itku2er Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Are you taking this class in High School? By your age I am thinking you are still a HS student.
Richard B the EMT Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 If memory serves me correctly, in New York State, you can take the class, but must be 18 to sit for the state written test. I've heard some people celebrated their 18th birthday by taking the test, on the first day they were agewise elegible.
Dustdevil Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Richard s/he is in Florida though. Trust me, it's almost impossible to tell the difference between New York and Floridia anymore.
Chief1C Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 You could move to a state that allows full certification at 16.. I was one, and I turned out okay, of course I had a LOT of old timers to mentor me. FOG's
WolfmanHarris Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 I'm really glad you've found something that interests you. Looking back to when I was 16 I can recall some of the motivations and interests I had that ended up leading me here (yes I know I'm only 24, but 16 seems so young.) I also teach a great deal of people your age course in lifeguarding, First Responder and others. So please realize that it's from experience that I say this; I have my doubts that you are ready to function in an EMS environment. At 16 most people's sense of responsibility for themselves, let alone others is underdeveloped at best. I find it very difficult to instill in lifeguard candidates the seriousness of their job in such a way that they aren't horribly negligent after months of working without jumping in the water. I have a hell of a time convincing 16 year old First Responder students to put down the AED and pick up the book. There are exceptions, but they aren't likely to be asking others to answer the question about whether they can certify. They'd have looked it up and know for themselves. Once again, not a dig, what we've seen from you so far is about what I expect from a 16 year old. And that's okay. Now is the time to make the right choices about whether EMS interests you and is a potential career for you. Step one, take the credit Basic course you're in. Enjoy it, get the taste of EMS-lite, then move on and keep studying. Put down the sager splint and oxygen tank, take your fingers off the siren button and put down the galls catalog. Go study biology, chemistry and all the other subjects and start looking for an associates degree of higher that leads to a Paramedic license. This is the path for success and unlike some of us, you get to learn about it before you've taken missteps. Still get as much exposure as you can to EMS and learn how interesting this field can be. But get an accurate picture of what's involved and an accurate sense of the responsibility you're taking on and the maturity it requires. It might take longer, but the deferred gratification will be far more worthwhile and make you a far better provider then the quick and easy road. Welcome to the City. Welcome to EMS. Use the resources here and around you, be a sponge and learn what you can. Best of luck! - Matt
EMT-B- STUDENT_miami-dade Posted June 3, 2009 Author Posted June 3, 2009 You can become a First Responder at any time but in order to do your clinicals, ride times, and take the NREMT exam you have to be 18. Sweety here is the link to our Department of Health: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/EMT-Paramed...ts.html#Initial If you are taking this in High School I'm going to guess you are either at Edison High or Homestead Sr. High. Neither school truely have an EMT-B course. Yes I know what your transcripts yes, yes I know what your teachers are telling you. You will graduating as a First Responder and then have to retake the EMT-B course when your 17 almost 18. Been there done that. I cried, I fought, I still had to retake the course at the college. At the college we had a 17 year old almost 18 rushing to get his rides and clinicals done. I'm sorry to be the barer of bad news. no im attending mater academy im a 11th grader and im taking my course at a EMT school
Gypsy Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 What school are you taking the course? I really don't want you to go through what I did. You might want to call the Department of Health and see if they view it as an EMT-B course just to be on the safe side. The link I gave as the list of schools and their numbers. Also like I said you wont be able to do your ride times or clinicals at 17. You also can't take the NREMT ( which is what the state uses) until your 18. The link for that site is www.nremt.org
Richard B the EMT Posted June 5, 2009 Posted June 5, 2009 Trust me, it's almost impossible to tell the difference between New York and Florida anymore. Sounds like you accept the premise that the state of Florida is the retirement community for the city of New York. By that premise, my mom, "Momma B", as a retired NYC Schoolteacher, is breaking the law that says she, after retiring, is supposed to have moved to Boca Raton, but instead, has remained in Belle Harbor, NYC, NY. You could move to a state that allows full certification at 16.. I was one, and I turned out okay, of course I had a LOT of old timers to mentor me. FOG's Suggest you change the wording to "Longtimers", and translate what you mean by FOG. Thanks.
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