How important is emergency/tactical medical training to you?

[Sid Post]

I did the EMT-Basic thing at a local community college two evenings a week for basically a college semester (~16 weeks).

It was cheap and practical. By practical, I mean things I might actually use. Sprains, burns, broken bones, etc. My chances of being shot are very low but, I get cuts, bruises, sprains, etc. a lot. I'm also more likely to drive up to an auto wreck or similar event where EMT skills are put to good use. I also learned about tourniquet use to stop major bleeds, what to do with a sucking chest wound, and other skills that I hope will be with me when I need them because I don't practice them enough (use it or loose it is a reality whether you personally believe it or not).

[Madsmiley]

For those of us who don't know, could you explain the levels of training to us?

What is "ECA level"?

What are the levels of EMT and Paramedic training? Is it a nationally-recognized standard, or do individual states have their own levels?

Thanks!

ECA-Emergency Care Attandent..Basically its just an extensive first aid class..
EMT-B Basic EMT
EMT-I Intermediate
Para-Medic

States used to run there own curriculum but in the last 10 years or so,most(maybe even all)have gone to the National Registry Test..The National test is good in any state where as the state test of yesteryear is only valid for that particular state..

[Madsmiley]

National Registry is not good nationwide, more like a suggestion. Many places still have their own curriculem & all have individual licensure reqs.

Any confusion regarding: http://www.nremt.org/about/Legal_Opinion.asp

Very interesting...From what I gathered from a quick read,it appears National Registry and State Certifications are still a seperate entity..As of 2005,46 states use the NR as the reconized testing format...

When I certified back in 99,Texas was about to switch over to the NR test.Will have to have this discussion with the instrucors during CE hours this spring..

[meat]

http://www.striketactical.com/traini...ails.asp?id=50

[Robb Jensen]

Very interesting...From what I gathered from a quick read,it appears National Registry and State Certifications are still a seperate entity..As of 2005,46 states use the NR as the reconized testing format...

When I certified back in 99,Texas was about to switch over to the NR test.Will have to have this discussion with the instrucors during CE hours this spring..

Yep, State Certs and National are quite different. States have their own regulations as well as do some counties. In some counties a (CT) Cardiac Tech maybe be the equivalent of a Paramedic, in some counties they are different and may have limits on what each can and can't do (like defib, intubation, start IVs administering narcotics etc). When I was a volunteer EMT for OWL-VFD, I had a Medical Director who essentially we EMTs/Medics worked under. Each State and sets their own requirements. The National cert is just sort of a baseline.

[TheWarHound]

After 8 years as a National Guard Medic assigned to an Infantry BN, 12 years ER experience, and 4 years as a civilian EMT, I have found that pre- and post-hospital emergency medicine experience is priceless. You know what to do almost instinctively, and you usually don't get rattled (unless it's close family).

I have always thought first-aid needs to be a requirement in High School, and most jobs should offer first-responder training.

Self-aid and buddy-aid in basic training helped, but with the advances in combat medicine in the last few years, I think more and more people should have a deeper medical training. If more people were trained better, it may save more lives.

Sadly, EMTs in this area make 7-8 dollars an hour, and paramedics make 10-12 dollars an hour. I did the civilian EMT thing a few years ago for extra income, but I always felt sorry for the guys and gals that did it for a living.

JMO,

Steve

[rhino]

I have always thought first-aid needs to be a requirement in High School, and most jobs should offer first-responder training.

When I was in school, it was required in both junior high and high school. In years that had mandatory PE back then (grades 7,9, and 10), the PE classes alternated with a Health class, either day by day or by semester. In those health classes, there was always a multi-day unit on first aid and CPR. The only choice we had was wether or not to get Red Cross certification on our CPR. That was also around the time that the Heimlich Maneuver was gaining popularity in basic first aid/CPR classes (mid 1970s through early 1980s).

Knowing how to do the Heimlich Maneuver on all kinds of people including (perhaps especially) yourself is at least as important as CPR or tactical med stuff, if for no other reason than you're more likely to have to do it AND when it's needed, there's no time at all for any professional emergency responders to arrive. Doing it on babies, pregnant women, and fat people are all different than what you'd do to an average adult.

[Madsmiley]

After 8 years as a National Guard Medic assigned to an Infantry BN, 12 years ER experience, and 4 years as a civilian EMT, I have found that pre- and post-hospital emergency medicine experience is priceless. You know what to do almost instinctively, and you usually don't get rattled (unless it's close family).

I have always thought first-aid needs to be a requirement in High School, and most jobs should offer first-responder training.

Self-aid and buddy-aid in basic training helped, but with the advances in combat medicine in the last few years, I think more and more people should have a deeper medical training. If more people were trained better, it may save more lives.

Sadly, EMTs in this area make 7-8 dollars an hour, and paramedics make 10-12 dollars an hour. I did the civilian EMT thing a few years ago for extra income, but I always felt sorry for the guys and gals that did it for a living.

JMO,

Steve

I belive that pay scale is about average..Unfortunately,its starting to show in the types of people coming into the field(at least in my area)

Last year during CE hours,I spent the last 2 days being a patient for a new class going thru on the skills portion of their national test..One lady stands out more than the rest..She was only getting maybe half of the skills down on each excercise and kept asking why she was failing on top of barely being able to speak English..Her argument was that she only wanted to work for a transport service and not a 911 service so, "could we please pass her anyway"
WTF?????? Lady, that may be me or my family youre transporting someday,hell no were not gonna pass you...