End of week two

So the end of week two has come. Feeling a little bit better about being able to work as a paramedic. Well still waiting on my certification from the state but I have my national registry certification. So its just waiting for it to be processed. But still, the nerves are calming down as training continues. Today was the end of a certification class called EPC which is short by Emergency Pediatric Care. Passed it with a test score of 96. Well actually a 98 but the instructor said he couldn't change my score because the people who are in charge of the class have it wrong on the key, but that's ok.

Nerves

So week two has begun (well on Monday). Monday and Tuesday was a certification course in trauma. And as I sit in class and listen to the "war stories" of the things that happen in Fort Worth I begin to wonder, am I as good as I think I am to do this job. I have the knowledge and the will power, but learning it in class with a few practice scenarios is different from the real thing when real peoples lives are in your hands. So we will see how it goes as training continues. Speaking of training, today we had mapping and navigation training. Not living in Fort Worth and only being in the city about four times before in my life when I was young does not help in having to know the streets and how to get somewhere. Thank God for just four weeks straight of just driving and learning the streets.

Ambulances

One of the ambulances that I will be driving soon and some of the "fleet" as all the ambulances are called. These are Type III ambulances they have the van front with a "box" on the back. I wish they were Type I which is a truck front with a box. The Type I are typically safer in a accident because there is more of a crunch zone. Incase your wondering if there is a Type II...there is. It's a van with a raised roof. They are often called Vanbulances and they are not fun to be working in...very limited room for people and supplies.

The beginning

So I have left my previous job to start my dream career. I now work for the 12 largest EMS system in the U.S. based on population served. It is a high call volume, progressive EMS provider. I've been working as an EMT-B for five months at the Denton County Jail were I was also previously a corrections officer. I worked in the county jail for a little over three years and it's sad to leave it behind. Now that I got my paramedic certification its time to start working the streets. I wont be able to start working the streets right away. I have to complete four weeks of training (just finished the first) in a class room setting. After that four more weeks just driving the ambulance around to learn the streets. Then finally three weeks of working as a paramedic with a field training officer to make sure I can do what I say I can do. That's all for now.