California has one of the largest EMT/EMS services in the entire country and the state is continually hiring certified EMT personnel. EMT training and EMT paramedic training, licensing and certification in the state of California are governed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority or EMSA. This state bureau has the responsibility of managing the entire EMS system for the state of California.

In the state of California, those who have completed EMT and EMT paramedic training in CA find employment primarily with ambulance services, fire departments, private industries and corporations. The CA training also prepares EMS personal to work in both clinical and emergency environments.

Both EMTs and EMT paramedics must complete a CA EMT training program that is state accredited in order to be certified. California EMT training alone is not sufficient; it requires a state accredited program or courses. The state of California and the EMSA also requires the individual who has completed EMT training to pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam and recognizes the exam certification if taken in other states.

CA EMT training applicants who wish to take the EMT certification test are first required to have 110 hours of EMT training instructional study and another 10 hours of medical training studies. Paramedic training in California requires a minimum of 1090 hours for training.

Each state has its own EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Board and requirements for EMS certification. To become a certified EMT in the state of California an individual:

• must be 18 years of age
• must enroll in EMT-basic training and pass EMT certification
• must pass a criminal background check
• must have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent

In addition, for CA paramedic training the state of California requires the candidate to:

• Submit a Statement of Citizenship, Alienage, and Immigration Status for State Paramedic License Application or Paramedic License renewal.
• Complete a California paramedic license application.
• Submit the appropriate fees which are dependent upon your status and what you are applying for. This includes California EMT-paramedic training graduates, out-of-state EMT paramedics, and Challenge Candidates. Current fees range from $250-$300.

Every two years, for those who hold an EMT-II, EMT III, or EMT paramedic certification, the state of California requires the EMT to verify that they are still up to par on their continuing education requirements, also known as CE requirements, or EMT refresher courses. It is recommended that an individual begin the application process for re-certification well before your certification expires.

According to the United States Department of Labor:
Employment of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and EMT paramedics is expected to grow by 19 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Full-time paid EMTs and paramedics will be needed to replace unpaid volunteers. It is becoming increasingly difficult for emergency medical services to recruit and retain unpaid volunteers because of the amount of EMT training and EMT paramedic training, and the large time commitment these positions require. Not to mention liability. As a result, more paid EMTs and paramedics are needed. Furthermore, as a large segment of the population—aging members of the baby boom generation—becomes more likely to have medical emergencies, demand will increase for EMTs and paramedics. There will still be demand for part-time, volunteer EMTs and paramedics in rural areas and smaller metropolitan areas.

Job prospects should be very favorable and job opportunities should be best in private ambulance services. Competition will be greater for jobs in local government, including fire, police, and independent third-service rescue squad departments which tend to have better salaries and benefits. EMTs and paramedics who have advanced EMT training education and paramedic training, such as Paramedic level certification, should enjoy the most favorable job prospects as employees and patients demand higher levels of care before arriving at the hospital.

Additional requirements for pursuing EMT training and EMT paramedic training exist, and details of these are fairly common state to state. Read the articles EMT Training and EMT Paramedic Training for details and a list of these requirements.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the California EMSA:
(916) 322-4336, or the Paramedic Licensure: (916) 323-9875.