You must be 18 years of age for the EMT-B course (16 years for CFR). If you have not yet turned 18 (16 for CFR), you may still enroll in the class if you reach the necessary age during the same month in which the state written certification examination is administered. For example: if the course has a written examination date of May 15, you may enroll in the course if your 18th birthday (16th birthday for CFR) occurs on or before May 31.

 

Those students who are members of volunteer EMS agencies within New York State MAY be eligible to have their course tuition funded by the New York State Department of Health. Certain restrictions apply, and verification of volunteer service to a participating agency is required before the start of the course. In any event, textbooks and fees are not covered by the New York State program, and are the student's responsibility.

 

All applicants are welcome, regardless of affiliation. However, enrollment preference will be offered to members of Rockland County-based agencies first.

 

Individuals with criminal convictions may be barred from taking a CFR/EMT certification exam, in accordance with Department of Health regulation. Your instructor will guide you regarding the proper procedure in this case. Refer to http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/pdf/09-05.pdf.

 

There are no other specific prerequisites, but you should review the New York State Department of Health job description for EMS providers, and ensure that you will be reasonably able to perform the necessary functions. You can review the job description at http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/policy/00-09.htm (CFR) or http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/policy/00-10.htm (EMT-B).

 

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Students take instructor-delivered lectures in a traditional classroom environment, but there is also a significant hands-on practice involved. Using both real and simulated medical equipment and supplies, students will practice managing a variety of medical problems and emergencies, on both mannequins and live 'victims'. Students also spend time in simulated environments, such as ambulance simulators and staged "residences" where "emergencies" occur. EMT-B students are also required to fulfill internship requirements in a hospital emergency room and on board an actual ambulance. At the conclusion of the course, students take a practical-skills based exam, where they demonstrate ability to perform medical treatments for an evaluator, and take a written test administered by the New York State Department of Health.

 

Probably not. The New York State Department of Health requires that CFR/EMT candidates be able to bend, stoop, crawl, and perform certain other physical activities during training, and in most cases, exceptions are not permitted. If you are not sure, contact our office and we will do our best to help.

 

Maybe. The New York State Department of Health has complicated regulations in regard to these kinds of situations. Contact our office and we will do our best to help.

 

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Currently, CFRs and EMT-Bs are certified for three years before the certificate expires.

 

Yes, once you successfully obtain CFR/EMT-B certification, you are always eligible for a refresher course instead of the original course.

 

In a challenge refresher course, students take hands-on and written pre-tests at the start of the course in order to gauge their mastery of the skills and knowledge of their certification (CFR or EMT-B). Based on the pre-test results, the student may be excused from attending certain classes during the refresher course. For example, if a student scores exceptionally well on the portion of the pre-test related to bleeding injuries, he or she may be excused from attending the classes related to bleeding injuries. (Some experienced refresher students score so well on the pre-test that they don't have to attend any classes at all.) Regardless of whether a student is excused from no classes, some of the classes, or all of the classes, he or she is required to perform the practical skills examination and the written certification examination at the end of the course, just like an original CFR/EMT-B course.

 

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Not a problem! Please call our office at (845) 364-8923 and we'll try to answer them.