Req 15a — Visit an EMS Station

This option puts you face to face with the professionals who do emergency medicine every day — not through a screen, but in person, in the spaces where they train and respond. Most EMS stations, fire departments with EMS capability, and ambulance corps welcome Scout visits.

Planning Your Visit

Finding a Facility

• Your local fire department often has an EMS division. Call and ask to speak with the community outreach or public affairs contact.
• Your county or city may have a dedicated EMS agency separate from the fire department.
• Community ambulance corps (many are volunteer-based) are usually very welcoming to Scout groups.
• Hospital-based EMS training centers are another option — they often run EMT certification courses and have training manikins and simulated scenarios you can observe.

Scheduling

• Call or email at least 2–3 weeks in advance.
• Identify yourself as a Scout working on the First Aid merit badge.
• Ask who would be the right person to host your visit and whether there is a preferred day/time when the station is less busy with calls.
• Confirm whether you’ll be doing a facility tour, talking with personnel, or both.

What to Bring

• A notebook and pencil (or your phone for notes).
• A list of questions prepared ahead of time (see below).
• A genuine curiosity — the people you meet chose this career to help others, and they usually enjoy talking about it.

Questions to Ask the First Responders

Go beyond the basic tour. Come ready with thoughtful questions:

About the work:

• What does a typical shift look like for you?
• What types of calls do you respond to most often?
• What’s the most challenging type of call — physically, emotionally, or technically?
• How has the job changed in the past 5–10 years?

About the career path:

• How did you decide to go into EMS?
• What certifications or training did you need to start?
• What’s the difference between an EMT and a paramedic?
• What does continuing education look like in this field?

About serving the community:

• What do you wish the general public knew about calling 911?
• What first aid skill do you think every civilian should know?
• Is there anything Scouts specifically could do to be better prepared to assist in an emergency?

What to Observe

While you’re there, pay attention to:

• The equipment on the ambulance or in the station (How does it compare to what you’ve learned?)
• How the crew interacts — teamwork under stress is a learned skill
• The training tools they use (mannequins, simulation equipment, defibrillator trainers)
• The physical setup of the station — what does life between calls look like?

Discussing Your Visit with Your Counselor

After your visit, come prepared to discuss:

• What surprised you most about what you saw or heard?
• How do the professionals’ skills and knowledge compare to what you’ve learned in this badge?
• Did any aspect of EMS work interest you as a possible career?
• What role do community first responders play that professional EMS cannot?