Continuing Education
We currently offer continuing education
classes for ALS & BLS providers.  
These classes are conducted during the
Thursday night training sessions
as well as on occasional weekends.  
Please refer to the CLASSROOM section
of our website for information on
training sessions that are currently
being offered.

Levels of Certification

EMT - Basic
This course is designed to provide training to prepare an
individual to function independently in a medical
emergency. This course provides the basic knowledge
and skills needed to provide basic life support (BLS)
care and is required to progress to more advanced
levels of prehospital patient care.
The course requires a minimum of 111 hours of
classroom and skills instruction and 10 hours of
Clinical/Field rotations for a total of 121 hours of training.
Virginia Certification requires successful completion of a
written and practical skills examination.
This course is designed to train individuals to serve
as a vital link in the chain of the health care team.
This includes all skills necessary to provide emergency
medical care as an attendant-in-charge
with a basic life support ambulance service
or other specialized rescue service.
Upon successfully completion of the training program,
the student will be capable of performing
the following functions:
Recognize the nature and seriousness of the patient’s
condition or extent of injury to assess
requirements for emergency care.
Administer appropriate emergency care
to stabilize the patient’s condition.
Lift, move, position and otherwise handle the patient
in a way as to minimize discomfort and further injury.

EMT - Enhanced
Virginia Standard Curriculum represents the minimum
required information to be presented within a course that
leads to a Virginia EMT-Enhanced certification eligibility.
All skills and subjects contained in the curriculum for
EMT-Enhanced are covered in a minimum of 80 hours of
instruction plus a minimum of 48 hours devoted to
extensive clinical rotations in specialty units and field
internship. Clinical rotations of this type are not usually
available for lower level providers to attend.
These additional clinical rotations include time spent in
OR/Recovery Units, Critical Care Units,
Labor & Delivery Units, Pediatrics, Emergency
Department, Family Practice, Mental Health Clinics,
Dialysis Clinics, Neurovascular Rehabilitation Clinics,
Detoxification Units & Extended Care Facilities.
It is recognized that there is additional specific education
that will be required of the EMT-Enhanced who practices
in the field, i.e. ambulance driving, heavy and light
rescue, basic extrication, special needs, etc.
It is also recognized that this information might differ
from locality to locality, and that each training program
or system should identify and provide special instruction
for these additional training requirements.

EMT - Intermediate 99
This level of training is designed to certify technicians
to a mid-level of pre-hospital advanced life support care
in Virginia. This program fulfills all the requirements
of the National Standard Curriculum
for the EMT-Intermediate 99.
All skills and subjects contained in the curriculum for
Intermediate 99 are covered for a minimum of 272 hours
of instruction with a minimum of 68 hours devoted
to extensive clinical rotations in specialty units.
In addition to the above, the candidate must complete a
minimum of 10 patient contact calls in which they
act as the team leader on an ALS ambulance.
Clinical rotations of this type are not usually available for
lower level providers. These additional clinical rotations
include time spent in OR/Recovery Units, Critical Care
Units, Labor & Delivery Units, Pediatrics, Emergency
Department, Family Practice, Mental Health Clinics,
Dialysis Clinics, Neurovascular Rehabilitation Clinics,
Detoxification Units, and Extended Care Facilities.
The Intermediate 99 Program is designed to educate
the technician in the following areas of pre-hospital care:
preparatory skills, airway management and ventilation,
patient assessment, trauma, medical, special
considerations and assessment based management.
In Virginia, all initial Intermediate 99 Programs are
required to satisfy the testing guidelines established by
the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Upon successful course completion and National Registry
EMT - Intermediate 99 certification, the technician must
apply for Virginia certification before being allowed to
practice at this level. After receiving Virginia credentials,
the Intermediate 99 has the option to maintain National
Registry Intermediate certification without affecting their
Virginia certification. However, Virginia certification must
be maintained in order to provide patient care
at this level in this state.

EMT - Paramedic
The Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic Program
is designed to certify the technician to the highest level
of pre-hospital advanced life support care available in
Virginia. This program fulfills all the requirements of the
National Standard Curriculum for EMT - Paramedic.
The Paramedic program expands on the skills and
subjects contained in the Enhanced and Intermediate
courses with a minimum of 800 - 1200 hours of
instruction. Of these hours, a minimum of 136 hours is
devoted to extensive clinical rotations in specialty critical
care units. Additional hours may be required to complete
all the required competencies. Clinical rotations of this
type are not usually available for lower level providers to
attend. These additional clinical rotations include time
spent in OR/Recovery Units, Critical Care Units, Labor &
Delivery Units, Pediatrics, Emergency Department, Family
Practice, Mental Health Clinics, Dialysis Clinics,
Neurovascular Rehabilitation Clinics, Detoxification Units,
and Extended Care Facilities.
The Paramedic Program is designed to educate
the technician in all areas of pre-hospital patient care.
These areas include instruction in:
pre-hospital environments, preparatory skills, airway
management and ventilation, patient assessment,
trauma care, medical patient management,
obstetrical/gynecological conditions,
pediatric patients, neonatal care, psychiatric & behavioral
emergencies, special considerations and
assessment based management.
In Virginia, all initial Paramedic Programs are required
to satisfy the testing guidelines established
by the National Registry of Emergency Medical
Technicians. Upon successful course completion and
National Registry EMT - Paramedic certification, the
technician must apply for Virginia certification
before being allowed to practice at this level.
After receiving Virginia credentials, the Paramedic
has the option to maintain National Registry Paramedic
certification without affecting their Virginia certification,
however, Virginia certification must be maintained
in order to provide patient care at this level in this state.


For more information email us at:
ccrstraining@tds.net
or visit
Western Virginia EMS Council
EMERGENCY           911
BUSINESS    (540) 864-5115
FAX             (540) 864-8717
Craig County Rescue/EMS
P.O. Box 81 New Castle, VA  24127
email: craigcountyrescueems@tds.net
TRAINING