A bit too young

[ERDoc]

And who is the medical director that allows you to do this? Every EMT/paramedic in the US functions under the license of a physician. What physician is allowing a 14y/o to jeopardize their license? On that note, what insurance company is allowing you to put their profits at risk by covering your malpractice?

You are also changing your story. You originally said you were nationally registered, now you are saying that you are eligible to be called up by the feds. Which is it?

As for your fellow emergency responders not understanding the context of your situation, we understand it fully. You are FOS. We have plenty of rural/woodland/wildland people here and every one of them can tell you your story is crap.

You still have not directly answered the questions posed to you by me and triemal.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Ok, I'll say it - I CRY BULLSHIT.

Let's see your card - make a copy of the card, then black out your name and your cert number and scan it in and post it here.

I don't believe a word you are saying.

Prove me and everyone else here wrong.

Otherwise, stop trying to fool us as we weren't born yesterday.

[triemal04]

And this is the point where I stop being polite to the little wannabe.

Ok well, I'm glad to know that my fellow emergency medical responders don't understand that

We are not your fellow emergency medical responders. You are a little wannabe kid who doesn't have a clue what he is talking about. In fact, by your limited responses so far, you are nothing more than the stereotypical child. Believe me, that is not a compliment.

due to the context of my situation the government (which they always do) has changed the rules

Really? Shut the fuck up. The federal government has not changed any rules specifically for you, and really has not changed any requirements or regulations for federal contracting for wildland fires or emergency medical services (which is all that your po'dunk department would be good for) for awhile. The fact that you think that this level of BS response would actually be accepted as legitamite speaks volumes to your maturity and capacity to understand what you are talking about.

I have training enough to be called upon as an EMT by federal standards,

No. You don't. There are no "federal standards" for EMT's kid. There are requirements for people who contract with the government to provide services, which is a very different thing, and...guess what...you don't meet any of them! Not to mention the fact that a 14 year old CHILD will not be allowed to be a real, recognized part of any response, contracted or otherwise, that involves the national gov't, or even the state government during a crisis.

and the town, county, and state standards

Really? Your little po'dunk town has it's own state-sanctioned levels and standards for EMT's? Bullshit. You don't have a clue what you are talking about. Billy-bob at po'dunk fahr department (motto: we ain't never done lost us a foundation boys!) might have a "standard" for the...responders...in the department, but I gaurentee you don't meet any state or county standards.

You aren't eligible for anything or taught to any real level. Billy-bob may have given you a piece of paper with some made up crap that isn't worth the paper it's printed on, but that does not make you any form of real provider of anything.

You really want to do this in the future? (future because you damn sure aren't doing it now) Do what I told you and actually learn about it. Really learn about it, and not about whatever shit is being done in po'dunkville, because you child, are in for a very rude awakening.

(I apologize in advance to everyone else; I know I've harped on people for the harsh response to new posters...but I think it's justified in this situation.)

[paramedicmike]

Popcorn's popped. Please continue.

MTA: I'm wondering who's trolling us. Is this a former regular? We've certainly had our share of people who like to stir the pot simply for the sake of stirring the pot.

Edited December 18, 2014 by paramedicmike

[triemal04]

To be completely honest, I'm betting that this isn't someone being malicious and intentionally trying to annoy people.

I think it's probably nothing more than a stereotypical kid who thinks he's the shit because he doesn't know any better, doesn't want to know any better, and won't listen to anyone who tells him he's wrong.

But on rare, rare, rare, once in a lifetime occasions...I've been wrong before.

[iStater]

This young person asked for advice for studying for the EMT exam.

Why not clarify a few things first about his certifications before cussing at a kid out on a public forum?

To the OP:

Are you part of a junior volunteer program which is part of the National Volunteer Fire Council - NVFC?

The word National can be misleading as Federal but this is a National program available to all states with similar recognized standards.

This is a program which is available to communities/departments for ages 14 - 17.

Each state has a part in regulating what participants can do per labor and child safety laws.

The participants are "nationally registered" meaning they are listed as junior FFs and junior EMTs. The card they carry will use that terminology also.

There are also explorer programs by departments which may fall under a different category and standards outside of the NVFC.

Their training is similar to the regular EMT program just like the Boy Scouts' program although the Boy Scouts' program usually exceeds EMT training by including wilderness first aid as an option among other survival skills.

The uniforms are often the same as the regular FFs and EMTs which means you have to look close to see "junior volunteer".

They are allowed to participate in public events, at first aid stands and to ride in the ambulances.

Some of the things the junior members are allowed to do can be a little disturbing to have a young teenager doing but are often defended by the Medical Director, the Doctor. An example would be a 15 y/o junior EMT removing the bra from a woman or young girl and placing the ECGs electrodes. When the ED staff questioned this the Medical Director told us the juniors had to get used to nudity if they wanted to be an EMT.

The US Department of Labor and each state have child labor laws. The OP did state he worked with a mechanic and not as the chief mechanic. A lot of kids get jobs at 14 or 15 especially in rural areas. As long as no child labor laws are violated, I say good for them.

[scubanurse]

I know the OP is asking about studying, but if they are really a paid mechanic at a department and already essentially functioning as an EMT, wouldn't he have the resources available to study for the exam?? Why would he need to come to a forum to ask, when he is surrounded by a plethora of experience and already knows everything he needs to know?

