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Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on March 7, 2011 at 3:18am

The biggest problem is who is going to insure a 16 year old? Most companies now want 21 or older. This is a liability waiting to happen. A sixteen year old driving is playing Russian roulette with a semi-automatic.They don't have the driving skills they should have. Workman's comp could be another issue. I was a police dispatcher at 16 and the city had to check with the labor board before I was hired. This was in the 70's. AS an explorer doing ride alongs it's a good idea, just not being the primary provider.

From what I have seen lately, 18 is too young. 19 year old paramedics don't have the maturity to do the job. I think we should do in EMS what law enforcement and the fire service have done. Make the minimum age 21. By this age they should be settled in their carreer choice and out of the game boy stage.

Now if we can fix the constant texting fetish.

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Permalink Reply by Tracey Lynn Morris on March 7, 2011 at 3:59am

Maybe those of us that have been doing it for 3o years forgot we got our curosity a t this young age. I remember doing everthing possible to be part of the department I wanted to learn.It is our job to teach them and do it within abiding by each States legislation. We give them drivers license in some states at 14 .with restrictions .Fire and Ems can work the same way. Lets not stop them lets teach them if they do not like it they will quit and thats ok. We have to give them a chance they will sink themselves. Let them find out on their own what a commitment it takes to actually do the job. Most departments now days have some strict rules since we have people doing dumb stuff ruining the rest of our lives. The individual has to find out for themselves age is not the real issue here we just think it is.

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Permalink Reply by Rachel on March 7, 2011 at 11:23am

I am 15. I have to be 16 to be a cadet on the Volunteer station down the road. In Florida you have to be 18 to be certified in any public safety field.(this includes EVOC)

Personally, I can't wait to turn 16. I won't be able to have any patient contact and no entry into a fire zone. I will still be able to train with the rest of the department every week.

Some days I wish I was already 16. Most of the time though, I realize that I will only be 15 once. I need to make sure I have all the fun I can before I "get old"!

I,personally, have been told/asked repeatedly by many people how old I am. Would you care to guess how old they thought I was/am?
They are were thinking that I was at least 18 if not 22-25!!!!
It must be my outgoing nature!!

I hate to disappoint them by saying that I am only 15!!

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Permalink Reply by Juan Loya, Jr. on March 7, 2011 at 11:41am

I believe that 16 yr olds shouldn't be allowed to be EMT's. Not that I don't think that they can't do the job. Anyone that can pass their national test has my respect as a perfessional, however I think that exposing a 16 yr old to a MASS casualty incident or a gruesome accident will have a negative effect on their lives. A lot of older seasoned medics unfortunately turn to alcohol to mask their troubles or to coupe with what they see at work and I would hate to see a young medic go through the same thing. Weather people admit it or not this job changes you and not always in a good way. 16 yr olds should enjoy their childhood for a few more yrs.

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on March 7, 2011 at 12:14pm

Lets not stop them lets teach them if they do not like it they will quit and thats ok. We have to give them a chance they will sink themselves.

I doubt you will see disagreement to the aspect of teaching people and giving them a chance to experience the job, however, this question does not go there. This isn't about some Explorer or Jr program to give an insight of the job, this is asking the opinion of minors DOING the job.

Now having started as an Explorer and understanding the curiousity I did when younger, I can also understand now the importance of slowing down as well and viewing things in an older more mature position. First and foremost is safety, there is no reason for any child to be doing such a job, be it the fireground or even EMS. There are child labor laws for a reason and while a brand new 18 y/o FF and a brand new 30 y/o FF have about the same knowledge, the 30 y/o does come in with more maturity or at least expectation of it.

When it comes to this topic, the lagality issues come to play. Just because a state may allow a 16 y/o to be an EMT, doesn't mean it is a good idea, nor a good law. Aren't there some states that allow minors to get married? If so, does that mean it is a good law? That is the point here, because the state may allow it, doesn't make it a good idea. In the legal realm of things you have a minor basically in care of a pt of any type of age and the irony is having said minor have the pt sign a HIPAA form which they themselves legally can not. Then there could be all sorts of headaches for a service allowing minors to operate as EMTs if things go wrong and there is a lawsuit.

Yeah, it shouldn't always be about CYA, but that is the society we live in today. It is fine and dandy for someone to be eager to do such a job and there are ways to encourage and help them to pursue that path, but they can wait until they are a legal adult before walking down the path on their own.

