Not so long ago I decided to upgrade and certify my medical training. City College has an affordable and accredited program that feeds into the EMS community here in San Francisco and the Bay Area. A few months later I'm half way through EMR training, just earned my CPR AED for pro rescuers credentials. It certainly makes me more useful and makes for a reliable career option, one of those "not going away any time soon" jobs and a fantastic community to be a part of.In addition to learning the expected things, I'm learning how many organizations are in need of qualified medical technicians, key word being "qualified". Everyone from NERT/CERT, search and rescue groups and schools to private corporations with facilities of any size and a staff or patrons to protect may, or at least should, be looking for certified first responders for their team. Even if the primary "job" has nothing to do with EMS, it's never a bad idea to have pre-hospital care professionals around.
There are endless lists of opportunities open to motivated individuals willing to go after them and all of them have an array of payoffs that go far beyond the obvious. Considering that at one time or another all of us will have an opportunity to save a life, possibly our own or that of a loved one, we should also all be trained to do so.
