About the Emergency Medical Technician Program
Río Hondo College’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program will certify you as an emergency medical technician in the state of California. You’ll be prepared for employment as an ambulance driver or attendant.
You’ll also be authorized to take the National Registry EMT examinations. After the exam, you can request certification as an EMT through the Los Angeles County Department of Health or other local EMS accrediting agencies.
To take an EMT course, you must first be a registered student at Río Hondo College. The application process is online and completely free. It only takes a few minutes to apply.
Training Topics
You’ll receive training on:
- Roles and responsibilities of the EMT
- Understanding of the emergency medical system
- Extrication tools and equipment
- Automatic external defibrillation
- Cardiovascular emergencies
- Communicable diseases
- Pre-hospital care terminology
- Anatomy and physiology of the human body
- Patient assessment
- Pre-hospital treatment
- Communications and documentation
General Information & FAQ
-
When are EMT 093 courses offered?
We offer five EMT 093 courses each academic year. There are two courses offered during the spring, two courses offered during the fall, and two courses offered during the summer.
-
How long is an EMT 093 course?
EMT courses are eight weeks long. They meet Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The course is 9 units, and it’s structured like an academy.
It’s an accelerated course, so it’s a big commitment. The course involves 30 hours of in-class activity each week and approximately 25-30 hours of homework each week.
-
Where do the EMT 093 courses meet?
EMT 093 courses meet in person at the Río Hondo College Fire Academy in Santa Fe Springs. The address is 11400 Greenstone Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670.
-
Are there any special requirements to enroll in the EMT 093 course?
- You must be 18 years old before the first day of the EMT 093 course you enroll in.
- You need a clean background to take EMT 093 and become certified.
- You are required to pass a 10-panel drug test to enter the EMT 093 course. Marijuana use is one of the 10 drugs tested for. Do not smoke or consume marijuana if you are planning to take EMT 093.
- You are required to wear a specific uniform and follow strict grooming standards while taking EMT 093. It’s structured like an academy and follows a paramilitary organization structure.
- You are required to pass a 10-panel drug test to enter the EMT 093 course. Marijuana use is one of the 10 drugs tested for. Do not smoke or consume marijuana if you are planning to take EMT 093.
- You are required to wear a specific uniform and follow strict grooming standards while taking EMT 093. It is structured like an academy and follows a paramilitary organization structure.
- EMT 100 is a prerequisite to EMT 093. You must complete EMT 100 before you can take EMT 093.
- You can take EMT 100 before you’re 18.
- We offer ten EMT 100 courses each year. These courses meet on different days and times. Most are 16-week courses and meet one day per week. There are some more accelerated courses offered that meet for four, five, or eight weeks during the academic year. The accelerated courses move very fast. If you take an accelerated course, be prepared to work hard.
- If you’ve completed college-level anatomy and physiology or another health-related course, the EMT 100 course prerequisite may be waived. The EMT program director and Fire Technology counselor would need to review your transcripts to determine if the course is an acceptable replacement.
- If you complete EMT 100, you’ll receive an American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider CPR eCard that’s valid for two years from the date of issue. AHA BLS Provider CPR training is required to enter EMT 093.
- If possible, you should not take any other courses during EMT 093. If you work, you will need to limit your hours the best you can because you’ll be in class for 30 hours each week and must study 25-30 hours a week outside of class.
-
What is the cost of becoming an EMT?
View the complete cost breakdown of becoming an EMT.