT license when I was sixteen and hadn't had my driver's license yet. I got a volunteer position without my driver's license also. Now I have my license and still don't use it. I work in the back of the ambulance with the patient instead of driving.
 
It depends entirely on your region. Some areas (or insurance companies) dont allow new (or young) employees to drive. EMTs can also be employed elsewhere. Consider looking into working at a summer camp, ER, Urgent Care, etc.
 
Where I'm from you must have your Class 4 driver's licence (which allows you to operate an ambulance) as a prerequisite to enter an EMT program.
 
sbp7993 said:
You don't need a driver's license. I got my EMT license when I was sixteen and hadn't had my driver's license yet. I got a volunteer position without my driver's license also. Now I have my license and still don't use it. I work in the back of the ambulance with the patient instead of driving.
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Nice boss. You are a rare exception. Personally, except for an occasion, I expect my partner to be equal in the sharing of our duties...all of them.
 
rescue99 said:
Nice boss. You are a rare exception. Personally, except for an occasion, I expect my partner to be equal in the sharing of our duties...all of them.
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+1

IMHO, and in my area, if you are working EMT/EMT or Medic/Medic, both of you had better be capable of driving and split the duties as evenly as possible. If you are working EMT/Medic then the EMT will usually assume the majority of the driving and the Medic will take most of the patient care. However, both must be capable of driving. Any other system limits the the crews flexability and religates crew members to certain jobs, not allowing everyone to drive (and get away from the patients) or provide care (and do the job I hope you got into EMS for).

That said, this only applies to Ambulance gigs. Likewise, other Emergency Services Jobs will require you to drive to the emergency. However, there are other ways to work as an EMT (or in other related job fields) without driving, including Hospital and Private Business (Camps, Recreational Faciliites, Correctional Facilities, etc...).

Sorry, but while you can get your EMT with this condition (in most areas), it is unlikely that you will be hired by any Ambulance Service. I believe there was a thread early this year where someone asked a similar question. They had a history of seizures and wanted to know if they could be an EMT... same answer was given... In a world where we preach "you can do anything / be anything you want to be" the reality is that those words are just "feel good" encouraging words that are not always true... we all have limitations in abilities and capabilities, physical or otherwise and have to live within those limitations... seizures, deafness, sight, back problems, weight issues, mental disorders... learn to accept them and then manage them... Of course, this is never an excuse to feel sorry for oneself and to not give it your all, whatever it is you are capable of doing.
 
I work with a Paramedic who does not drive our Rigs. He has a vision disability also but he does have a valid state DL. The reason he doesn't drive is because the "company" will not allow him to drive! He is one of the best medics we have he just doesn't drive... and it's not a big deal to anyone.

However I can see where being a Basic (especially trying to hire-on somewhere) would definitely require a driver's license, unless you were restricted to BLS calls which is not what most get into this business to do.
But as others have said there are many things you can do that do not require you to drive.
 
In MA, in order to take the state exam, you need to have a class D DL. (the basic level license)
 
nemedic, I dont think that is true. I have several friends who work for a non-transporting agency who do not have a DL. For the practical and written exams, you need government issued photo-ID, which could be a passport as much as a DL. Consider re-checking the OEMS documents.
 
nemedic said:
In MA, in order to take the state exam, you need to have a class D DL. (the basic level license)
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...or, apparently, a class C license from California. To think, they didn't even ask to see my (expired) ambulance endorsement (California ambulance driver certificate).
 
rescue99 said:
Nice boss. You are a rare exception. Personally, except for an occasion, I expect my partner to be equal in the sharing of our duties...all of them.
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Well the reason why I still don't use my license is because at my company you have to be 21 to drive...I'm still to young. If I am still volunteering as an EMT by the time I am 21 then I will drive. Our duties are equal, I do just as much work just in a different way. I care for the patient and write the run forms. They drive.
 
sbp7993 said:
Well the reason why I still don't use my license is because at my company you have to be 21 to drive...I'm still to young. If I am still volunteering as an EMT by the time I am 21 then I will drive. Our duties are equal, I do just as much work just in a different way. I care for the patient and write the run forms. They drive.
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I think there is more responsibility and more work for a non driver than on a shift than there is for a driver. You get every single patient, do all the paperwork, and anything that goes wrong is your responsiblity (aside from crashing the ambulance or getting a ticket).
 
Sasha said:
I think there is more responsibility and more work for a non driver than on a shift than there is for a driver. You get every single patient, do all the paperwork, and anything that goes wrong is your responsiblity (aside from crashing the ambulance or getting a ticket).
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Yea... but if I had to choose between driving all day or attending all day, then I'd rather attend. At least when attending you can always sleep on your way back to quarters.
 
nomofica said:
Really? I assumed ESA did ambulance operation training... But I guess not?
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Under NWT and Alberta law a holder of a class 5 licence may opertae any vehicle in classes 1 to 4 as a learner only. Which means they need a driver with them with the appropriate licence class.
 
here in california i only of only one company that will hire you as a paramedic with out a drivers lisence but I know of no where that will hire an EMT without one. for the same reasons others have mentioned before, they need people to be able to switch off when needed. Especially as An EMT because we are an ALS rich county which mean most of what EMTs due is drive. So drivers lisence is definatly necessary to get a job.
 
sbp7993 said:
Well the reason why I still don't use my license is because at my company you have to be 21 to drive...I'm still to young. If I am still volunteering as an EMT by the time I am 21 then I will drive. Our duties are equal, I do just as much work just in a different way. I care for the patient and write the run forms. They drive.
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I admit, it's nice break to do all the driving sometimes. :)
 
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