ACLS Certification: California’s Employment Outlook for First Responders

When pursuing a career in the healthcare field, it’s important to be aware of job growth trends. Employment for first responders (emergency medical technicians and paramedics) is steadily rising in California and across the United States. If you are considering a career as a first responder, here are a few things you should know before you enter the job market.

First Responder Roles and Responsibilities

The title of “first responder” encompasses multiple positions. The types of first responders, in order of certification level, are:

Emergency Medical Technician - Basic Level
Emergency Medical Technician – Intermediate Level
Paramedic

In addition to earning an EMT license, first responders are usually required to have other certifications, such as ACLS certification (California, and other states within the United States follow this guideline). Every two years, certified first responders are also required to get their ACLS recertification. California Intrastate Training Resource and Information Network (I-TRAIN) describes first response as a position that can be stressful due to the fact that EMTs and paramedics frequently deal with traumatic situations. First responders are trained to handle ambulance operations and procedures. Generally, first responders work in teams of two. They are trained to travel quickly and safely through traffic to respond to medical emergencies and transport patients to healthcare facilities.

Wages

Wages and benefits for first responders can vary based on geographical location and employer. According to data from 2008 provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for emergency medical technicians and paramedics was $14.10. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $9.08, while the top 10 percent earned more than $23.77. Industries employing the largest numbers of first responders showed a median wage of $12.99 in ambulatory healthcare services and $15.45 in local government.

BLS 2020 data showed that the median hourly wage for California emergency medical technicians and paramedics was $15.28.

Career Outlook for EMTs with ACLS Certification – California and the U.S.

According to BLS data, employment for first responders should grow 9 percent by 2018. Job growth is expected to be highest for positions through private ambulance services.

The growth in employment is largely due to the aging baby boomer population. Additionally, more and more hospitals are starting to specialize in certain treatment areas, a practice that requires more patient transfers between hospitals.

Larger metropolitan areas have the highest employment rates for EMTs and paramedics – first responders in smaller cities and rural areas generally work on a volunteer basis. Most first responders work for private ambulance companies, but some work for city and county emergency services agencies.

Because of the stressful nature of the job, as well as the unusual work hours, turnover for this occupation field is high.

About Health Ed Solutions

ACLS and PALS certification (California and other states accept these courses) are offered online by Health Ed Solutions and were strategically designed for healthcare professionals. Visit Health Ed Solutions' website to learn more information about ACLS recert online.