Anyone who once had a desire to pursue a medical course to save lives but did not get the opportunity due to either academic qualifications or finances can pursue EMT or paramedic course and find his/her way to the life saving skills.

1. EMT AND PARAMEDIC TRAINING
“The doctor saves lives but it is the skills of an EMT that helps the doctor to save lives.”
It's not easy to save a life. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics care for the
sick or injured in emergency medical settings. Provides vital care and assistance to patients in
medical emergencies before they are admitted into hospital. People’s lives often depend on their
quick reaction and competent care. EMTs and paramedics respond to emergency calls,
performing medical services and transporting patients to medical facilities. That's why
emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, must meet strict job qualifications. EMTs respond to
emergency calls for emergency medical assistance. They assess patients' conditions and
determine a course of treatment. The job requires education, certification and specific skills.
EMTs who meet the criteria in our country are benefiting from strong job growth with the EMS
organizations like St John Ambulance, Kenya Redcross, AAR,AMREF, MSF,county
governments, parastatals like KENGEN,KPA,KENGEN,NTSA,KENHA,GDC, Tullow Oil,SGR
etc. The Kenya ministry of health and KBS has been sharing statistics on the prevalence of some
medical conditions as an aging population translates into increases in health emergencies, such as
heart attacks and strokes.
Paramedics and EMTs operate under the protocols of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC)
laid by the Kenya Council for Emergency Medical Technicians(KCEMT) and Ministry of
Health. The biggest difference between the two is in terms of their training and their scope of
practice. Put simply, paramedics undergo a longer period of training than EMTs and are
therefore qualified to do a lot more. Paramedics and EMTs are often the first healthcare
professionals to arrive at any scene of an accident or medical emergency. They are typically one
of a two-person ambulance crew. They are trained to resuscitate and stabilise patients using
sophisticated techniques, equipment and drugs. They are responsible for managing the pre-
hospital treatment, care and movement of patients to hospital without unnecessary delay. This
often requires taking potentially life-saving decisions. They are required to work closely with
other healthcare professionals and emergency services and are therefore required to be highly
trained and skilled in all aspects of pre-hospital care ranging from crash injuries to cardiac
arrests.

2. With 460 hours of EMT-Basic training in class work and 320 hours in clinical
rounds/attachment, students learn to assess patient conditions, handle cardiac emergencies, clear
blocked airways and use field equipment. Upon completion of training, Basic EMTs are
qualified to care for patients at the scene and during ambulance rides to the hospital. It’s about 8
months training in total.
To move up to Advanced EMT, technicians need 1,000 hours of training in areas such as the use
of complex airway devices and administration of intravenous fluids and medications. Training
includes both classroom study and work experience in an emergency room or ambulance. To
prepare for postsecondary work, high school students should take courses in anatomy and
physiology, and obtain CPR certification.
CHARACTERISTICS
EMTs need a combination of physical and personal skills to help the sick and injured. Good
physical condition and the ability to lift and carry at least 125 pounds is key, because EMTS
often have to move immobilized patients. Plus, they use precise medical devices and instruments
to stabilize patients, so EMTs must have a steady hand. Also vital are communications skills,
including the ability to ask questions, understand answers and give instructions. What’s more,
critically ill patients and their families are often under a lot of stress, so EMTs need compassion
to provide emotional support. Finally, problem-solving in emergency situations requires critical
thinking skills, including logic, reasoning and judgment.
Prospective EMS students should evaluate whether they have what it takes to thrive in this job.
Even the training for this high-stakes career is intense. This job will expose you to gruesome
accidents, dangerous situations, and extremely high levels of stress. Most EMS jobs are
physically and emotionally demanding, but can also be very exciting and rewarding as well.
The recent popularity of realistic Tragic road accidents, terrorist incidents, medical dramas and
movies on television has served the dual purpose of educating the public while increasing their
awareness of EMS-related employment opportunities. Although highly glamorized, these shows
provide some insight into the type of person that might thrive in the EMS environment. What
these dramas and movies usually fail to show, though, is the amount of training and knowledge

3. that these professionals must obtain before earning the opportunity to save a life.
Any student wanting to pursue EMS training should be physically and emotionally fit, should
have good communication skills and a desire to help people, and should be able to make good
decisions under pressure. EMTs must also possess a vocabulary of basic medical terminology,
certification in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and a clean driving record.
RESEARCHING EMS
EMT and Paramedic courses requires you to be passionate in life saving mission. The best advice
for someone planning to pursue EMS education is to be proactive. Learn as much information as
you can about your educational and career options before deciding. This information can be
gathered by speaking with experienced EMS professionals, by requesting meetings with faculty,
students, and alumni of EMS educational programs that interest you, and by searching online.
FIRST RESPONDER
The First Responder certification is usually required for police officers and firefighters, although
some departments require the higher EMT-Basic certification. Certification programs involve
training in basic life-support skills that a paramedic should know when he arrives at a traffic
accident or fire.
COURSE PROGRAM FOR EMT
EMT-Basic programs generally provide instruction in:
 Basic medical terminology
 Anatomy
 Physiology
 Patient assessment
 CPR
 Medical/Behavioral Emergencies/ Obstetric
 Trauma