[iStater]

A plethora? Small towns in the US don't always have a college, a big library or lots of EMTs. Even EMTs or students in the big cities complain about their resources or seek out help on the forums. Why does anybody ask questions on the internet? Maybe he just wants to branch out a little or network to see if all EMS is just like the volunteer and maybe partially paid organization he is familiar with. I doubt if the paid EMTs have that many calls to their name in a very rural situation. Several small communities start junior EMT and FF programs to increase an interest in EMS since there are not that many other ways to gain an insight but still resources are limited. He may also have limited access to the paid EMTs if they conflict with his school hours. He even stated he was asking this to gain information from more experienced people. There are also many websites just dedicated to EMT study questions but some are good and some are really bad. Young people today also like to use the internet for meet and greet. Maybe if the discussion had be directed more towards what part of studying for the EMT he was interested in before starting in with profanity to prove a 14 y/o wrong, it might have been interesting to hear from a young person who takes an interest in EMS including the mechanical aspects of truck maintenance which is somehow overlooked by a few as the headlines have pointed out in recent months.

I doubt if many 14 y/os have this much of a grasp of what EMTs or FFs do. This 14 y/o was telling you as he understood it and as he was told. A lot of paid EMTs don't understand their certifications or state and national agencies.

So much for all of the teach the public stuff. How many members of the public, after seeing this discussion, would be eager to ask questions about EMS if you tell a 14 y/o to STFU?

[ERDoc]

Istater, I agree that we can be pretty hard on new people here. But look at what he has said in the posts and this thread and tell me it doesn't raise some red flags.

I'm a really good Mechanic for my department, so they decided to train me in BLS so i'd be able to help on scenes, I have to wait 4 years until i get to take the exam, but i can study for it...I've responded to a couple calls as EMT but ive never done nor would i dare to perform any ALS or anything like that...

The local department has trained him in first aid, but yet he claims to be responding to scenes as an EMT. He even stated he has to wait 4 years to take the exam. What state allows you to be an EMT without taking the exam? I hope he is not identifying himself to pts as an EMT.

Actually my state has issued me with a joint training/trained firefighter EMT card as we are a dual department...Its government issued and states that I am a nationally registered EMT just not my level...I am trained by my state and am USA nationally registered...

He states that the state issued the card. But then he says he is nationally registered (we'll assume that he doesn't mean NREMT). He has been asked which state several times and has failed to answer. Which state issues certification cards to people who have not taken the exam and allows them to be nationally registered? There are several states that won't even recognize NREMT, much less a state issued card without a reciprocity agreement. I can tell you that even if he had a card and taken a test in whatever state he is from, NY state would not recognize it. No one under 18 is allowed to be an EMT. I know NY isn't the mecca of EMS, but I use it as an example since it is the one I am most familiar with. They wouldn't even let him be a CFR.

Ok well, I'm glad to know that my fellow emergency medical responders don't understand that due to the context of my situation the government (which they always do) has changed the rules...neither one of my parents work for the Fire department or EMS my department is extremely rural and woodland/wildland, we have a few paid members as well as two fleet maintenance crew. Myself and the main mechanic. I have training enough to be called upon as an EMT by federal standards, and the town, county, and state standards...due to the fact that we have minimal paid staff the department as well as the state has trained all Fire/EMS employees as well as administration and fleet maintenance for BLS/EMT...

When has the government ever changed the rules for anyone other than a politician?

When it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and smells like crap, it's probably crap.

EDIT: Posted at the same time as istater. I don't think anyone on here has a problem helping someone with questions. The first 2 posts after the OP were non judgemental and friendly. I was the first one to call BS once he/she started misrepresenting himself. You are right, there are people that don't know everything about their position, but it's pretty clear whether you are or are not an EMT even at 14y/o.

Edited December 18, 2014 by ERDoc

[iStater]

We are hearing how he understands this as a 14 YEAR OLD. He may know only what the card issued to him but no one has told him about all the ins and outs of state and the NREMT or if his state uses the NREMT. A quick search on this forum also shows people who say they are EMTs an Paramedics but are also confused about the new levels and the NREMT or their state certs.

He will learn more about the legalities of a "title" when he gets into the EMT class. Until then, you could have explained it to him without attacking him and the profanity.

I have stated that the NVFC has a program and participants are "registered" with them after completing the training.

New York is one of the leaders in these programs. But, unless you participate in youth programs you probably won't know much about them but that does not mean they don't exist for ages 14 - 17.

My main issue here is with the bullying and abusiveness by the profanity which is directed at someone who states he is 14 YEARS OLD. Coming from those who claim to be Paramedics and EMTs, this is inexcusable. If you thought the OP was bogus, you could have chosen not to respond and report it the moderator of this forum. You did not have to engage in an attack with profanity with someone claiming to be 14 YEARS OLD. Regardless of the subject, don't use profanity at a 14 YEAR OLD and definitely not when you are an EMT or Paramedic in public or on a public forum.

ERdoc, give it a rest. You have shown us you know more than a 14 YEAR OLD.

Edited December 18, 2014 by iStater