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Last weekend, eight students completed their advanced EMT certification training. Having already completed their basic training, the students then had to participate in nine training exercises, with representation from the state level, as well as the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). These trainings included: trauma, medical emergencies, drug administration, intravenous access, a random skill (this time joint immobilization), supraglottic airway, pediatric airway compromise, intraosseous access, and CPR. The students had to demonstrate proficiency in these areas.

“We had a 100% first-time pass-rate,” Assistant chief Jamie Earp said. “Of the students that were there, 100% of them passed on the first try, which is a big thing… because all of our students come in from the street, they had no formal education in this at all. And we had to take them from no experience to skilled and able to pass their test in an eight-month window.”

It took the students roughly four months for their basic training, followed by four for advanced. With their certification now complete, they can now take these skills almost anywhere else in the world.

“By doing this national level, which is required, these students are able to apply for what they call reciprocity. And their reciprocity and their certifications is what allows them to transfer to other states, and just apply for that state’s license.”

Earp also emphasized of the program’s low cost and brevity. “It was monetarily feasible. Most of these students had little to no cost, it was less than a car payment, in what they had in their education. It was also a fairy prompt training. We were able to successfully complete and have a very high pass rate in the last four months,” Earp said.

“It would have been absolutely impossible to do this without the help of Dr. Jerry Phillips,” Earp said. “He was a huge supporter of this program and getting people certified. If it weren’t for him, very literally, if he had not signed on to help us, this would not have gotten done.”

“He didn’t bat an eye at anything we had to get signed and done,” engineer Tyler Dalton said.

Earp also thanked fire chief Charlie McCann, as well as the Board of Education, specifically Dr. Sydney Cochran.

“The Board of Education loaned us a school for that training. Dr. Cochran never batted an eye. When I said, ‘Dr. Cochran, we really need to do this training,’ he said, ‘Yes, how can we help you?’”

The class is scheduled to begin again in January. For more information, Earp can be reached at jearp@decaturcountyga.gov.