STARKVILLE – A classroom full of firefighters sat with notebooks, textbooks and coffees in hand Thursday morning inside Fire Station 1 as Sgt. Jeremy Weaver led a lesson on vehicular extrication, the process of safely removing someone trapped inside a vehicle after a crash.
The lesson was part of the department’s new in-house Emergency Medical Technician training program, which allows firefighters to earn their EMT certification while on shift. By studying at the station, Fire Chief Dewayne Davis said firefighters can pause training to respond to emergency calls.
Starkville firefighters are required to earn EMT certification and remain on probationary status until they do, Davis said. They must renew that certification every two years.
“We want them to be EMT-certified because most of our calls are medical in nature,” Davis said. “… The benefit of them doing it here is that of course they’re right here with us, so if an emergency arises and we need them, they can come out of class, help and make that time up.”
In previous years, city firefighters had to travel on their own time to East Mississippi Community College, take hybrid courses at the Mississippi Fire Academy in Rankin County or enroll with the School of EMS in South Dakota to earn their EMT certifications, methods which put a strain on firefighters and cost the department thousands in travel, food and lodging fees.
“The cost of this EMT class with the books and everything now is going to cost about $4,000,” Davis said. “Several years back, we had about 15 students go through the School of EMS, and that cost us $35,000.”
Last year, the course was taught internally for the first time to a small group of five students at the Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Center near the intersection of West Main Street and Dr. Douglas L. Conner Drive. With an influx of 13 students this year, the department decided to move classes to its home base.
The 15-week course involves 12 weeks of classroom instruction, followed by three to four weeks of ambulance ride-alongs with trained paramedics. Weaver, who leads a team of four other instructors, said the course covers assessment and intervention of nearly every medical or traumatic condition a person may experience.
“We deal with respiratory illnesses, cardiac illnesses, gastrointestinal illnesses, as well as bleeding, trauma and strokes,” Weaver said. “… Our process is understanding how to assess a patient or person for injury … and begin the process of patient care. That patient care is going to continue from our hands into the hands of the emergency medical system. So it’s a continuum of care that usually gets started with us.”
Weaver said about 80% of fire service calls are medical in nature, involving heart attacks, strokes, psychiatric emergencies and even childbirth. Although paramedics typically arrive on scene, firefighters are usually the first to respond.
“Because of that realization and … need for cities around the country, our fire departments have increased our services that we provide, and this is just one of the ways that we do so,” Weaver said.
Firefighter and EMT student Yaakov Weinstein, who has been with the department for a little more than a year, said a typical 48-hour shift involves inspecting fire truck equipment, cleaning the station, exercising, training and responding to calls. During any downtime firefighters have, they study.
Having an instructor who also serves as a firefighter makes a significant difference, Weinstein said.
“I think there’s a lot more leeway and understanding with an instructor who is one of us,” he said. “… He has a much (better) understanding of what each and every one of us is going through on a daily basis.”
Davis said the department plans to expand this model in the spring by offering driver operator training in-house as well. The training, typically provided through the state fire academy, will include vehicle operation, pump management and hydrant connection.
Columbus Fire and Rescue Chief Duane Hughes said in-house training was standard at the department in the late 1990s, but that became “troublesome” with scheduling instructors and overtime costs. The department has traditionally sent firefighters to EMCC for training but began enrolling students in a hybrid program with the state fire academy last year.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