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Permalink Reply by John Kroll on March 7, 2011 at 12:34pm

Ken, while I wish you luck and admire your commitment to serve your community, I do feel that 16 is to young to work as an EMT. I took my EMT training at what I viewed as a young 20 year old and was a 22 year old paramedic working for a private doing alot of contractual 911 in the Chicago area. It was an incredible experience and I grew, boy did I grow! Learning the knowledge and skills necessary to be a good EMT only requires a commitment and passion, both of which you obviously have, but the soft skills are unteachable and only come from life experience. By the time I was a paramedic I had gone to college, was in the Reserves, and been married for 2 years but I was still not "old" enough because I needed more life experience to gain rapport with my patients and their family. Everyone loves the brains of a Duggie Howser but no one wants to trust the life of their family member to someone who doesn't have the quiet professionalism that comes with a little more life experience. Reading this I'm sure a thousand justifications are racing through your mind-that's good, it tells me you have a passion for this! But I look back on the mistakes I've made and the coffins I helped fill and wonder if I had the abilities and experience I have today if things could have been different. Well "if's", "should have's", and "could's" are a fool's folly so stay away from them but please hear this advice from a guy nearly 20 years into this and still pretty young.
It takes time, look for a mentor and observe. The truly great ones are the quiet guys, not the flashy one over there looking for credit. Use your passion and enthusiasm to get more training, read the magazines but also take the time to read the professional journals and understand the science behind why the skill works. Be humble always and observant, you will learn alot and most of it has nothing to do with being an EMT but mostly about being a good and caring person.
When I have the opportunity to mentor others I try to also remember to "Never break the spirit of the horse" I learned it by watching some of the leaders when I got onto a career Fire/EMS department at the old age of 25. The great one's taught and encouraged, the not so great one's felt threatened and had to smash people down. I applaud you for your commitment to serve others but understand that you probably won't be as good as you'd like to be until you are tired of doing it. Then look your tired old self in the mirror and remember why you began this journey in the first place. Best wishes

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Permalink Reply by Edward Phipps,Flipper on March 7, 2011 at 12:37pm

nj is volunteered based system,mostly.the squad in my town had a cadet corps.the younger cadets rode at 16.many became emt,s.at 16 some are much better at retianing skills.they stayed probies til 18.most where outstanding,and mentoring them prepares them.some stayed,some left because of politicing in the squad.just like fire cadets they learned,grew,and matured.most i delt with are fine outstanding adults today.it is a learning experance to share youre knowledge and help the younger generation.they can not learn and not be shown.teach me i learn,show me i will remember.

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Permalink Reply by Kate on March 7, 2011 at 4:32pm

I think if the need is great and you are with a good team of mentors then yes it might be okay. However, I saw some bad things as a junior FF off-duty and was temporarily charged with EMT level responsiblity under Medic supervison on one particular call. It didn't stop me from getting my EMT but it surely altered my sense of responsibility and realizing how much pressure the field dishes out.

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Permalink Reply by Dennis Hernandez on March 7, 2011 at 5:38pm

If said student passed there class and passed the Registry then why not? The Army allows 17 year old's to enlist and go through basic then why can a 16 year old who wants to serve the public? In my department we have guys who have just got out of high school and just turned 18 and they are some of the most dedicated and focused guys I have worked along side with. They have the drive to get the job done and do it right, why not?

I honestly don't see much of a difference between a 16 year old and an 18 year old other then 2 years, able to buy cigarettes and the government saying they are adults. I have seen 18 year old's act like they were 13 and I have seen 16 year old's take on the roles of an adult and excel in what they do. Like I said earlier if they can pass the requirements and show the confidence to preform there duties then I'm all for it.

( I my self started when I was 19 and in a class full of 25 years and up)

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Permalink Reply by Ashley Rivers on March 7, 2011 at 9:08pm

I went on a call a few weeks ago where we brought this guy to the e.r. and he ended up being a direct admit. So we brought him up to his room and went out to the nurses station and the nurse remarks,"OMG! How cute you guys are...you're so little" "Do you guys have anyone experienced with you?" To which we stated no and that we knew what we were doing. I was with an emt that was going for her critical care certification and been doing it for 4 years, another who gets paid to do it at another ems company, an emt who has been one for a year (he also was the driver), and myself. We are all around 20-21 years. I think 16, as long as you are responsible, you should be able to be one or at least be able to learn. But no matter if you are 16 or 21 apparently people think you are too young and inexperienced. Thats where we got to prove them wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Ty Rowan on March 7, 2011 at 9:12pm

I started training when i was 17, took first responder and mandatory ff classes prior to even being on a fire department....on my 18th birthday i joined and have been involved in the career since, and i am now 25, a firefighter/emt and a dispatcher...its all in the drive to do the job....if its in your heart and you have the willingness to learn, age is but a number! i couldnt agree more with the few who state there are several adults who act like children...some of the most 'mature' people i know are younger. dont judge a book by its cover.

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Permalink Reply by Dennis Hernandez on March 7, 2011 at 9:18pm

Agreed

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