Working as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or as a paramedic is one of the most rewarding careers possible.  While the pay may not be the best in the world, the benefits are certainly worth it.  This article will highlight some of the benefits and drawbacks of working as an EMT or paramedic, and it will also provide average salary information, training requirements, training centers in Region I, and more.

If you are looking for employment in Region I, and if you are already an EMT or paramedic, then click the link titled "Current Employment Opportunities in Region I," which is on the left side of your screen.  This is the most up-to-date listing of jobs that are available within our 16-county region.

KEY POINTS . . .

• Emergency medical services (EMS) is a demanding job field, both mentally and physically

• Working as an EMT or paramedic often requires long shifts, including holidays, nights, and weekends

• Mental stability is required to deal with the multitude of emergencies that an EMT or paramedic sees in his or her lifetime

• Patient interaction requires superb interpersonal skills

• Specific training is required to become an EMT or paramedic - sole ambulance drivers do not exist in Georgia

• A license is required to work as an EMT or paramedic in the State of Georgia

• Employment is expected to grow faster than average as the population grows significantly in each of the 16 counties comprising Region I

NATURE OF WORK . . .

Depending on the nature of the emergency, EMT's and paramedics typically are dispatched to the scene by a 911 operator and often work with police and fire department personnel.  Once they arrive, they determine the nature and extent of the patient’s condition while trying to ascertain whether the patient has pre-existing medical problems.  Following strict rules and guidelines, they give appropriate emergency care and, when necessary, transport the patient.  Some paramedics are trained to treat patients with minor injuries on the scene of an accident or at their home without transporting them to a medical facility.  Many EMS agencies in Region I utilize standing orders, which allow EMT's and paramedics to provide treatment, including medications, without a direct consult with a physician.

Usually, one EMT or paramedic drives while the other monitors the patient’s vital signs and gives additional care as needed.  Some EMT's work as part of the flight crew of helicopters that transport critically ill or injured patients to hospital trauma centers.

At the medical facility, EMT's and paramedics help transfer patients to the emergency department, report their observations and actions to staff, and may provide additional emergency treatment.  After each run, EMT's and paramedics replace used supplies and check equipment.  If a transported patient had a contagious disease, EMT's and paramedics decontaminate the interior of the ambulance and report cases to the proper authorities.

Beyond these general duties, the specific responsibilities of EMT's and paramedics depend on their level of qualification and training. To determine this, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) registers emergency medical service (EMS) providers at four levels: First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic.  Georgia will only allow an EMT-Intermediate or an EMT-Paramedic to work on an ambulance.  Georgia also maintains the level of Cardiac Technician, which is a level above EMT but below that of paramedic.

The lowest level—First Responders—are trained to provide basic emergency medical care because they tend to be the first persons to arrive at the scene of an incident.  Many firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers have this level of training.  The EMT-Basic represents the first component of the emergency medical technician system.  An EMT-B is trained to care for patients on accident scenes, but in Georgia he or she cannot transport a patient.  The EMT-B has the emergency skills to assess a patient’s condition and manage respiratory, cardiac, and trauma emergencies.

The EMT-Intermediate has more advanced training that allows administration of intravenous fluids, use of automated defibrillators to give lifesaving shocks to a stopped heart, and use of basic airway techniques and equipment to assist patients experiencing respiratory emergencies. EMT-Paramedics provide the most extensive pre-hospital care.  In addition to the procedures already described, paramedics may administer drugs orally and intravenously, interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), perform manual defibrillation and synchronized cardioversion, perform endotracheal intubations, perform chest decompression, and use complex equipment.

WORK CONDITIONS . . .

EMT's and paramedics should be emotionally stable, have good dexterity, agility, and physical coordination, and be able to lift and carry heavy loads.  They also need good eyesight (corrective lenses may be used) with accurate color vision.  Many employers will conduct extensive background checks on their applicants.  These background checks may include information on your criminal history, education, and possibly your credit information.  In addition, many may require you to submit to psychological, physical agility, and other forms of testing.

TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION . . .

Formal training is required to become an EMT or paramedic.  To become an EMT, one must complete an EMT course, which includes classroom and clinical time.  To become a paramedic, one must already be certified as an EMT and must complete a formal paramedic program.

The following schools in Region I offer EMT and paramedic training programs:

Emergency Medical Technician Programs in Region I:

Appalachian Technical College
Sandy Tetterton & Damon Wisdom, EMT Instructors
100 Campus Dr
Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-4500

Chattahoochee Technical Institute - Paulding Campus
Tim King & Stacey Farmer, EMT Instructors
400 Nathan Dean Blvd
Dallas, GA 30132
(770) 443-3600

Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services (closed)
Waylon White, EMT Instructor
213 N College Dr
Dalton, GA 30720
(706) 272-4436

Coosa Valley Technical College
Randy Pierson & Gordon Tucker EMT Instructors
1 Maurice Culberson Dr
Rome, GA 30161
(706) 295-6963

North Metro Technical College
Kristi Kleiman & Scott Anderson, EMT Instructors
5198 Ross Rd
Acworth, GA 30102
(770) 975-4000

Northwestern Technical College
Wayne Young & Steve Lawson, EMT Instructors
265 Bicentennial Trail
Rock Spring, GA 30739
(706) 764-3510

