Emergency Medical Technician

Job Description: Emergency Medical Technician (Full-Time)

Location: Charleston, WV, 25301

Job Purpose

The EMT administers first aid treatment and/or basic life support care to sick or injured persons in a pre-hospital setting and during transport to proper medical facility.

Duties and Responsibilities

Primary duties of the EMT include, but are not limited to, the following, and are in addition to any duties requested by KCEAA:

• Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
• Drive ambulance or other vehicles to specified location, following instructions from emergency medical dispatcher.
• Assist in rescuing victims as needed and transports sick and injured patients to appropriate treatment center.
• Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKG), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments.
• Perform emergency diagnostic and treatment procedures, such as stomach suction, airway management, or heart monitoring during ambulance transport.
• Observe, record, and report to physician the patient’s condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment administered.
• Administer drugs via the appropriate route under a physician’s direction or protocol.
• Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
• Immobilize patient for placement on stretcher and ambulance transport, using backboard or other spinal immobilization devices.
• Communicate with dispatchers or medical command center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of victims, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
• Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with known or suspected infectious disease and report incident as required.
• Completes appropriates documentation of patient’s treatment into KCEAA’s E-PCR (electronic patient care reporting) software.
• Follows daily, weekly and periodic inspection and inventory of supplies, vehicle, station and related equipment as needed or as directed by KCEAA policy and entering proper documentation of the inspection and inventory.
• Comfort and reassure patients.
• Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field of emergency services, or maintain existing knowledge.

Qualifications

The minimum qualifications for EMT include:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Successful completion of college or technical school EMT program.
• WV driver’s license with safe driving record.
• CPR certification
• ICS 100, ICS 200, NIMS 700, NIMS 800

Working Conditions

This is a mission critical position. The employee is required to report to work when there is adverse weather, on holidays and on short notice. The EMT must be available for work on any shift as requested by KCEAA. The position may require work beyond the scheduled shift as requested and/or until properly relieved or released. While performing the duties of this job, the EMT may work in outside weather conditions all times of year, near moving mechanical parts and in conditions that could include exposure to fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to extreme cold and heat. The EMT may also be exposed to blood, saliva and other body substances, as well as irrational, combative patients and bystanders. The noise level in the work environment is often loud.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the employee to lift, carry, push, and pull a minimum of 150 pounds independently and 300 pounds or more with assistance. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, operate equipment with tools and controls, climb and balance, stoop, kneel and crouch and occasionally maneuver through challenging obstacles. This position also requires the employee have finger dexterity and manual dexterity. Multilimb coordination is required as well as arm-hand steadiness. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority