Emergency Medical Technician Erie PA

An EMT is the official name for emergency responders in the field of pre-hospital care. Often, they are the first medical personnel at the scene of an emergency. They staff ambulances and Quick Response Units, and are trained in a wide variety of emergency procedures, from splinting broken bones to averting heart attacks. An EMT may work on a paid department or may be a volunteer.

EMTs are trained to varying degrees. Police officers and many firefighters are trained to the First Responder level of technicians, which allows them to perform some basic life support functions in the field. Basic First Responders do not possess the necessary training for many advanced life support procedures. Technicians trained to the EMT-Basic standard are trained in a wider variety of medical procedures. The next levels are EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic. Both of these levels represent an even greater amount of training and qualification. Paramedics represent the highest level of training in pre-hospital care, and are qualified to perform a large number of advanced life support procedures, including the administration of many specific drugs.

The salary of an EMT will depend on his level of qualification, his job location, any previous relevant experience, and other factors. First Responders often work as firefighters or police officers rather than as a dedicated First Responder, so their salaries will depend on their primary job. Some city firefighter positions require applicants to be qualified to EMT-Basic level or above, and can offer anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 per month, depending on the state, city, and department.

Most paid EMTs can expect a salary of between $11 and $18 per hour, depending on the area and the population density of the city. If you have prior experience as an EMT, or if you have additional qualifications and certifications, this will help you possibly receive a higher starting wage. First Responders will not make as high a salary as EMT-Basics, and so on. Paramedics, not surprisingly, usually receive the highest wage. There are no real national standards for EMT salaries; your salary as an EMT will depend largely on your personal circumstances, from the amount of training you have to where you life in the country.

Not all EMTs work in paid positions. Many EMTs (including paramedics) work as volunteers, often as part of a local volunteer fire department or Quick Response Unit. These EMTs are required to be as fully qualified as those working on paid departments. In contrast to paid EMTs, volunteers usually respond to emergency calls from their personal homes, or from other jobs. They may respond in personal vehicles, or they may go to a station and respond in an ambulance or another emergency vehicle.

Volunteers may keep personal pagers and radios with them at all times, in order to be prepared to drop whatever they are doing in order to respond to the emergency call. Due to the unpredictable nature of volunteer work, it may not be appropriate for everyone. Some jobs do not allow for the flexibility required of a volunteer. Some people may not live near enough to a station to be able to respond very quickly.

However, if you live close to a fire station or Quick Response Unit station, you might consider working as a volunteer if you already have a full time job. You could opt to respond to night dispatches if you work days. If your schedule is already busy, sometimes working as a volunteer can be the best way to offer emergency medical services.