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EMT-B Federal Requirement


Finney

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Hello everyone,

My name is Finney. I am posting this thread to gain some insight on what other states are doing about the federal requirement that requires one to accumulate 190 hours of instruction in order to become an EMT-B. I myself am not an EMT and would greatly benefit from the input of knowledgeable individuals such as yourselves.

As a New York resident who deals with rural communities I have observed that it is becoming increasingly difficult for volunteers to travel 1.5 hours or more for multiple days a week to reach an EMT training facility. This is resulting in a decrease in EMS volunteers. New York State has adopted these federal guidelines but I was wondering what other states are doing in regards to their EMT-B curriculum. Are there any alternatives to going to the training facility for each session (i.e. an online alternative?). The implications are very frightening when one considers a dramatic drop in volunteer services.

If anyone has any information, or knows where I could inquire to get some information, I would be very grateful.

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Finney, your concern is not just in New York but all over but I'm surprised that someone would need to travel 1.5 hours for education when there are thousands of agencies in New York state that are eligible for training fund reimbursements. http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/pdf/agencies_eligible.pdf

Also, for the EMT's that are already licensed, there are online options but they only allow up to a certain amount of online education.

New York accepts CE Solutions' continuing education according to the following guidelines:

  • 3 Year Recertification Program: A maximum of 12 hours for "core content" and 24 hours for additional CME hours may be credited for self-study activities through documented continuing education via publications, video and/or Internet training.
  • 5 Year Recertification Program: Continuing education programs should include many different learning activities. Topics must be relevant to EMS and/or prehospital care. You must be able to document attendance and participation. A maximum of 25 hours total may be credited for self-study activities through documented continuing education via publications, video and/or Internet training.

There are also 21 pages of EMS education providing services/agencies that are licensed by the state of New York to provide BLS (at the least) education

http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/pdf/csponsors.pdf

What concerns me in your post is that the volunteers in your area are having to travel so far when with the hundreds maybe even thousands (42 pages of 42 providers each page = 1600+ providers) that surely one of those agencies in my first link is the volunteer agency you are close to. They are eligible for training reimbursement and while I don't know anything about what the payment rate is, I'm sure that there could be money for at least a few CEU classes or one EMT class a year.

My home state of Missouri allows for all my paramedic hours for recertification to be taken online except for ACLS and CPR. That being said, I can relicense with a 100$ initial outlay I can relicense for my Missouri medic without even having to leave the comfort of my house. New York just seems to be behind the times in distance learning and allowiing it to happen.

I would Print out the links that I showed you here and take them to your volunteer department and have them look at them. Who knows, you might just start a education frenzy when they realize there's some free money involved.

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You'll forgive me for being confused but just what are you looking for? What kind of information do you want? About other state programs? About programs in NY? About online EMS training? (Bad idea, by the way.) Are you looking for an EMT program but don't feel like driving to get to one?

I do not share your concerns about a drop in volunteer EMS.

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Frankly, 190 hours is not exactly a prohibitive requirement IMHO. I would suggest you spend time looking through the National EMS Education Standards and the national EMS Scope of Practice Model. The requirements are no longer hour based but competency based. 150-190 hours is a suggested range, an expectation value if you will.

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Ruff, I can't say for sure, but as with everything else in NY, the requirements to actually run a class may be prohibitive despite those funds being available. An agency has to go through several certifications to be allowed to hold a class and might not have the manpower to do it.

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I was just providing info from the NY EMS website.

It's up to the OP to dig deeper. But there are reimbursement for training funds and that's what I was getting at.

But I also do not share the concern about falling volunteer ranks as we have discussed here on many occasions, that might just be a good thing re: volly versus paid.

And honestly, I drove 2 hours each way to my paramedic course, I have driven 4 hours to take an ACLS or to even teach an ACLS class and I travelled from KC MO to middle of Tennessee to take a ITLS course so I do not share the concern as well for the hour and a half drive for education.

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Ruff, I can't say for sure, but as with everything else in NY, the requirements to actually run a class may be prohibitive despite those funds being available. An agency has to go through several certifications to be allowed to hold a class and might not have the manpower to do it.

I cannot say anything about NY requirements, so my comments are specific toward national recommendations.

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Want some cheese to go with that whine ????

Suck it up sweet cheeks.

You want a job without spending some time sweat and effort to become educated.

190 hours won't begin to teach you the skills or knowledge needed to become a quality prehospital provider.

Go flip burgers or work as a greeter at whalemart.

There: someone had to say it. :whistle:

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