Now is the time to become an EMT; Not just to help the community but for one’s own emergency
VMH EMT Sara Berges ... Sara Berges of Waukon has been an EMT at Veterans Memorial Hospital since 2011, and encourages others to take this upcoming class which will be held in Waukon starting March 28. Sara explains, “I chose to be an EMT because I’ve always been interested in medicine and this allowed me to have my full-time day job, which is not in the medical field, and still serve my community as an EMT on-call a few nights a week or on the weekend. I have a busy life with a busy family, but I still find the time to participate with the VMH ambulance service. While the skills and knowledge learned in the EMT class help prepare you to work as an EMT, they may prove useful in your own life, too as you never know when emergency situations might arise.” Submitted photo.
Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon beginning at the end of March. This 138-hour course will conclude near the end of July.
This will be an in-person class held right here locally in Waukon, which is a huge advantage to students attending in comparison to taking an online class. NICC has received a grant to cover 70% of the tuition for this course, so generous tuition assistance is available, keeping the class costs under $400.
Sara Berges of Waukon has been an EMT at Veterans Memorial Hospital since 2011, helping out with ambulance calls when she can around her busy work and family schedule. “I chose to be an EMT because I’ve always been interested in medicine and this allowed me to have my full-time day job, which is not in the medical field, and still serve my community as an EMT on-call a few nights a week or on the weekend,” explains Sara. “I have a busy life with a busy family, but I still find the time to participate with the VMH ambulance service. While the skills and knowledge learned in the EMT class help prepare you to work as an EMT, they may prove useful in your own life, too as you never know when emergency situations might arise.”
Areas of study include an introduction to emergency medical services systems, roles and responsibilities of EMTs, anatomy and physiology, medical emergencies, trauma, special considerations for working in the pre-hospital setting, and providing patient transportation. The class meets two nights per week, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night, and clinicals will be held in-person. Students who successfully complete this class will be eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certification examination. With this certification, individuals are able to volunteer on their own community’s ambulance service or rescue squad, as well as be prepared for careers in emergency services.
For more information, contact Jacob Dougherty, Paramedic, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Supervisor, or Cheryl Livingston, Paramedic, Class Instructor, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
