Yearly institute offers local EMT training

"Our folks love giving back to the community," said EMS Chief Darrell Fisher of New Holland Ambulance, which covers Leola in addition to the ELANCO area. "They may work in a hospital, but on their off time, they volunteer on our trucks." Fisher noted that registered nurses and a nurse practitioner are among the regular volunteers.

All the ambulance company volunteers were honored during the organization's Family Safety Day on May 6 by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council with the Small EMS Agency of the Year award. Fisher explained that small agencies complete fewer than 5,000 calls per year. "It's kind of a once-in-a-lifetime achievement," he said, noting that multiple nomination letters were sent on behalf of the company and that state representatives audited the organization's response times to evaluate them for the prize. Fisher noted that currently, New Holland Ambulance has about 111 active volunteers and seven career staff members handling 10 calls a day between the two stations.

Another way that local volunteers serve is as instructors and evaluators for the emergency medical technician (EMT) certification program, which the organization holds yearly as part of its education institute. "We were accredited through the Pennsylvania Department of Health as our own training institute," said Fisher. The application process opens in October, and the class runs from January to June on Mondays and Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m. for a total of about 220 hours. "We get about 70 applications, and we can only accept 30," said Fisher, who added that students from Fivepointville, White Horse, and Gordonville have taken the class and returned to serve their local ambulance companies.

Fisher pointed out that as part of the class, students join New Holland's EMTs on the ambulances. "They are able to learn alongside providers and not just in the classroom," he said, explaining that the goal is to recognize and stop immediate life threats, such as breathing problems or allergic reactions. He said EMTs work like detectives to discover the cause of a medical issue. To test students on whether they recognize symptoms, a written test is given along with 16 testing stations where evaluators see if a student is proficient at recognizing and treating life threats. "(It's about) recognizing that life threat as quickly as possible and trying to reverse that," said Fisher. Students who successfully complete the program become Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMTs).

Making the EMS program available locally is important to the organization. "Our education institute allows us to provide these classes for our community without (students) having to go to a local college or hospital," said Fisher. "Our goal would be to make it easier for moms and dads who are working full-time jobs."

"Our area has really been blessed by (volunteers)," said Fisher. "The (certification) program is something we are proud of."

Readers who wish to apply for the program may visit http://www.newhollandambulance.com/news/27/2023-EMT-Class-Registration.