News from EmergyCare

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March 2011

Greetings!

You'll see this newsletter has a theme....Education. Thanks to our donors and supporters, we're able to maintain a thriving education program that serves thousands of community members each year through CPR classes, school programs, participation in health expos and more. In fact, education is a major part of what we do every day at EmergyCare, whether continuing education for our employees, public education about health topics or setting new education standards for professional emergency responders.

With your help we can do even more! We're striving to build communities where citizens are trained in CPR and AED use, young people and families adopt healthy lifestyle choices and people know how to minimize the risk of disease and injury. It's a lot to tackle but with your support and contributions, we can expand our community education services.

Thanks for all you do to support EmergyCare.

Have a safe and healthy Spring,

Bill Hagerty

Executive Director

EmergyCare sets the standard in EMS Education

Partners with Butler County Community College to offer a paramedic degree program

In a move that will bring the first paramedic degree program with transferrable college credits to Western PA, EmergyCare is partnering with Butler County Community College (BCCC) to offer an Associate's Degree in Applied Science, Paramedicine. Tentatively scheduled to begin with the Fall 2011 semester, this 68 credit program offers a career-track opportunity for those interested in the EMS profession as well as those already working as EMTs and Paramedics. EmergyCare's education coordinator, Jim Kifer, EMT-P, will be one of the key faculty members for the paramedic and medical courses while other faculty will teach the management, communications and general education courses.

A unique course schedule is designed to have students prepared to take the EMT-Paramedic National Registry Certification test by the end of their third semester. This will allow students who pass the Registry exam to begin working as Paramedics while they finish their final two semesters.

Jim Kifer, Education Coordinator, is thrilled with this culmination of two year's work to bring this degree program to our region. According to Kifer, "this program has built-in flexibility to accommodate those completely new to EMS as well as those who are already working as Paramedics but wish to pursue additional studies that prepare them for management and operations roles." Kifer adds, "our affiliation with Butler County Community College opens up worlds of new opportunities as the EMS industry continues to gain recognition as a profession and career-track field, rather than just a technical job. This partnership allows us to be on the cutting edge of the industry and offer viable career paths for individuals in our region."

Students enrolling in the Associates program will have access to financial aid and loan programs offered by the state and federal governments. Some of the credits earned through BCCC will be transferable to other accredited colleges and universities, paving the way for students to continue additional studies in the healthcare field. Additionally, there will be an option for those who have already completed college credits at other accredited institutions to transfer credits to BCCC and have them applied towards the Associates Degree.

In This Issue

Setting the Standard in EMS Education

Blood Pressure Screenings

Skills Fair

Make a difference!

Today! Blood Pressure Screenings at Diabetes Expo

EmergyCare is participating in Great Lakes Home Healthcare's Diabetes & Healthy Living Expo today at the Bayfront Convention Center. Stop by from 1 - 5 p.m. today. Debbie Burick, EMT and Don Hansen, EMT-P will be on hand taking blood pressures and providing health information. Burick states, "Don and I have participated in this expo several years in a row. We always look forward to the opportunity to talk to people about taking good care of themselves to prevent disease and illness."

Skills Fair Strengthens our Team

On March 8 and 9 all Paramedics in the Erie division participated in a Skills Fair. Designed by medical director Dr. Christopher Cammarata, the seven stations measured skills on critical procedures, trained staff on new policies and introduced updated equipment. According to Todd Steele, Director of Operations, "the Skills Fair was one way we live up to our mission to provide the highest quality of care possible. Our patients have the right to expect highly skilled emergency responders and we are committed to delivering on that expectation."

The Skills Fair was just the latest offering in a robust program of continuing education programs for our medical personnel. EMTs and Paramedics must each complete numerous hours of continuing education each year to maintain their certification.