Richard S. Elman, MD

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) provide pre-hospital emergency medical services including performing certain medical procedures and transporting patients to the hospital. EMTs are first responders dispatched by a 911 operator to incidents including automobile accidents, heart attacks, slips and falls, childbirth, gunshot wounds or any incident requiring immediate medical attention and transportation to a medical facility.

EMTs are trained to assess a patient’s condition, maintain a patient’s airway and cardiovascular circulation until the patient can be transferred to advanced medical care. Interventions include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, controlling bleeding, preventing shock, administering oxygen, and preventing spinal damage through immobilization, and splitting fractures. Advanced certified EMTs can perform invasive procedures including starting an IV, cardiac monitoring, and administering medication.

Emergency Medical Technicians are specially trained and certified according to four recognized levels: Basic, Intermediate 85, Intermediate 99, and Paramedic. EMTs may also seek specialty certification for Wilderness EMT/Paramedic and Flight Paramedic. Levels are distinguished by the number of hours of required training (about 120 for Basic to 1,000 for Paramedic) and the procedures they can perform. A high school diploma is required to enter a training program, and paramedics typically earn an associates degree.