Why do we need First Responders?

After an ambulance is called First Responders are often the first to arrive on the scene of an illness or injury. For large rural areas the treatment they provide patients as they await the arrival of the ambulance is invaluable and saves lives.

What is a First Responder?

The First Responder is an integral part of the Emergency Medical Services System. A certified first responder is a person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. They have more skill than someone who is trained in basic first aid but they are not emergency medical technicians and cannot provide all the care a certified EMT can provide. The First Responder uses a limited amount of equipment to perform initial assessment and intervention and is trained to assist other EMS providers. For large rural areas the treatment they provide patients as they await the arrival of the ambulance is invaluable and saves lives.

What kind of training does a Certified First Responder have?

This training can be completed in forty to sixty hours. The first responder training is intended to fill the gap between First Aid and EMT-Basic.
Many first response agencies also have members that are fully trained EMT's

What is the History of Certified First Responders?

The U.S. Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) recognized a gap between the typical eight hours training required for providing advanced first aid (as taught by the Red Cross) and the 180 hours typical of an EMT-Basic program. Also, some rural communities could not afford the comprehensive training and highly experienced instructors required for a full EMT-Basic course. The First Responder training program began in 1979.