Looking for a career that will challenge you physically and mentally?

Learn to employ both technical and communication skills in the exciting field of Emergency Medical Services.

Be a part of a team that helps people on a daily basis.

Automobile injuries, heart attacks, near drownings, unscheduled childbirth's, poisonings and gunshot wounds all demand urgent medical attention. Help arrives as the result of a 911 call. If you are interested in science and medicine, can handle people in all kinds of crisis situations, are physically and emotionally fit, and can work under intense pressure, being an emergency medical technician is a career for you.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-Basic) Duties

EMT-Basic usually work in teams of two or more. Following directions from a dispatcher, they drive specially equipped vehicles to the scenes of emergencies. Typically one of the first emergency workers to arrive, they assess the nature and extent of the injuries or illness, provide the appropriate emergency care, and determine transportation needs. EMT-Basic manage airway, breathing problems, control bleeding, treat shock and a myriad of other procedures in an attempt to stabilize the patient so the patient may be transported to a medical facility.

Job Prospects and Income

With the rapid growth in the Denver area comes the need for expanded emergency services. Fire departments are hiring throughout the Denver metro area. EMT-Basic is a prerequisite for application in most departments. Private ambulance companies are also expanding. EMT-Basics with a strong knowledge base and proficient skills are needed in this area of EMS. Occasionally, emergency departments hire EMT-Basics as emergency room technicians.

Fire department salary average around $30,000 per year. Private ambulance companies usually start EMT-Basics at about $8.00 per hour. Emergency department technicians are usually paid around $12.00 per hour. Many fire departments are currently looking for those trained beyond the EMT-Basic level and at the EMT-Paramedic level. Paramedic firefighters make approximately $50,000 per year. Those paramedics working for private ambulance companies are paid around $15.00 per hour.

Emergency Medical Services
at Red Rocks Community College

Red Rocks offers two EMT-Basic certificates and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedicine.

Studies include human anatomy and  physiology, humanities, social sciences, and supervisory courses.

The college also offers ACLS, EKG, and IV continuing education courses.

This program is designed to train workers in the field of Emergency Medical Service. It begins with an entry-level EMT-Basic certificate program, and includes an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedicine.  Students should consult with an Emergency Medical Service Faculty advisor early in their college career to explore all of their educational options (see contact information below).  Students must earn a C or better in all EMS courses to graduate.

The EMT-Basic Certificate I is the first step towards getting a job in the field. The EMT-Basic Certificate II focuses on the courses needed to enter the paramedical training itself. Included in both certificates are courses needed to complete the AAS degree, which is designed for those seeking a degree in paramedicine. For those interested in working towards a bachelor’s degree, AAS is transferable to a few four-year institutions in Colorado.

Contact

Information Line for Emergency and Public Safety Department: 303-914-6115

Steve Brown, EMS Coordinator
303-914-6441
steven.brown@rrcc.edu

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