Guilford Firefighter Achieves Major Milestone

GUILFORD, CT — Firefighter Dan O’Brien has received final approval from sponsor hospital medical control and is now cleared to operate as a practicing firefighter-paramedic with the Guilford Fire Department.

O’Brien joined the department on June 3, 2019, as a firefighter EMT. Two years ago, he began paramedic training as the department sought to expand its roster of advanced life support providers.

Paramedic certification in Connecticut typically requires between 1,200 and 1,800 hours of training, including classroom instruction, hospital clinical rotations and field internships on ambulances, the GFD said in a recent announcement.

The process can take 12 to 24 months to complete and includes rigorous academic and clinical requirements.

The milestone comes as fire departments and emergency medical services agencies nationwide continue to face shortages of paramedics, with some reporting vacancy rates exceeding 20 percent, the GFD noted.

Officials said O’Brien’s certification strengthens the department’s response capabilities and helps ensure residents have access to advanced life support care.

The department also recognized O’Brien’s family, including his wife, Sara, and daughter, Rosemary, for their support during the training process.