Welcome to the Virginia Peninsula Community College Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Education Department
LeRon Lewis
Interim Director, Fire and EMS Edu. Department
757-825-3623
Welcome, we are pleased to offer a full suite of fire and emergency medical services education programs. Our program offerings are designed to provide high quality, "real-world" training, education, simulation and internships. We offer degree and certificate programs, as well as industry specific certification courses that prepare students to graduate with educational credentials and prepare students for national level industry certification examinations in a variety of fire protection, prevention, suppression and/or emergency medical services specialties. The Virginia Peninsula Fire and EMS Department also holds designation as an American Heart Association (AHA) Training Site and as a National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) Training Center and offers a variety of fire and EMS industry certification courses from both associations.
We have public safety/emergency services programs that span the public safety, emergency services, and emergency and non-emergency medical disciplines.
Current Students and Fire and EMS Departments/Agencies, access additional program specific information and resources.
Complete your free VPCC College Application and Become a Gator and join our programs.
Contact us at (757) 825-3674/757-825-2808 or psahhs@vpcc.edu for class enrollments or any questions about our programs you may have.
Emergency Medical Services Programs:
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced Placement Paramedic (this program is for Advanced EMTs and Intermediates to brisge to paramedic)
- A.A.S. Emergency Medical Services (Paramedic Program)
Fire Science Programs:
- Structural Firefighting
- A.A.S. Fire Science Technology
Additional Public Safety/Emergency Services Programs:
- Public Safety Telecommunicator/ 9-1-1 Dispatcher
- Mobile Integrated Healthcare/ Community Paramedicine
- Critical Care Provider
- Fire Protection Systems
- AHA- BLS, ACLS, PALS
- NAEMT- PHTLS, AMLS, EPC
- And more...
Credit for Your Current Fire and EMS Certifications (Credit for Prior Learning)
Are you a certified EMT, AEMT or Paramedic or do you hold fire service industry certification(s) (Pro Board, IFSAC, NFA, VDFP, DFMA, VDEM, or FESHE)? If the answer is yes, we can award you credit for the appropraite unexpired (current) certification(s) that you hold, up to 75% of the required credits in either our AAS Emergency Medical Services and/or our AAS Fire Science Technology. Review the College's Credit for Prior Learning/Advanced Standing Guide. Scroll down the page just past the halfway point to the Credit for Certification or Licensure section and then to the Public Safety, Allied Health and Human Services Division section, reference the Emergency Medical Services and Fire Science tables in this section for a current list of courses that can be awarded for your industry certifications.
The Fire and EMS Education Department will work with prospective students to review copies of certifications and unofficial industry and institution transcripts in order to provide a "what if" report of the potential credit considered for transfer acceptance. Credit will not be applied until a transfer evaluation process is completed, which will require the submission of copies of all industry credentials/certifications and/or official transcripts.
Course credit may only be awarded based upon successfully obtained credentials. The College does not award credit(s) for experiential learning and we do not accept transfer credit(s) from other EMS programs/institutions, including EMS credit awarded from other Virginia Community College System institutions. The Fire Science program will review and consider fire-based courses taken at other institutions of higher education for transfer consdieration on a case-by-case basis, and the College will transfer fire science courses required for degree completion from other Virginia Community College System institutions. All courses considered for transfer, inlcuding general education courses, will be evaluated and considered for transfer in accordance with College policies. Credit will not be awarded until the prospective student has applied to the College, registered for and intitiated course work in thier remaining courses.
If you would like to work through a "what if" report process, please email psahhs@vpcc.edu for additional information.
For additional information regarding official transcript submission, course transfer, and the transfer evaluation process, or Submit a Request for Transfer Evaluation form online. List all the Institutions, Test Scores, Certifications & Military transcripts you need reviewed.
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CoAEMSP Paramedic Program Outcome Summary (2022 Reporting Year)
CAAHEP Accredited Paramedic Programs and CoAEMSP Letter of Review (LoR) Programs track and report outcome measures annually to the Committee on Accreditation for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). The most current CoAEMSP Annual Report was for the calendar year 2022.
National Registry Success (Pass) Rate
The most recent success rate for the National Registry Paramedic Cognitive exam was 81.3%*.
Positive Placement Rate
The most recent positive placement rate for graduates was 98.4%. Positive placement is defined by the CoAEMSP as 'Employed full or part-time in a related field and/or continuing his/her education and/or serving in the military'. Positive placement is measured at completion of the program.
Program Retention Rate
The 2022 retention rate was 78%.
Program Accreditation/Designation Information
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Advanced EMT (AEMT) Accreditation
The Virginia Peninsula Community College EMT and AEMT programs are accredited by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Health Office of Emergency Medical Services. This designation is a status signifying that a program has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the accreditation Standards established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services in compliance with Virginia Administrative Code 12 VAC 5-31.
To contact the Virginia Office of EMS Division of Educational Development:
1041 Technology Park Drive
Glen Allen, VA 23059
Phone: 804-888-9100
Fax: 804-371-3108
www.vdh.virginia.gov/emergency-medical-services
Paramedic Program Accreditation
The Virginia Peninsula Community College EMS program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs ( www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org
To contact CoAEMSP:
214-703-8445
www.coaemsp.org
Fire Science Program FESHE Designation
The Virginia Peninsula Community College Fire Science Program has received designation as a United States Fire Administration National Fire Academy Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education Program. The Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Recognition certificate is an acknowledgement that a collegiate emergency services degree program meets the minimum standards of excellence established by FESHE professional development committees and the National Fire Academy (NFA).
American Heart Association Training Center
The Virginia Peninsula Community College Fire and Emergency Medical Services Education Department is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) Training Center for traditional and hybrid, initial certification, recertification and instructor courses in HeartSaver, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Training Center
The Virginia Peninsula Community College Fire and Emergency Medical Services Education Department is a National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) Authorized Training Center for the delivery and instruction of initial certification and recertification NAEMT courses including Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS), and Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC).
