Five of six students pass test, hired by county

A gamble on training their own EMTs has worked out for Lawrence County EMS.

Almost all first responder agencies have issues with getting and retaining trained employees and David Hamm, the director of Lawrence County EMS, felt that creating their own training program was one of the best ways to solve that problem.

For the better part of last year, the agency went through a lengthy accreditation process so it could offer initial EMT training and advanced EMT training through the State of Ohio.

Hamm said six basic EMT students finished the class and five of them passed the National Registry EMT and have been hired by the county.

“The sixth one has not tested yet, but we expect him to pass as well,” he said. 

Hamm said they started the program “because there was a need in the community, there really wasn’t a basic EMT program locally for our folks. And we thought we could fill that void. And I think we have done a good job.”

The basic EMT class used to be offered at Collins Career and Technical Center, but after that program ended a few years ago, people interested in becoming an EMT had to take classes in Ashland, Kentucky.

Hamm said they will have another basic EMT class.

“We will have another program, possibly the end of this year, but definitely, early next year at the latest,” he said. “Right now, we are in the middle of our advanced EMT class. We have several of our basic EMTs enrolled in that, so we expect good things from that too.”