Training Division
City of Pittsburgh Paramedics are certified through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Many of our Paramedics have also obtained certification through the National Registry of EMTs gaining them certification as a Nationally Registered Paramedic.
New Paramedics and EMTs are also instructed through a joint effort between Pittsburgh EMS and the Center for Emergency Medicine. Training to become a Paramedic requires thousands of hours of preparation, dedication and hard work. Paramedics are constantly updating themselves and the equipment and skills required to perform at their best. It is the role of the Training Division to keep the Paramedics prepared for whatever they may encounter.
Paramedics of Pittsburgh EMS continue their education and maintaining certification by attending a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education classes each year.
To ensure that every Paramedic receives annual training, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services developed the EMS Training Division to handle the task of education. The division consists of three Paramedic Crew Chiefs assigned as training officers to handle the workload. In addition, other field personnel with specialized training are brought into the Division as needed to assist in training subjects that are not part of everyday, routine operations. There are also many Paramedic Crew Chiefs trained as Field Training Officers to assist in the hands-on training that is given to many Paramedic students, emergency physician residents, RNs and so on.
Many of our Paramedics are certified as instructors and evaluators in a wide range of related Public Safety disciplines. These include Emergency Medicine, Rescue, Hazardous Materials and more. These Pittsburgh Paramedics routinely share their knowledge and skills with responders from throughout Pennsylvania and, indeed, the entire nation. Many of our personnel are among the most sought after technical instructors in their fields of expertise.
The Training Division also provides a range of educational opportunities to other City bureaus and departments as well as the public at large. The Training Division assists in facilitating CPR/AED (automatic external defibrillator) classes for other City of Pittsburgh departments and neighborhood groups. The Training Division also teaches the First Responder program for all of the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers and recruits.
City of Pittsburgh Paramedics receive their medical direction/command through the Center for Emergency Medicine and work under the guidance of our Medical Director, Dr. Ronald Roth. We also share a unique relationship with the University of Pittsburgh's affiliated Residency in Emergency Medicine which, on select calls, allows for an emergency physician to respond to the scene of an emergency.
Contact Us
Training Division
220 22nd Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-255-2450
Fax: 412-255-4714
Email: EMS Training