EMT & Paramedic Information

For the following information, click on each link or just scroll down the page to that section:

- Courses Required for EMT Certification
- EMT Course Offerings
- Prerequisites for the EMT program
- Health Requirements
- Work Experience
- EMT Certification process
- Registration process
- Other EMT Programs around the state
- EMT Recertification / Refresher Training
- Paramedic training
- Paramedic and EMT continuing education (C.E.)

NOTE:

Effective June 1, 2007, John McInnis is the new EMT Program Director. Brian Stewart has accepted a position with a fire department in Washington, and will be missed.

EMT Program Director contact information:

John McInnis
jnmci@yahoo.com
(925) 413-4546  - Cellular Phone

Health 81:   Emergency Medical Technician - Basic
Health 83:    Patient Stabilization, Extrication, and Triage

The EMT program is offered once a semester at Chabot College (Classes typically start every January and every August).  There is no class in the summer.  Health 81 meets once a week during the semester, for 8 hours every Wednesday, and for a total of 17, 8-hour sessions.  Health 83 is a one-day Saturday class (always TBA) that meets for a total of 7 hours. 

Upcoming EMT program dates:

• To view the upcoming EMT course offerings, go to the main college website at www.chabotcollege.edu and then navigate to the appropriate semester schedule listing of courses.

(Any one of the following options are acceptable)

1.    Health 61 (Emergency Response) and either a current CPR for the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross) certificate or a current BLS Healthcare   Provider (American Heart Association) certificate.  NOTE:  CPR for the Professional Rescuer is included in the Health 61 class taken at Chabot College.

2.    Emergency Response (taken at an American Red Cross office) and either a current CPR for the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross) certificate or current BLS Healthcare Provider (American Heart Association) certificate.  NOTE:  CPR for the Professional Rescuer is usually included in the Emergency Response class).

3.    Previously completed EMT course from another school or state.  If doing this option, you must still have a current CPR certificate - either CPR for the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross) or BLS Healthcare Provider (American Heart Association).

4.    Medical experience determined to be an acceptable substitute, as determined by the EMT Program Director (John McInnis). If doing this option, you must still have a current CPR certificate - either CPR for the Professional Rescuer (American Red Cross) or BLS Healthcare Provider (American Heart Association).

NOTE:  Health 61 is also available at most American Red Cross locations. Make sure it is the 53-hour course titled "EMERGENCY RESPONSE."  For a list of San Francisco Bay Area American Red Cross locations, go to their website at www.americanredcross.org

Prior to the first day of class, students must provide proof of the following immunizations:

1.    Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
2.    Tuberculosis (TB) - Not more than 7 months old, measured from the first day of class.
3.    Hepatitis B vaccination series - consists of three separate immunizations: the first one, the second one (given one month after the first one), and the third one (given five months after the second one).  As of August 2004, a student must show proof of having started the series by the second Wednesday of the semester.

During the EMT program, the student will be placed in appropriate work settings that will allow them practical experience in the hospital (16 hours), and in the field setting on an ambulance (12 hours).  We presently use Eden Hospital in Castro Valley for the hospital time, and American Medical Response in Alameda County for the ambulance time. There will also be follow-up discussions of the work experience.

Upon successful completion of the EMT course, the student must complete an EMS agency application for certification within two years of the last day of class, to be eligible for certification.  Chabot College does not certify a student to be an EMT.  We provide you with the necessary coursework and information regarding applying for certification.  Only an EMS agency (such as the Alameda County EMS Agency) can certify someone as an EMT.  An EMT certificate is good statewide, so you do not necessarily have to certify with the Alameda County EMS Agency. 

• For more specific certification information, visit the Alameda County EMS Agency website and look under the heading of EMTs & Paramedics.  You can also download a certification application as well as find out specific information on where and how to complete the fingerprinting and background check process.

• To view the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding EMT certification with the Alameda County EMS Agency, click here.

For a list of other County EMS Agencies statewide, visit our links page and scroll down to "EMS AGENCIES - COUNTY."

Refer to the Chabot College class schedule and web site for registration procedures. 

