Emergency Medical Technician

Under the City of San Diego's Emergency Medical System, Rural/Metro Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) perform similar duties as the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Single Role EMTs.

Some Rural/Metro EMTs provide back up on 9-1-1 medical emergencies and respond to non-emergency medical calls. Others work solely on non-emergency transportation (non 9-1-1 calls such as hospital-to-hospital transportation).

For Rural/Metro EMTs who work in the 9-1-1 system, the duties of a Rural/Metro Emergency Medical Technician are similar to those of a single role City EMT. Here are a few highlights:

1. Assists paramedics and other emergency medical service personnel in providing emergency and non-emergency medical and health care.
2. Responds to instructions from an emergency medical dispatcher and drives an ambulance or other emergency vehicle to emergency and non-emergency situations.
3. Monitors communications equipment to maintain contact with the dispatcher.
4. Communicates with professional medical personnel at emergency treatment facility to obtain instructions regarding further treatment and to arrange for the victim's arrival at the hospital.
5. Determines the nature and extent of illness or injury, or the magnitude of a catastrophe, to establish first aid procedures to be followed or the need for additional assistance, basing the decision on statements of people involved, examination of the victim or victims, and knowledge of emergency medical practice.
6. Administers prescribed first-aid treatment at the site of an emergency, or in a specially equipped vehicle, performing activities such as applying splints, administering oxygen, treating minor wounds or abrasions, or administering artificial resuscitation.
7. Removes or assists in the removal of victims from an incident scene or catastrophe.
8. Transports patients to hospitals or other emergency care facilities.
9. Assists in removal of victims from a vehicle and transfer of victims to receiving facility.
10. Assists the receiving facility that is admitting victims to obtain and record victims' vital statistics and the circumstances of the emergency.
11. Maintains vehicles and medical and communication equipment and replenishes first aid and medical equipment supplies.
12. May assist professional medical personnel in emergency treatment administered at a medical facility.
13. Cleans and maintains patient care compartment of ambulances.
14. Prepares reports of incidents for billing and other record keeping purposes.
15. Performs other related emergency medical support duties.

Minimum Qualifications for Rural/Metro of San Diego Emergency Medical Technician:

• Previous EMT experience preferred.
   
  
• Possession of a current valid Emergency Medical Technician Certificate issued by the State of California or by a EMT certifying agency approved by the State of California; County of San Diego EMT System ID Card; Certificate for Basic Life Support for the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Provider.
   
  
• A valid California Class C driver's certificate with current medical examination card.
   
  
• A California Ambulance Driver's Certificate with current medical exam card.

Information on the application process is available from San Diego Medical Services Enterprise L.L.C. at (619) 280-6060.