City welcomes an influx of well-trained EMTs

A ceremony to promote and swear in new Boston EMTs was held last Friday at Faneuil Hall. City of Boston photo/Isabel Leon

Mayor Martin Walsh celebrated the graduation of 22 EMT recruits and recognized seven other EMTs who recently received promotions in a ceremony at Faneuil Hall last Friday. The graduates, who had been state-certified prior to hire, completed an additional 12 weeks of classroom training and practical scenario work along with a 15-week field internship program to prepare them for working in a busy and ever evolving system.

Boston boasts the most extensive EMS post-hire educational program in the country.

The new EMTs were trained in mass casualty incidents, domestic violence cases, hazardous materials exposure, transportation accident recovery services, and other life-threatening situations. During training, they responded to more than 3,600 incidents across the city. They will be assigned to front-line ambulances across the city.

The recognized departmental EMTs included: Two EMTs who became certified paramedics after completing all necessary Boston EMS Paramedic testing and selection during a three-month internship program. Five other EMTs who were promoted to lieutenant after completing a four-month classroom, field, and dispatch operations training program are now serving as department supervisors.

“I am always most pleased when these ceremonies include both graduating recruits and department promotions, as our hope with every new hire is that they will choose Boston EMS as a career,” said Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley. “Recognizing our newest members, as well as those who have already committed so much of themselves to the department and their city at such a historic venue makes this a particularly special event.”


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