Medics know that they’re a lot more than ambulance drivers, but they also know that to some people, they’re little more than taxi drivers who ferry people to the hospital. Below are 5 important facts about the medical professionals who are poised to respond to emergencies and help sick or injured individuals, no matter what time of day or night.
Reason #1 that EMS medics are much more than ambulance drivers: They’re highly trained medical professionals who undergo rigorous schooling and certification. An EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) is the most basic level of EMS professional. To become an EMT, you must take about 150 hours of training in both classroom and clinical settings. They’re trained in Basic Life Support and respond to all types of medical emergencies, including car crashes, childbirth, falls, accidental poisonings and illnesses. They’re trained to perform CPR, give respiratory assistance, stabilize broken bones and spinal fractures, bandage wounds, deliver babies, and resuscitate drowning victims. EMTs are certified at the state level and must take refresher courses to maintain their certification.
Reason #2 that medics are much more than ambulance drivers: A paramedic is the highest level of Emergency Medical Services provider. The first step of their training is to complete the standard 150 hours of EMT training to qualify them for Basic Life Support. Then, most states require them to work as an EMT for at least six months. After that, they undergo another 1,200 to 1,800 hours of rigorous classroom and clinical training in Advanced Life Support. Then, they’re tested by their state certifying agency. A paramedic performs more advanced life-saving procedures than an EMT, such as administering IV medications and using advanced techniques like tracheal intubation in respiratory emergencies. Some paramedics go through additional training and certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Reason #3: Medics are people who can maintain their composure in difficult and stressful circumstances. Imagine having to extricate broken and bleeding people from a car wreck and then remaining calm enough to make a skilled assessment of their injuries so you can administer life saving support. Imagine arriving at the scene of a drowning and resuscitating a small child. Imagine the rewarding feeling when you’ve saved that child’s life – then imagine how you’d feel if you weren’t able to rescue them. That’s a situation that EMTs and paramedics face all of the time and it takes a steel constitution to not let it get to you so you can keep on doing your job to the best of your ability. That’s just a taste of what’s involved with being a medic.
Reason #4: Still not convinced that being a medic is much more than being an ambulance driver? Here’s the fourth reason: Medics are vital to their communities. Where would we be if we didn’t have people who respond in the blink of an eye to serious medical emergencies? What would you do if you or a loved one had an accident or a heart attack and a team of people arrived on the scene and said, “Sorry, all we can do is drive you to the hospital? You’ll have to wait until you get to the ER to get any medical assistance.” Many people who would normally be saved would die instead.
Reason #5: The fifth and final reason that medics are much more than ambulance drivers: Being a medic is more than just training or responding adeptly to medical emergencies. EMTs and paramedics care about people and their community. They’re valuable professionals who are ready to help 24/7 people in need, no matter how serious the situation.
