group of rescue volunteers in front of a Grand Isle Rescue Sign

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Levels of Certification

VEFR (VT Emergency First Responder)

An introductory level certification that takes approximately 24 hours of classroom education.
VEFR members will learn major bleeding control, life saving cardiac arrest management skills, administration of naloxone and assistance with an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector.
EMR (Emergency Medical Responder)

A nationally certified introductory level of certification that takes approximately 56 hours of classroom education.
EMR members also learn major bleeding control, life saving cardiac arrest management skills, administration of naloxone and assistance with an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector as well as airway, breathing and oxygenation and emergency splinting and immobilization.
EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)

Nationally certified level that takes approximately 120 hours of classroom education.

EMTs have the basic knowledge and skills necessary to stabilize and safely transport patients ranging from non-emergency and routine medical transports to life threatening emergencies. Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance.
AEMT (Advanced Emergency Medical Technician)

Nationally certified level of training that takes approximately 240 hours of classroom education.

The primary focus of the AEMT is to provide basic and limited advanced emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients. Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance.

FAQs

It all begins with ambition. Join us at a Thursday meeting at 7pm at 4 Faywood Drive in Grand Isle and ask lots of questions! Find a member you’re comfortable with and we will be happy to guide you through the process - however that looks for you.
In order to begin ride alongs on GI Rescue, we need a copy of your Driver’s License, a valid AHA Healthcare Provider CPR Certification and ICS 100 & 700 certificates.
Volunteering with EMS is extremely rewarding but it does take significant time to obtain and maintain a license/certification. Courses range anywhere from 24-240 hours in addition to ride time, clinical time and additional training.
Yes! GI Rescue thrives because of our dedicated volunteers in every facet. If you’re not certified as an EMS provider, you can still help in many ways. We need administrators, groundskeepers, volunteer coordinators, help with housekeeping and fundraisers to name a few.

Founded in 1975

Grand Isle Rescue was founded in 1975 as a volunteer EMS organization. Currently GIR supplements the service of its volunteer members with paid part-time EMS personnel.

Grand Isle Rescue primarily serves Grand Isle and North Hero towns in the Lake Champlain Islands as well as provides mutual aide in South Hero, Alburgh and Isle la Motte as needed. Rescue is toned out for all medical and fire calls working closely with the Islands Fire Departments