What is an EMT?

The State of Maine licenses emergency medical personnel at several levels of training. An Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B) receives at least 110 hours of classroom training, plus field experience, before being granted a license. Re certification occurs every three years. Most of the emergency medical personnel in Gray Fire Rescue are licensed at the EMT-B level. The next EMT level is Intermediate (EMT-I) which requires several hundred additional hours of classroom and hospital training. An EMT-I is authorized to perform more advanced techniques such as intubation, establishment of intravenous lines, and EKG monitoring and interpretation. A Paramedic (EMT-P) has very extensive training (at least 1000 additional classroom hours) and can administer emergency medications in consultation by radio with a physician. Most paramedics have chosen medicine as a career.