VOLUNTEER EMS

A Typical Weeknight Shift

5:30 pm
5:30 pm

Arrival

If you’re not in class – You arrive to the station about 30 mins early and change in to your uniform. You’ll pull your bedding out of your locker and set up your bunk. You tag up with your Officer and you both talk through plans for the shift. 

6:00 pm
6:00 pm

Unit Checks

You and your crew make their way out to the rig. You overhear the outgoing Officer provide a report to your Officer about their activities throughout the shift. You begin checking out the equipment on the rig.

7:30 pm
7:30 pm

Training

Your Officer knows that you have an EMT class coming up so he asks you to grab the monitor off the Ambulance. Your crew spends an hour and a half reviewing the functions and uses with you.

9:48 pm
9:48 pm

Clean-Ups & Rest

Each member of the duty-crew is assigned a clean-up. Maintaining the station’s cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility. Doing so builds pride and demonstrates shared responsibility. A station’s cleanliness is traditionally used to judge a crew’s character. Everyone heads to bed shortly after clean-ups.

On a run

6:26 pm
6:26 pm

Dispatch

Right as your crew is placing an order for dinner you are dispatched to a reported difficulty breathing in your first due area.

6:27 pm
6:27 pm

Enroute

On the way to the call, your Officer briefs the crew over the headsets that it’s a patient with a history of COPD and that they are cyanotic. The Lead EMT explains what that means based on the confused look you gave them.

6:34 pm
6:34 pm

On-Scene

When you arrive, you hop out of the rig and grab some equipment. You follow your crew inside and watch as the EMT begins assessing the patient. After some treatment the patient’s condition improves and you all head to the hospital.

7:48 pm
7:48 pm

Available in Quatrters (AIQ)

On the way back from the call the EMT reviews some details with the crew and discusses what went well, and how it could go better next time. When you arrive back at the station you help refill some equipment that had been used and return to training.

Your Future.

  • Life-Saving Skills
  • Free Training & Conferences
  • Professional Growth
  • Recruit Classes (1-2 Months)
    All volunteers receive core classes and certifications such as AHA CPR, EMS Operations, HAZMAT Awareness, and National Incident Management System (NIMS). These will teach the basics of emergency response and help acclimate you to Prince William County.

  • NREMT-Basic (6-7 Months)
    There are generally two EMS-B courses held each year, one in the summer, and another in the fall. Classes are held two nights a week and most weekend days. Once you complete the coursework you’ll register for the NREMT-B exam which requires completion of both a Computer-Adaptive-Test (CAT) and a psychomotor examination, you must pass both to begin the on-the-job training portion of the process to become a released provider.

  • BLS Internship (2-8 Months)
    After becoming nationally and locally certified, you’ll take a weekend class to learn how to apply your skills in Prince William County along with capabilities and limitations of practice within the county. That will kick-off your internship process where you’ll be paired with a Field Training Officer (FTO) to complete the training. The internship can take anywhere between 2-8 months because it is highly dependent on call volume and your ability to demonstrate competency. Once you’ve successfully completed the internship you’ll receive an Operational Medical Director (OMD) endorsement to practice in the county!

  • Advanced Coursework
    Prince William County Volunteers have a significant amount of training included in their initial base roles within the service. In addition to the NREMT-B process volunteers can become Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers at the EMT-Intermediate or Paramedic level. Many volunteer organizations offer this training for free which would normally cost you about $35,000!

    Courses provided to Volunteers are 100% free.

When you join a Volunteer Department, you’re becoming a member of a Non-Profit Organization. You have an opportunity to establish yourself as a valuable asset and advance operationally, being promoted through the ranks assuming additional responsibility for other responders and incident operations.

  • Fire Chief: The single individual responsible for the operation of the department. Works closely with the President in leading the Organization.
  • Deputy/Assistant Chief: Assists the Fire Chief in leading the organization by executing policy and process and leading battalions of members.
  • Captain: Responsible for an entire fire station and all personnel and units assigned to the battalion.
  • Lieutenant: Generally the Officer assigned to lead a tactical unit like an Engine, Rescue, or Truck/Tower.

You have an equal opportunity to advance within the Non-Profit Organization serving in a number of roles related to corporate functions such as:

 
  • President: The highest level in the corporation, the President is responsible for primary oversight of all corporate functions.
  • Vice President: Assists the President with corporate operations by executing policy and process while leading the administrative officers of the corporation.
  • Directors: Responsible for leading and executing all corporate functions such as:
    • Facilities Management
    • Finance
    • Fundraising
    • Human Resources
    • Information Technology
    • Logistics & Equipment
    • Marketing & Communications
    • Training
Corporate Officers and Directors of the organization facilitate all corporate functions which provides significant opportunity to learn different roles applicable to every business. Both Administrative and Operational leadership opportunities can help anyone advance in their career. Experience gained by serving in these functions can help you perform better at any role you currently reside in, or plan to achieve in the future.

Emergency service conferences and summits are held by several organizations internationally every year. Prince William County Volunteers have the ability to attend these conferences to further their individual competencies and experience while sharing there own experience with others. Members in good standing, with active certifications and who are actively service as volunteers are generally able to attend one conference per year.

The opportunity to attend and experience these international conferences is a unique and very valuable benefit to being a volunteer in Prince William County.

BECOME SOMETHING MORE.

Know someone else who could serve?

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This site is established and maintained by the Association of Volunteer Emergency Services Professionals (AVESP) for the purposes of recruiting volunteer emergency services personnel in Prince William County, Virginia. If you have any questions or comments about the site please email info@avesp.org