West Central Technical College
Mike Willingham & Tracy Smith, EMT Instructors
176 Murphy Campus Blvd
Waco, GA 30182
770-537-6037

Paramedic Programs in Region I:

          Appalachian Technical College
          Larry Vandergriff, Paramedic Instructor
          100 Campus Drive
          Jasper, GA 30143
          (706) 253-4500

Coosa Valley Technical College
Randy Pierson & Phillip Tucker Paramedic Instructors
1 Maurice Culberson Dr
Rome, GA 30161
(706) 295-6963

Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services (closed)
Todd Robinson, Paramedic Instructor
213 N College Dr
Dalton, GA 30720
(706) 272-4436

North Metro Technical College
Don Servais, Paramedic Instructor
5198 Ross Rd
Acworth, GA 30102
(770) 975-4000

West Central Technical College
Keith Miller, Paramedic Instructor
176 Murphy Campus Blvd
Waco, GA 30182
770-537-6037

It is not necessary to attend an EMT and/or paramedic course in Region I in order to work in Region I.  Any EMT and/or paramedic course that is approved by the State Office of EMS will allow you to work in Region I provided you become registered by the National Registry of EMT's.

Advancement beyond the EMT-Paramedic level usually means leaving fieldwork.  An EMT-Paramedic can become a supervisor, operations manager, administrative director, or executive director of emergency services.  Some EMT's and paramedics become instructors, dispatchers, or physician assistants, while others move into sales or marketing of emergency medical equipment.  A number of people become EMT's and paramedics to assess their interest in healthcare and then decide to return to school and become registered nurses, physicians, or other health workers.

CERTIFICATION & LICENSURE . . .

Georgia requires registration with NREMT prior to certification by the State of Georgia.  Individuals must pass the NREMT-administered EMT-Intermediate (1985) or EMT-Paramedic examination before he or she will be granted a certificate/license by the State of Georgia.

The following is required to become certified as an EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate or EMT-Paramedic by the State of Georgia:

EMT-Basic:

• Attend a formal EMT-Basic course that includes 120 hours of classroom time.
• No formal clinical training is required.
• This certification does NOT allow one to staff an ambulance at many EMS agencies.  Check with your local provider or where you wish to be employed to see if they hire EMT-Basics as ambulance attendants.

EMT-Intermediate:

• Attend a 377-hour EMT course offered at an available school. (includes 345 hours of classroom time and 32 hours of clinicals)
• Pass the NREMT-Intermediate (1985) exam.
• Apply for certification by the State of Georgia using the results of your NREMT-Intermediate exam.

Cardiac Technician:

Cardiac technician courses are no longer offered in Region I.  Therefore, their certification requirements will not be listed.

EMT-Paramedic:

• Be a certified EMT-Intermediate with at least six (6) months of work experience and an endorsement by your employer to attend paramedic school.
• Attend a formal paramedic course that includes a minimum of 934 hours of instruction time (634 hours of this in a classroom).
• Perform 300 hours of clinical time to include rotations in the emergency department, intensive care unit/critical care unit, operating room, labor and delivery, psychiatric institutions, pre-hospital, and other areas.
• Pass the NREMT-Paramedic exam.
• Apply for certification by the State of Georgia using the results of your NREMT-Paramedic exam.

To maintain certification, EMT's and paramedics must earn continuing education units (CEU's) and must recertify every 2 years. In order to recertify, an EMT must earn 24 hours of CEU's and be certified in CPR.  Paramedics and cardiac technicians must earn 40 hours of CEU's and be certified in CPR and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).  Individual EMS agencies may require more training and continuing education requirements before their EMT's or paramedics are allowed to practice under the license of their medical director.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES . . .

The typical work week is two 24 hour shifts (48 hours total), but every third week the employee will work 72 hours.  This is because the shifts fall on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday.  Many county EMS agencies and fire departments will allow this, but many hospitals do not.  The advantage of working 3 24-hour shifts in one week is the 32 hours of overtime.  The advantage of not needing to work your third shift is that you will get a 5-day vacation every third week.  Each has its own benefits.  Those who work the 72-hour workweek will average 56 hours per week (when all weeks are figured).  Those that do not work the 72-hour workweek will only average 48 hours per week.

The average salaries for EMT's and paramedics in Region I are:

These salary estimates are based on an average 56-hour work week (24/48 shift with the 72-hour work week every third week).

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK . . .

Employment of EMT's and paramedics is expected to increase nationally over many years.  Population increases will cause more communities to transition from volunteer ambulance corps to paid ambulance services.  Region I EMS does not contain any volunteer ambulance services, but the projected population increases in all of our counties will cause increases in the number of ambulances in operation.  This will result in the need for more EMT's and paramedics.

If you are interested in becoming an EMT or paramedic, call your local EMS agency.  They will be able to provide you with further information.  Many EMS agencies will allow prospective students to ride on the ambulances to see first-hand what it's like to be an EMT or paramedic.  For a list of ambulance services in Region I, please see our EMS Providers section.

We are indebted to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for their permission to use and modify their EMT job outlook information.

Work Conditions

Current Employment Opportunities in Region I

Original document: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos101.htm
Used and modified with permission of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics

This document is designed for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as an official document.  Region I EMS does not warrant the information contained within this document.