You might assume that everyone working inside an ambulance is a paramedic, but that’s not typically the case. An emergency response team usually consists of a few different types of personnel to assist with whatever type of situation they may encounter. Below, we take a closer look at four different types of emergency personnel that commonly work alongside an ambulance.

Four Types Of Emergency Responders

There are four certified types of emergency medical technicians according to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, and here’s a little more information about each:

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) – An emergency medical responder helps to provide basic life-saving techniques, like CPR or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while waiting for a more advanced medical professional to arrive. When with an ambulance crew, they provide crucial assistance to other medical professionals during the emergency response process. Many firefighters and police are certified emergency medical responders who can provide basic interventions with minimal medical equipment.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – An emergency medical technician can provide valuable assistance in an emergency situation using the common tools you’d find on an ambulance. For example, an EMT can get bleeding under control or help keep a patient from going into shock. They can also stabilize fractures and provide onsite or in-transport treatment to an injured party. As you might imagine, their certification process is more comprehensive than that of an EMR.

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) – An AEMT is very similar to an EMT, but as the name implies, they can provide an even more advanced level of care. Aside from all of the lifesaving skills of an EMT, those who are AEMT certified can administer fluids and medications, and they can use some of the more advanced medical equipment inside the ambulance.

Paramedic – The most advanced of the four types of emergency personnel are the paramedics. They provide the highest level of care in the EMS system to individuals who need it the most during an emergency. They have all the knowledge of the previous levels listed above, but they can perform the most advanced life-saving techniques on the response team and can administer an even broader range of drugs. A paramedic can use the most complex equipment on the ambulance, and their level of skill with all these devices must meet a very high standard, as these techniques will carry a greater risk to the patient if performed incorrectly. 

Each of these emergency personnel must pass a number of different exams and evaluations in order to become certified, and their certification remains effective for 24 months, meaning they are continually seeking out additional education and training so they are ready when they need to recertify.

If you’re interested in learning more about any of these emergency personnel, or you’re interested in pursuing a career in emergency response, connect with the team at Gold Cross today for more information!

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