All New D.C. Firefighters to be Paramedics

All New D.C. Firefighters to be Paramedics
MATTHEW CELLA
Courtesy of The Washington Times

D.C. Fire Chief Adrian H. Thompson yesterday said the department no longer will hire firefighters who are not paramedics or who are not going to be trained as paramedics upon entering the fire academy.

The pledge came in response to aggressive questioning from D.C. Council members during a Judiciary Committee oversight hearing.

The hearing was dominated by questions about the department’s slow-moving transition to a fire-based emergency medical service system in which firefighters and paramedics are cross-trained to perform each other’s jobs.(Read More)

It looks as though DC has instituted a plan similar to Roanoke Fire-EMS. This might be the largest Fire based EMS Department to implement this type of plan. I will be interested to see how DC Fire overcomes certain obstacles.

If their are any high school students reading who are hoping for a future in Fire/EMS, let me help you out on your career path. I would recommend that upon graduation you attend college to obtain your Paramedic certificate, which is now offered as an associates degree. Once you have graduated with your Associates degree (at least), your Nationally registered Paramedic certification, you will be able to get a job in almost any fire department in the Country.