Published: July 02, 2009 10:49 pm      

State offers a path to career as emergency medical technician

CUMBERLAND — It’s not news that the number of volunteers available in Allegany County has been in a gradual but steady decline for the past 15 years. Steve Kesner, chief of Allegany County’s Emergency Medical Services Division, said potential recruits don’t know what they’re missing.

A volunteer role could expand later into a paid position with a local government or private ambulance company, he said. And much of the cost of training a new paramedic, or emergency medical technician (EMT-P), is shouldered by Maryland government or the individual volunteer ambulance companies.

Kesner said the county has approximately 450 EMT-Bs, or volunteers certified to provide basic life support. Only 70 are EMT-P, or advanced life support-qualified.

It is, however, a very time-consuming process. It takes about six months of training to become an EMT-B and another year to become EMT-I, or intermediate. Those with dedication and the time can spend another year before earning EMT-P certification. Classes at Garrett College two nights per week, three hours each night can help a recruit earn EMT-B status in about five months.

For more information, contact Alison Northcraft, recruitment and retention coordinator for the Allegany-Garrett Counties Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, at (301) 876-9155, ext. 112, or by e-mail at anorthcraft@allconet.org.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.