Why Do Firefighters Need EMT Training?

As a firefighter, you’re a community leader. A signal of safety and protection to the citizens you help and serve.

You’re not just a member of the profession every little boy at some point dreams of being, but an important member of your city or region’s service and protection teams. Because of the way most of our community service-oriented corps are constructed, it may seem as if firefighters need only be concerned with how to prevent and manage fire and the risk of them. But equipping firefighters with emergency medical technician (EMT) training is also an important part of keeping the community safe, even if a first aid squad exists.

Why Firefighters Should Be Trained in EMS

People might assume that a firefighter’s sole responsibility is to put out fires, or to help communities manage their risk for fire and prevent incident. But firefighters who have EMS training or background are invaluable to the community, as they may be required to double-dip into that pool of skills and training.

1. Not all cities are fully equipped with both fire and first aid squads. Depending on where in the country you find yourself in search of employment or volunteer opportunities as a firefighter, you might notice vastly different set-ups. Larger cities may have not just one Fire Company but multiple, in addition to multiple ambulance squads. In less heavily-populated regions of the country, these services may be regional and responsible for covering multiple towns and even whole counties. When this is the case, there can be longer travel time for different squads to the scene of an incident, and the odds of responders addressing an earlier call when a new emergency occurs are increased. Firefighters having the ability to treat medical emergencies on the scene reduces their dependency on first aid squads and may help save countless lives.

2. You’re a more valuable and marketable professional with a greater skill set. When job-searching, your added background in EMS makes you a much more valuable team member than a candidate without the ability to treat patients on the scene of a fire-related emergency. This increases your employability and ability to make a real difference in the community you work within.

For more about the value of firefighter EMT training, click here.