There are essentially four levels of pre-hospital care in Connecticut. They are:
- Medical Response Technician (MRT)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) — Basic
- EMT-Intermediate
- EMT-Paramedic
The hours and type of training and education vary with each level of advancement.
- Basic level programs focus on development of practical skills and straightforward decision-making
- Advanced level programs require course participants to perform highly sophisticated clinical skills, and formulate intervention plans that are based on integration and analysis of varied data
While basic CPR programs can be delivered in just a few hours, the EMT and EMT-I programs are more than 150 hours each in length. Paramedic courses can exceed 1,500 hours in length, and are usually associated with degree programs.
Medical Response Technician (MRT)
The MRT, or First Responder, is in most cases the first trained individual who first arrives at the scene of an emergency. This person is most frequently a police officer or firefighter, but may also be part of an industrial/ corporate responder team or part of an organized response program.
First Responders provide basic emergency care until such time as Emergency Medical Services arrives. Their training includes:
- CPR
- First aid skills
- Scene safety
This program consists of approximately 80 hours of training.
Emergency Medical Technician — Basic
The next level of certification is that of EMT Basic (EMT-B). The EMT-B completes a course that's approximately 150 hours long that was developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Upon completing his or her training, the EMT is able to:
- Address life-threatening conditions that might include:
- Airway problems
- Cardiac arrest
- Severe bleeding
- Shock
- Stabilize non-life-threatening situations, such as:
- Wounds
- Fractures
- Childbirth
- Emotional crisis
- Apply special skills, such as:
- Emergency driving
- Maintaining critical equipment and supplies
- Record keeping
This is often the first class a person would take to begin their training in Emergency Medical Services as either a volunteer or paid provider.
EMT — Intermediate
After completion of a basic program, and with some experience, the EMT-B can apply to an EMT Intermediate ( EMT-I ) training course. This program is designed to enhance the knowledge the basic EMT course taught, and provides additional training in specialized techniques.
Most intermediate courses include:
- Specialized training in intravenous therapy
- Medication administration
- Advanced airway care
The EMT-Intermediate program is an excellent method for an EMT to enhance his or her knowledge in preparation for a paramedic course, or to develop stronger patient assessment skills. This program consists of approximately 150 hours of training in addition to the EMT-B class.
EMT — Paramedic
There is a substantial leap in both the education and the responsibilities that an EMT takes when he or she becomes a paramedic. The education that a paramedic receives provides them with a broad foundation of knowledge in pre-hospital emergency care principles.
The advanced care skills utilized by a paramedic include:
- Airway management
- Pharmacology
- Cardiac monitoring
- And others
For More Information
Please call us at 203-797-7554 if you have questions about EMS Training a Danbury Hospital. For more information about classes, please visit the Danbury Hospital Emergency Training Resources web site.