34 replies to this topic

[sarahd]

My boyfriend is looking into becoming an EMT - his driver's license is suspended until August 2012 (because of underage drinking, two years ago - nothing to do with actually driving). Should he expect any issues in becoming certified because of this? He is also curious to know if the fact that his driver's license has been suspended will affect his ability to find a job in this field (in any of the 50 states) once he is certified. Any info on this subject would be very helpful; thanks in advance!

[Iowa Medic]

Call the state in which he will be certified and tell them exactly what occurred.

I live in Iowa so I would search for Iowa Department of Public Health/EMS and there will be contact information. There was a person on the local Volunteer department that went all the way through class only to be told he was unable to test due to not being honest on one of the four questions asked prior to starting the EMT-B class.

Questions are akin to Have you been convicted of a felony, Lost your license, etc etc

[Captain ToHellWithItAll]

A job that requires driving and you are questioning whether having a suspended drivers license will have an impact on getting a job?

Um I really don't know how to answer that question, I'm going to have to go with YEP he will find it very hard to find a job.

My suspicions, and they are just suspicions, but if I was a hiring manager but I ran your boyfriends driving record and saw the suspension and then ran a background check and saw that it was for underage drinking then I would put your boyfriends application on the bottom of the pile of applications. No wait, I did just that when I was part of the hiring process at a EMS system in the KC MO area.

I think that your boyfriend is going to have a very very hard time getting hired as an emt driver. Very very hard might be a relatively light term. He could get hired on with a company that all they want is someone who will fill out the uniform and have a pulse but I'm sure that he doesn't to work for a service like that does he. Or maybe he just wants a job.

But if he wants to work for someplace that means something, well, they probably don't want to hire him due to his past suspension and conviction.

So best advice I can give him is to go directly to paramedic school, pass go, collect 200 and a paramedic license.

But to get a job as a emt with his history is a pipe dream in my opinion.

[island emt]

I'm guessing you want the unvarnished truth : So here goes.
Because he was a minor at the time AND it did not include driving he might get lucky.
Be sure to report the infraction and license suspension on the application for the class.
Many states will screen his license application very carefully prior to issuing an EMT license.
Some will not allow him to test for class final if they will even allow him to take the class.

Hope it works out for him

If his record came across my desk , it would depend on what I saw when I met him in an interview on whether it went in the round file or not.

[sarahd]

A job that requires driving and you are questioning whether having a suspended drivers license will have an impact on getting a job?

Um I really don't know how to answer that question, I'm going to have to go with YEP he will find it very hard to find a job.

My suspicions, and they are just suspicions, but if I was a hiring manager but I ran your boyfriends driving record and saw the suspension and then ran a background check and saw that it was for underage drinking then I would put your boyfriends application on the bottom of the pile of applications. No wait, I did just that when I was part of the hiring process at a EMS system in the KC MO area.

I think that your boyfriend is going to have a very very hard time getting hired as an emt driver. Very very hard might be a relatively light term. He could get hired on with a company that all they want is someone who will fill out the uniform and have a pulse but I'm sure that he doesn't to work for a service like that does he. Or maybe he just wants a job.

But if he wants to work for someplace that means something, well, they probably don't want to hire him due to his past suspension and conviction.

So best advice I can give him is to go directly to paramedic school, pass go, collect 200 and a paramedic license.

But to get a job as a emt with his history is a pipe dream in my opinion.

His license would be reinstated by the time he would test to become certified, does that not make a difference? Yes, he has a tainted past, but this occurred two years ago, and wasn't even a misdemeanor. In any case, I appreciate all of your responses!

[paramedicmike]

It doesn't matter that it happened two years ago and wasn't even a misdemeanor. It doesn't matter that his license would be reinstated by the time he becomes certified. What you're failing to grasp is that this job requires that one be able to drive, safely, a vehicle that is operated at times under emergency conditions. These conditions require demonstrated skill and sound decision making. Your boyfriend, by drinking underage and having his license suspended, demonstrated with legally definable consequences, poor judgement and decision making. It will not look good on his application. It will very likely lead to multiple and repeated denials of employment in the EMS industry. In fact, it will very likely lead to multiple and repeated denials in any job that requires driving as part of the job description. Insurance companies don't want to insure someone with that on their record.

Speaking of record, do you remember back in high school (and possibly before) how people used to joke about stuff going down on your "permanent record"? Remember how people used to joke about riduculous the thought of that was? Guess what's happened to your boyfriend? The more time that passes without his making any other stupid decisions the better off he'll be. But for the immediate and foreseeable future this will be on his record and will likely come back to haunt him.

Insurmountable in the long term? No. If he keeps his nose clean and doesn't get into any more legal trouble he should be able to over come this obstacle. However, it will take several years. Short term, however, it will come back to haunt him time and again.

Best of luck to the both of you.

[DwayneEMTP]

To get good information you're really going to need to tell the rest of the story...I'm unaware of anywhere that revokes a person's license for three years due to a single incidence of underage drinking with no driving involved...

What happened?

[paramedicmike]

Good call, Dwayne. I did a little poking around and found this website that details offenses and punishments for underage drinking. There are no states that have a two to three year suspension listed. However, several states leave it open to judicial discretion with regards to punishment and the time frames involved.

So it would appear that there are quite likely many more details to this story that would be relevant to the individual in question being able to get a job once his DL is reinstated.

Are you able to enlighten us, Sarah?

[Cookie]

I am with Dwayne and paramedicmike on this. There has got to be "The rest of the Story". Maybe this was not his first rodeo with underage drinking.

[nypamedic43]

His license would be reinstated by the time he would test to become certified, does that not make a difference? Yes, he has a tainted past, but this occurred two years ago, and wasn't even a misdemeanor. In any case, I appreciate all of your responses!

No it doesnt make a difference. This will come back to haunt him time and time again. As EMS providers, we are held to a higher standard, by our co-workers, the community, family and friends. How can a possible employer look at his application and positively say that he would be a great asset? When past decisions havent been so great? If he had an underage drinking problem, can they say that he doesnt have that same problem now...2 yrs later. I dont think that they can.

I am assuming, Sarah, that you have no knowledge of emergency medicine. We go into peoples homes, in thier time of crisis. Our characters MUST be without reproach. Patients and thier families have to be able to trust that the people taking care of them or thier loved one are sober and can make fast decisions if needed. Everything we do is looked at under a microscope. Every action and every reaction. This isn't TV, where the paramedics win the day, every day.

I have to agree with Dwayne and Mike....there is more to this story that isnt being told.