Training High School Students as EMT's

[50-65 205]

Has anyone heard of this being done around here?

http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll...10323/1001/NEWS

[CHIEFPHIL 90]

Yes, this year, the EMT-basic was added to the curriculam at Bethel High. One of our members is a EMS-I and ran the class. She did an outstanding job. My dept provided hands on help and lots of support. Claases here held at the high school and at our station.

I think that we had about 17 kids in the class. 4 have joined my company [bethel Fire] and 2 are applying in July after they graduate. I believe 2 or 3 have joined our other company Stony Hill.

They took thier state practical last saturday... we are hoping that the balance join one or the other company once they get thier results.

They did ride alongs with us, Danbury EMS and lots of ER time. They spent countless hours after school and on weekends working , studying at the FD and being menotred by various members.

It amased me that these kids gave up so much of thier time to complete.

I just hope this program is not cut by the budget cutters next year !

[redman 2]

In Westchester County the BOCES program offers EMT to high school students.

[Guest]

I am currently in a High School EMT program at my school. There are 6 kids in the class, but its only the second year. It is sponsored by the town's ambulance corps, and the instructor is an EMS-I with that dept. It looks like the program will have even more kids next year.

[Guest mahopacfire2003]

i attend Mahopac High School and i an currently enrolled in the year long EMT course. This course has been running for the past couple of years. Unfortunately the school is cancelling the course next year for a reason not sustainable. As a student that works this class was great for me because i am getting my emt license for my fire department. I take my pratical skills exam on June 10th and then the written the following week. If anybody thinks it bad that the course is being cancelld, they should complain to my principal.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

New Fairfield, CT High School just started it this past year. Seems to be working OK.

[NJMedic 96]

I suppose that Darien, Ct, and Spring Lake, MN are two of the better know under 18 EMS programs in the Country. Hoboken High School in Hudson County, NJ has their own ambulance and EMT program.

http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us/index.php?q=node/778

[DaRock98 76]

I think it could be a good thing maybe encourage more people to take the class and join there local depts. Maybe?

[OoO 24]

The problem with offering this course in high schools is that many students are not eligible to take the class because of their age. In NY you must be 18 by the date of the written exam. Furthermore, this course does not cover enough material to fill an entire year or semester.

Edited June 5, 2008 by OoO

[bil14ga 1]

The problem with offering this course in high schools is that many students are not eligible to take the class because of their age. In NY you must be 18 by the date of the written exam. Furthermore, this course does not cover enough material to cover an entire year or semester.

Correction... you must be 18 by the last day of the month that the state exam takes place.

[effd3918 34]

I started my class in January before I was 18. Its alot of work juggling EMT class and school but if you want something enough I guess you have to juggle lol. Hopefully I will pass my practical and written exam and then wait the long period of 4-6 weeks to hear back from the state

[Guest Mfd]

The problem with offering this course in high schools is that many students are not eligible to take the class because of their age. In NY you must be 18 by the date of the written exam. Furthermore, this course does not cover enough material to fill an entire year or semester.

We have a few younger members who have taken the class, passed and become EMT's, they are an huge asset with this additional training, PIAA's, CO calls, and any other instance when someone may get hurt or go down. Not only when we are there as firefighters but in every day situations as well. This type of training should be funded and encouraged, maybe te state should consider lowering the age to become an EMT, would provide an oppurtunity and positive experience for high school kids trying to figure out what direction they are headed.

[Bnechis 3,961]

But at Boces Tech Center in yorktown they offer it and they offer paramedic too (adults course no academic credit meaning $$$$$$), if im not mistaken.

I was under the impression that original medic programs (in Westchester) can only be run at WCC as per NYS DOH rules. Refreshers can be run at an ALS approved course sponser.

[Guest PC 423]

I believe that lowering the age would be a bad thing... Teenagers at 16, 17 years old are a lot less mature then those turning 18, getting ready for college, the military, or full time jobs. I believe even sometimes that 18 is too young. EMS is no joke, even though the test can be. Hell, there are even a lot of paramedics out there that you wonder how the hell they got their certifications. If people are so concerned about the amount of material, and how it won't cover an entire semester/year, then why not offer it as an after school program? Maybe possibly allowing these 17 y/o's to take the test (a few months early), and if they pass, have their EMT card not be VALID until they turn 18. I also believe that if these kids really want to be EMTs, they will do it on their own. They make it seem like it is so hard having it part of their high school work load, while most of us did it ON TOP OF our regular school work.

[WAS967 97]

But at Boces Tech Center in yorktown they offer it and they offer paramedic too (adults course no academic credit meaning $$$$$$), if im not mistaken.

BOCES does not offer a Paramedic class of any type to my knowledge. Barry is correct that the only Westchester based Paramedic original is at WCC. The BOCES EMT was also recently running on fumes (lack of enrollment) and may well have been cut or will eventually be cut.

[mwE33 1]

i think its a pretty good idea because when i took my class i was a senior in high school and had to take my class and have a full high school work load if it was part of school it would have been alot easier

[nwpfdjr27 39]

Like most of you guys have said, I took my EMT on top of a full high school course load and actually left football practice two nights a week to go to class (yes I am totally insane I know). One thing that really bothered me is the addition of the emergency services program that now runs at BOCES and includes certification as an EMT during senior year. I know it would've been a hell of a lot easier to get my certification if I could do it during school, but I got it done anyway because I wanted it so bad like most of the other younger guys have already said. As for lowering the age, that is a big moral debate, especially since there are some very mature 16 and 17 year olds and some not so mature 18 year olds. Glad I'm not in charge of that decision.

Edited July 17, 2008 by nwpfdjr27

[jcoppola 52]

Just an opinion, but I believe we should leave the EMS thing to adults and keep the kids in high school involved as explorers. I think the intentions are admirable, I do, but in this litigious society we live in, especially in the medical field, the real "work" should be done by persons of legal age to be "certified".

I know of one service that routinely runs in with us as a mutual aid service and although they are an explorer post, they run with a fully trained supervisor all the time so, in that system, it seems to work and they do a good job, with one exception that peeves me often when we work with them...often times we are treated like idiot firemen who have no clue about EMS, when in reality, we do more EMS than they do, and might I say, in many cases, much "hairier" EMS at that. Just a simple observation from someone in the field.

[sr71 1]

Just an opinion, but I believe we should leave the EMS thing to adults and keep the kids in high school involved as explorers. I think the intentions are admirable, I do, but in this litigious society we live in, especially in the medical field, the real "work" should be done by persons of legal age to be "certified".

I know of one service that routinely runs in with us as a mutual aid service and although they are an explorer post, they run with a fully trained supervisor all the time so, in that system, it seems to work and they do a good job, with one exception that peeves me often when we work with them...often times we are treated like idiot firemen who have no clue about EMS, when in reality, we do more EMS than they do, and might I say, in many cases, much "hairier" EMS at that. Just a simple observation from someone in the field.

Don't worry LT, your not the only ones they treat like Idiots....