Volunteering & Choosing Agency

[cfman 1]

Hi All,

I am considering volunteering as an EMT and was curious about whether I can just take a local EMT course and then choose which agency I'd like to volunteer for, or if I should do it vice versa.

I believe the way it works is that you pay out of pocket for the course, but there is reimbursement is available upon joining a local team.

Can anyone confirm this and give me advice as to whether I should consider first choosing an agency instead?

Thanks!

cfman

[65something 6]

Join a VAC first and get through probation. While you're doing that you can pick up some practical experience which helps when taking the EMT-B course. Usually the VAC will then pay for the course, providing you pass.

[cfman 1]

Thanks.

And is it possible to do driver or attendant only with less training? With my full time job, it could be difficult to take the EMT-B course.

[SECTMB 612]

Monitoring the scanner today, it appears drivers are in short supply. You don't need medical training to be a driver or attendant.

[SteveC7010 58]

Thanks.

And is it possible to do driver or attendant only with less training? With my full time job, it could be difficult to take the EMT-B course.

That is going to depend on agency rules and requirements. You will have to talk to someone who can speak for the specific agency which you are interested in joining.

FWIW, most (if not all) VACs have an intake path for non-certified people, but what you will actually be trained for and allowed to do without holding an EMT card will again depend on agency rules and procedures.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

NYS will pay for your EMT course if you are affiliated with a NYS volunteer EMS agency. It always make sense to have someone else pay for your certification. However before you take the class, ensure this work is for you. I have seen WAY TOO MANY people take the EMT course only to realize that they do not want to do EMS.

To choose an agency:

1. Go local, you will last longer if you volunteer in your home town than if you volunteer 3 towns over. I.E. Community Involvement/Ownship

2. Inquire about the culture. Being the volunteer on a truck of paid medics gets old quick, doubly so if your stuck at the station for 12+ hours while everyone else runs from home. Is their a paid vs. volunteer divide? What about new kids vs. old timers? In-town folks vs. out of town folks? Any overly strong personalities that you wont like/wont like you? All important to consider. You will be place in very difficult and stressful potential life and death situations with these people. You want to be around people you can trust, can trust you and you get along with. These people will turn into your family or worst enemies. I.E. Organization Culture

3. Call volume and response area. Depending on whether you are home or at the station and your personal preferences will be the judge of this aspect but no one really wants to volunteer to run calls for 12 hours straight if they run from home and no one wants to volunteer to sit at the station for 12 hours just to sit on your hands for the entire time. I.E. How Busy

4. Room for advancement. It gets boring doing the same thing over and over again. You want to drive I see, how long will it be until you take the EMT course will be important. Will you still be driving 2 years later or will they let you take an EMT class by then? Will they let you alternate positions once you are cross-trained? Drive one call and tech the other? I.E. Cross-training

Edited August 16, 2015 by SRS131EMTFF

[cfman 1]

Thanks v much for the feedback! Very insightful. I will do more work to find out

[EMT111 149]

One more thing to add to the list, make sure the agency actually gets out the door to calls. It's hard today to get volunteers, and you don't want to end up at the agency where you're the only one showing up, and then your calls are getting turned over to another agency cause your's can't crew.