By Mark Shaffer
The Ironton Tribune
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio 鈥� Soon, Lawrence County will start offering EMT training.
鈥淟awrence County EMS will be able to offer initial EMT training and advanced EMT training through the State of Ohio,鈥� said Trey Willet, the training coordinator/operations assistant for Lawrence County Emergency Medical Services.
He said Lawrence County EMS went through the state鈥檚 lengthy accreditation process and will be able to start offering those classes sometime after the New Year so the classes don鈥檛 conflict with the upcoming holidays.
鈥淲e will be able to offer the initial EMT training to the youth of the area. Starting at age 18, you can take a four to six month class and from there, you are able to start the job and earn upwards of $40-50,000 straight out of high school,鈥� Willet said.
The classes used to be offered through Collins Career Technical Center, but after that program ended a few years ago, people interested in becoming an EMT had to take classes in Ashland, Kentucky.
鈥淏ut now, we will be able to do something much more local for the people of Lawrence County,鈥� Willet said.
The classes will be taught in Coal Grove at the county鈥檚 Joint Response Operations Center, also known as JROC.
After New Year鈥檚 Day, applicants can go to JROC and ask for Willet, who can provide them with paperwork to be filled out.
鈥淲e are working to get that application online as well,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we haven鈥檛 got there yet.鈥�
Willet will look through the applications and select people for the course.
He recommends that students looking to become an EMT should take 鈥渁natomy and physiology seriously in high school. A basic knowledge of those are a must for an EMT.鈥�
He also recommends volunteering with a fire department as well.
Willet said the advanced training will be helpful for current EMTs to move up in their field.
鈥淚f you are already employed with us, we have a stepping stone to increase your knowledge, increase your pay, give you a springboard further into your career,鈥� Willet said. 鈥淎ny EMT can take our advanced classes.鈥�
He said although it took since last summer to get the state accreditation for these classes, he said that there has been strong support for it from EMTs looking to take classes locally to public officials.
鈥淭he commissioners have been behind me 100% on everything I have needed and our director staff has been tremendously supportive of getting this program in place,鈥� Willet said.
(c)2024 The Ironton Tribune (Ironton, Ohio)
Visit The Ironton Tribune (Ironton, Ohio) at www.irontontribune.com
Distributed by
