First Responder

 

This competency-based course is the first in a sequence of two courses designed to prepare students for emergency medical services (EMS) occupations. The First Responder course is the recommended prerequisite to the EMT course for students without experience in healthcare or emergency services.

 

Technical instruction includes: an orientation and workplace safety policies and procedures, evaluation, and employability skills. Emphasis is placed on: introduction to the EMS systems; legal and ethical issues; well-being of the first responder; the human body; medical terminology; lifting, moving, and positioning patients; airway management; assessment of the patient; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED); medical emergencies; bleeding, shock, and soft-tissue injuries; muscle and bone injuries; infants and children; gaining access and hazards on scene; multiple-casualty incidents, triage, and the incident management system; pharmacology; swimming and diving incidents; response to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; and first responder skills.