Emergency ambulance driver
Also known as: ambulance technician, ECA, assistant in emergency care, medical emergency assistant, technician in emergency medical care, ambulance emergency care assistant
About this occupation
Emergency ambulance drivers use emergency vehicles to respond to medical emergencies and support the work of paramedics, move patients safely, take note of changes in the patient's vital signs and report to the paramedics in charge, ensuring the medical equipment is well stored, transported and functional, under supervision and on order of a doctor of medicine.
Essential skills and knowledge
- follow verbal instructions
- assist ambulance paramedics
- work in multidisciplinary teams related to emergency care
- maintain emergency vehicle equipment
- human anatomy
- medical dispatch
- provide first aid
- comply with legislation related to health care
- resuscitation
- transfer patients to and from ambulance vehicles
- health care legislation
- operate an emergency communication system
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 53-3011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Place patients on stretchers, and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants.
- Replace supplies and disposable items on ambulances.
- Accompany and assist emergency medical technicians on calls.
- Earn and maintain appropriate certifications.
- Drive ambulances or assist ambulance drivers in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons.
- Administer first aid, such as bandaging, splinting, or administering oxygen.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Social, Conventional
Top skills: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning
US median pay: US$35,450 a year (2025), 12,630 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.3)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.4)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.1)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Paramedics
- Orderlies
- Nursing Assistants
- Home Health Aides
- Surgical Assistants
- Medical Assistants
- Public Safety Telecommunicators
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
- Personal Care Aides
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.