State of California. How do I become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)? To become an EMT in the State of California, you will need to successfully complete an. Requirements for Admission: During open enrollment, you must submit a copy of your valid NYS EMT card, government issued photo ID (ie: driver’s license or Passport. The opinions expressed on the comments page are the opinions of readers and viewers of this web site and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of PolkCountyToday.com.

So why call us ambulance drivers? Why They're Called 'Drivers' An ambulance driver is someone who drives an ambulance, of course. There is a bit of history here to explain why we are called drivers, while our counterparts in the emergency services are not.

There are three services that drive around in vehicles with red lights on top: law enforcement, fire service and emergency medical service (EMS). Of those, EMS is the youngest, sort of. Law enforcement has been around since there were laws to enforce. Firefighters (called pumpers or pump guards) appeared in France in the early 1700s.

Htc Mytouch 4g Stock Rom Download. EMS is a bit more complicated. There have been surgeons treating injuries on the battlefield since the Middle Ages. During the American Civil War, there were medics and surgeons helping injured soldiers. Carts or carriages that were used to carry the injured had been around since ancient times and were referred to as 'ambulances' by Napoleon's army.

They might be pump operators or engineers in charge of certain equipment. But at the heart of it all they're still fighting fires. Plus, fire pumps didn't always have horses or motors to drive them, so you wouldn't really call the operators drivers anyway. In early EMS, the specialized equipment — an ambulance — defined the service, rather than the job.

The modern terms of only go back as far as the 1960s. By the time any of the terminology or certifications were being developed ambulances were already well established, even in the civilian world. Ambulances didn't always have trained folks on board to provide specialized medical care (some had doctors or surgeons, but not all). While they may not have had medical personnel, every ambulance had a driver. If you wore a uniform and drove an ambulance, well, by golly, you were an ambulance driver.

Even though the and EMTs got more intensive and began to provide more in-depth care, we never could quite shake the moniker of ambulance driver. I am regularly asked — often by folks who really should know better — if I'm still 'driving the ambulance.' Here's the thing: Within the description of my job, I am certainly an ambulance driver. It's part of the gig. When you call 911 for a medical emergency, someone must drive the ambulance to your location.

Indeed, California requires ambulance drivers to have an ambulance driver's certificate. Not all states require ambulance driver licenses, but I suppose since I'm a California paramedic, I must also admit that I'm a certified ambulance driver. The assumption by many paramedics and EMTs is that being called an ambulance driver demeans the skill and training that we have. Perhaps my take a back seat when I'm referred to as a driver, but I can't deny that aspect of my job. On the other hand, it is helpful to us as a group if folks understand that ambulances need more than drivers in the modern EMS. The Job Is More Than Driving When you call 911, a highly trained crew, usually consisting of a paramedic (or two) along with an EMT (or two), will respond with professional, compassionate medical care. Depending on the circumstances, they might even save your life.

It's no secret that somebody had to drive to your location and somebody will also need to drive away, but their driving won't (and shouldn't) be the defining characteristic of their service.

Ambulance drivers usually work for private ambulance companies and hospitals transporting ill, injured and non-ambulatory patients. Ambulance drivers assist with loading and unloading patients from the vehicle and may be required to administer first aid. Between patient transports, ambulance drivers may assist with duties at the medical facility that they're assigned. Ambulance drivers must be able to navigate busy streets safely and quickly, without endangering the public or the patient being transported. Drivers must make sure the vehicle is adequately fueled, maintained, cleaned, sanitary and always stocked with medical supplies. They should have good physical endurance and may need to lift patients daily.