EL PASO FIRE DEPARTMENT: Paramedic Class 1 Graduates

Paramedic Defined:
A paramedic is the highest level emergency medical technician. These emergency medical professionals are trained to provide patients with the most advanced care before a patient is admitted into a hospital. They may have to revive or stabilize a patient on the way to the emergency room. Paramedics often work alongside other emergency medical technicians and emergency response personnel, such as firefighters and police officers.

Educational Overview to Be a Paramedic:
In order to become a paramedic, formal training and licensing is required. Students must complete the early levels of emergency medical training, EMT-1, EMT-2/3. Upon completing those courses, students must complete a paramedic program, which may last up to two years. During the program, students must also complete on-site training. After completing the program, students must pass written and practical exams to receive a license.
The El Paso Fire Department Training Academy and EMS Online Training Plus graduated 21 El Paso Fire Fighters who completed the Paramedic course to become newly certified Paramedics. The course included classroom instruction and skills training on various aspects in becoming a license paramedic, some of the courses included patient assessment, pharmaceutical, advance and pediatric cardiac life support, advance airway management, IV infusion management, trauma and medical emergency care, EKG assessment, OB-GYN, HAZMAT emergencies, and weapons of mass destruction with mass casualty triage. The paramedic class was the first of its kind to be done by a partnership of the El Paso Fire Dept. Training Academy and EMS Online Training Plus making the Paramedic Class 1 a success. The Paramedic class will now begin the next phase of preceptorship with current EPFD Paramedics for on the field evaluations. These newly acquired certified paramedics will be given a responsibility to go out to the community to provide advance emergency care at the highest level given on the streets of El Paso. Saving lives and administrating emergency medical care to all who call upon them is the upmost goal. El Paso should be proud to have these men and women serving as the new Paramedics for the El Paso Fire Department.

EL PASO FIRE DEPARTMENT
Paramedic Class 1
apt. Raymond Carreon Jr. Lt. Richard Varela

FST Matthew C. Morrison FST Ricky J. Pando

FST Enrique Saucedo FF Gilbert Alvara

FF Rodolfo Becerra FF Jake Canavan

FF Daniel Hernandez FF David Hernandez

FF Michael J. Lara FF Peter L. Liechti

FF Albert Lujan FF Lorenzo Marquez III

FF Matthew K. Mendoza FF Joel Najera

FF James E. Nicholson Sr. FF Manuel Ortiz

FF Zachary J. Renteria FF Jennifer Rubio

FF Calvin Zielsdorf