Training

Your rescue squad medical technician members train frequently and must recertify with the Virginia OEMS every four years. The recertification process requires a minumum of 18 continuing education (CE) hours of study for a First Responder (FR) and 36 CE hours for an Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B). These CE hours are obtained by attending monthly training meetings, monthly training video shows presented by the state: (EMSAT), annual conferences, Web-based online training, and special training classes sponsored by Boteourt County Emergency Services (BCES), the Western Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council (WVEMS) and the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads (VAVRS).

The Web is another great source for obtaining emergency medical training. There are podcasts, private websites and corporate websites that offer very good and entertaining training (but not CE credits). Here are a few websites worth reviewing:

Podcasts:
MedicCast by Jamie Davis

Safety:
EMS Close Calls

Manufactures:
Zoll AED Plus

WVEMS website is a valuable source of information for providers.

VAVRS website is a valvuable source of information for providers.

EMSAT video schedule and links for viewing past training videos

Premier online training by Virginia Department of Health

A great podcast published weekly by paramedic Jamie Davis

Many things to think about and watch out for in the EMS field

Great training videos for the Zoll AED Plus Automatic External Defibrillator