The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Pathfinder on September 18, 2008, 09:48:58 PM
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I've been following one of MB's recommendations, and reading survivalblog.com every day. Interesting stuff, makes me paranoid (more so?) just reading it.
Anyhow, some weeks back, one of the contributors had a note on EMS training. I checked locally and discovered what is maybe the only civilian Citizen Academy for EMS in Fargo, ND. There are police and fire civilian programs, but this is run by a local ambulance service.
It is 3 hours every Wednesday night for 8 weeks. We are to be certified in CPR, defib machines, learn how to intubate and start lines, practice codes on a dummy (not me! ;D ) and do ride-alongs with ambulance crews. And get this - it is free! It's part of the service's community outreach program. Check it out at
http://www.fmambulance.com/htmls/citizen_academy.htm (http://www.fmambulance.com/htmls/citizen_academy.htm)
If I enjoy it as much as I think I will (I was pre-med many many years ago) I will sign up for the EMT-Basic class that I was originally looking for. Part of that TEOTWAWKI preparedness that survivalblog talks about.
Check out programs in your neighborhood, you might be surprised at what you find - and learn!
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You said the magic word: FREE. That's cool. I was Red Cross certified in basic first aid when I was 11 and learned CPR later on, maybe not until I was in the army. I never got any more training but I think I would like to learn more. The field of medicine is is one of the most interesting things there is to me. One of my army buddies learned somewhere before joining how to do tracheotomies but didn't get certified. He said that if you got certified for it and someone needed a trach you were responsible for doing it. I don't know if that was true or not but he didn't want the obligation and decided not to accept a certificate. It's oe thing to know something and another to be held accountable for someone else's life or death. I don't know how well the "good samaritan" laws work either.
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Our local EMS is totally volunteer, no experience necessary. We get new people all the time. We teach you CPR and basic operatioins (equipment locations and such) then turn you loose to ride and help out with experienced crews. When your schedule works out you can get an EMT class and start being in charge of patient care. If working in the back isn't your thing you can be Driver-only and drive fast and make noise. ;D After a year as an EMT you can get certified to give IVs, or if your really ambitious and have the time go Paramedic and do all the cool stuff. All free and paid for by the county. Plus the state has a program where after three years of service you get $3500 of your state taxes and retirement check (not much, I think $200-300/month) after 30.