4.  Advanced Cardiac Life Support
 Ambulance operations
 Gaining Access/ Extrication
 Foundation in EMS management
 Incident command systems
 EMS Safety Techniques and Applications
 Emergency Medical Dispatcher Course
 Immobilization of fractures
 Bleeding control
 Childbirth
 Hazardous materials
 Blood-borne pathogens
 EMS Approach to HIV-AIDS
 Managing Emergency Incidents on the Roadway
 Ambulance Clinical Rotation
 Emergency Department Clinical Rotation
These programs also provide hands-on experience performing physical exams, assessing trauma,
administering oxygen, maintaining airways, performing semiautomatic defibrillation, and
training to drive an emergency vehicle. Students gain this experience during 460 hours of
classroom training, 320 hours of internship with a field rescue or ambulance service and in the
emergency room of a hospital. Internships are always under the supervision of a "preceptor" who
is a certified and experienced paramedic.
Admission to some EMT-Paramedic programs may require letters of recommendation and
documentation of work performed during internships and two years hands-on experience.
Currently we don’t have any institution in the country offering the paramedic degree in the
country.

5. EMS TRAINING RESOURCES
EMS education can be of benefit not just to prospective EMTs and paramedics, but virtually
anyone who has even a passing interest in being prepared in a disaster event or any other kind of
emergency scenario where immediate medical assistance might be needed. Thankfully,
instruction in basic EMS skills is readily available from a variety of sources.
Responding to emergency calls makes up only a fraction of the total number of ambulance
service journeys; they are also involved in non-emergency work through the patient transport
service/hospital transfers.
SKILLS AND QUALITIES
 Minimum of c- in KCSE
 Valid First Aid certificate from an approved institution
 Valid driving license
 Fit, healthy and have good stamina to cope with distressing situations.
 Physical strength, endurance and flexibility – ability to cope with physically and
emotionally demanding situations.
 Interest in human biology/physiology.
 Caring, responsible and mature personality combined with good social and patient
communication skills so that patient feels as comfortable as possible.
 Excellent communication and team-working skills.
 Mental agility combined with the ability to provide a calm and reassuring environment
for patients and relatives.
 Commitment to continuing personal and professional development.

6. WORK ACTIVITIES
 Carrying out daily inspections on the equipment and the ambulance itself.
 Transmitting and receiving information via radio/telephone.
 Responding to emergency calls – driving quickly and carefully to the site of the incident.
 Briefing hospital staff, giving an accurate report of the patient's condition, circumstances
of the accident and treatment given.
 Assessing the situation and patient condition on arrival and attending to patients using the
full range of pre-hospital emergency care and extended skills as appropriate.
 Administering life saving procedures and appropriate treatment where required such as
inserting drips and fluid, administering resuscitation and dealing with broken bones.
 Assessing the most appropriate method of conveying patients using the relevant
equipment and lifting techniques when necessary.
 Maintaining a high quality of patient care ensuring that consideration is given at all times
to the feelings and needs of the patient.
 Writing patient reports and completing log sheets for each shift.
 Attending regular training to keep up to speed on procedures or be introduced to new
equipment and practices.
 Attending relevant courses for re-certification.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
 EMS organizations
 Inter-facility transport ambulances
 Hospital Technicians (taking vitals and such)
 Firefighters & Police Officers
 Summer Camp First Aid Stations
 HazMat Technicians
 Emergency Managers
 CPR/First Aid Instructors

7.  Stadiums, Arenas, Raceways, Casinos, Convention Centers, Airports
 Ambulance Attendant/driver for an EMS service
 Ambulance attendant/driver for a transfer service (taking patients between medical
facilities)
 Rescue work
 Stand-by medic for events.
Any person who had a desire to pursue a medical course but did not qualify either due to
academic qualification or financial constraints can enroll for an EMT course and find
his/her way to his/her dream career. It is also a crucial life skill that everyone should
desire to have.
“Next to creating a life, the finest thing a man can do is save one. Having crucial life
skills like First Aid ,EMT, Fire Safety and water rescue saves lives.”