Allan Hancock College (Santa Maria)
American Health Education (Dublin & other bay area locations)
American River College (Sacramento)
Antelope Valley College (Lancaster)
Bakersfield College
Barstow College
Butte College (Oroville)
California EMS Academy (Redwood City)
College of San Mateo
College of the Desert (Palm Desert)
College of the Redwoods (Eureka)
College of the Sequoias (Visalia)
College of the Siskiyous (Weed)
Contra Costa College
Crafton Hills College (Yucaipa)
El Camino College (Torrance)
EMSTA (El Cajon)
Emergency Training Services (Santa Cruz)
Fast Response (Berkeley)
Foothill College (Palo Alto)
Fresno City College
Las Positas College (Livermore)
Los Medanos College (Pittsburg)
Marin College (Marin County)
Merced College
Merritt College (Oakland)
Miramar College (San Diego)
Mission College (Santa Clara)
Modesto Junior College
Napa Valley College (Napa)
San Francisco Paramedic Association
San Jose City College
Santa Ana College
Santa Rosa Junior College
Sierra College (Rocklin)
Skyline College (San Bruno)
Solano College (Fairfield)
Victor Valley Community College (Victorville)
Westmed Training (San Jose)
Yuba College (Yuba City)

All certified EMTs need to recertify every two years.  This can be done by either taking a 24 hour refresher course or completing 24 hours of Continuing Education (C.E.) units.  Either way, an EMT must successfully pass a final skills examination once every two years. To be eligible for a refresher course, the student must have a current EMT certificate or a certificate that has not been expired for more than 2 years.

An EMT Refresher course is offered once during the Fall semester and once during the Spring semester.  The EMT Refresher course can be found in the schedule as HEALTH 85 - EMT REFRESHER.

UPCOMING EMT REFRESHER DATES:

The EMT refresher course (known as Health 85) is typically offered once a semester at Chabot College). There is no class in the summer.  The EMT refresher course meets for a minimum of 24 hours, and then requires additional testing to receive an EMT refresher course completion certificate.

Upcoming EMT refresher dates:

• To view the upcoming EMT course offerings, go to the main college website at www.chabotcollege.edu and then navigate to the appropriate semester schedule listing of courses.

Continuing Education may also be available at Chabot College, contact John McInnis, the EMT Program Director for more information.

• For more specific recertification information, visit the Alameda County EMS Agency website and look under the heading of EMTs & Paramedics.  You can also download a recertification application as well as find out specific information on where and how to complete the fingerprinting and background check process.

• To view the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding EMT recertification with the Alameda County EMS Agency, click here.

Chabot College does not have a Paramedic program.  However, I have provided the following information for your assistance.

The following schools are offering paramedic programs in the State of California:

Abrams College (Modesto)
American River College (Sacramento)
Butte College (Oroville)
California EMS Academy (Redwood City)
City College of San Francisco
Crafton Hills College (Yucaipa)
Emergency Training Services (Santa Cruz)
EMSTA (El Cajon)
EMSTI (Stockton)
Foothill College (Los Altos Hills)
Los Medanos College (Pittsburg)
Mendocino College (Ukiah)
Northern California Training Institute (NCTI) 
Palomar College (San Marcos)
Saddleback College (Mission Viejo)
Santa Rosa Junior College
UCLA / Daniel Freeman (Los Angeles)
Victor Valley Community College (Victorville)
Westmed Training (San Jose)
 

• To view a website dedicated to assist the student with passing the HOBET test (an entry-level assessment test utilized by some paramedic programs such as NCTI), click here

Looking for CPR, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), and other similar continuing education courses? The following organizations provide continuing education (C.E.) units for Paramedics and EMTs:

American Health Education (Dublin and other Bay Area locations)
California EMS Academy (Redwood City)
CE3000.com (on-line C.E. provider)
EMSTA (El Cajon)
Emergency Training Services (located in Santa Cruz; in-house and on-line C.E. education)
Fast Response (locations in Berkeley, San Francisco, Walnut Creek)
My Web CE (on-line C.E. provider)
Northern California Training Institute (Roseville and numerous Bay Area locations)
Paramagician.com (a great free site for the paramedic student, working paramedic, or future paramedic)
San Francisco Paramedic Association

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