JOB DESCRIPTION

Administer first aid treatment and transport sick or injured persons to medical facility, working as a member of an emergency medical team.

SKILLS AND APTITUDES NEEDED

Emotionally stable Good agility, dexterity, and physical coordination Ability to lift and carry heavy loads Good eyesight (corrective lenses may be used) with accurate color vision

Depending on the nature of the emergency, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are dispatched to the scene by a 911 operator and often work with police and fire department personnel. Once they arrive, they determine the nature and extent of the patient’s condition while trying to ascertain whether the patient has preexisting medical problems. Following strict procedures, they give appropriate emergency care and transport the patient. At the medical facility, EMTs help transfer patients to the emergency department, and report their observations and actions to staff.

EMTs work both indoors and outdoors, in all types of weather. They are required to do considerable kneeling, bending, and heavy lifting. They risk noise-induced hearing loss from sirens and back injuries from lifting patients. EMTs may be exposed to diseases such as Hepatitis-B and AIDS, as well as violence from drug overdose victims or psychologically disturbed patients. The work is not only physically strenuous, but also stressful, involving life-ordeath situations and suffering patients. Because emergency services function 24 hours a day, EMTs may have irregular working hours.