EMS Cadets/Explorers?

[Richard B the EMT]

I'm going to go try and get a date with that cute girl in homeroom. Laters!

No way, dude! I asked her first!!

Forget it, both of you! She's my sister!

Nice post Bushy. I'll concede that while I am against young people on ambulances in principle, and I don't think anything will sway that fact, there is a big difference between a formal cadet program and a volunteer service that allows 14 year old ride alongs and 15, 16, or 17 year old EMT's.

If you want to make a program, train teens in first aid, get them interested in the field, fine. I'd say if you want to take them out at the very end of the program and let them do a ride along or two after they have succesfully proved themselves in class and are with a mentor, I'd say okay.

But that is a far cry from 16 and 17 year olds responding to their vollie squad building to go out on whatever call comes in through 911, and really, that is where I have the problem.

This seems to be the best response I think I have seen on the topic, both now, and in the 3 year old string.

Edited October 30, 2009 by Richard B the EMT