Aetna recently announced that it will layoff about 1,250 workers by the end of Q1 2010, a move that will result in the loss of 160 positions in Connecticut. The company plans to layoff 625 employees now and the rest by the end of Q1 2010.

Company officials say the cuts are a result of declining enrollments caused by the economic downturn, as well as the threat of healthcare reform and regulatory changes being proposed by the federal government. Employees who are eligible will receive severance benefits based on length of service, outplacement services and other support programs.

"Streamlining our business now will enable us to improve our competitiveness and redirect resources to areas with a greater potential for future growth," Ronald A. Williams, chairman and CEO of Aetna, told the Hartford Business Journal Online. "Change is never easy but, working from a position of strength, we should be able to manage through the evolving environment."

The company currently employs about 35,500 workers, including more than 7,000 workers in Connecticut. Aetna expects to face a $40 million restructuring charge after tax because of the layoffs and ongoing real estate consolidation.

The decision to make layoffs, company officials said, is designed to ensure Aetna's ability to meet its service and quality commitments to customers, members and other constituents. In addition to reducing its workforce, the company also expects to consolidate field offices in some locations to reduce real estate costs. However, Aetna is not planning to leave any markets as a result.

Cutting jobs is a new trend for Aetna, as the company added 5,700 positions from March 2007 to September 2008, but that was prior to the current economic recession. Now, the company is mostly worried that insurance market reform will put pressure on Aetna's profit margins.

EMTs and paramedics in Connecticut earn an average salary of about $33,710 per year. Most EMTs work for a local government entity, a hospital or other care facility or a private emergency medical services company.

The North Central Connecticut Emergency Medical Services Council, Inc. is a non-profit corporation responsible under the State of Connecticut for establishing, coordinating and administering the development of an efficient emergency medical services system and performing any functions necessary to attain better emergency medical services.

NCCEMS owns and operates North Central C-MED, which serves as the regional emergency medical services communications center. The center is funded by participating cities and towns.

The Council has several standing committees and ad hoc task forces made up of volunteer members from the region. Policies developed by the committees must be approved by the Executive Committee before they can be ratified by the Board of Directors and implemented.

There are several schools throughout Connecticut and the Hartford area that offer EMT training programs. The Health Careers Department at Capital Community College has EMT-Paramedic, EMS-Instructor and EMT-Emergency Management Response degree and certificate programs. Graduates of these programs are eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians-Paramedic exam.

The EMT-Paramedic certificate program is nationally accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions. Applicants to the program must provide proof of physical exam, required immunizations and a professional-level CPR card.

Graduates of this particular program will be prepared to provide advanced pre-hospital emergency care to patients who need advanced life support. Students can obtain certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support.

Goodwin College also offers a paramedic training program that follows the National Standard Paramedic Curriculum provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The college is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Applicants to the paramedic program must provide proof of EMT-B certification and a CPR card from the American Heart Association or Red Cross. Graduates of the program also are eligible to take the state licensing exam. Courses taken through the certificate program also can be applied toward an associates or bachelor's degree in health sciences.

The program itself consists of 1,300 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction, including field and clinical experience. Graduates will be able to perform comprehensive evaluations of a patient's condition and deliver pre-hospital advanced life support.