KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — Students at The Wooldard Technology Center are getting hands-on experience as first responders. they are students in the center's health science courses… which recently received a donated ambulance just last week from Kershaw County Medical Services.
"I think it's great," says student, Victoria Combs, after her school received a donated ambulance.
"I think it's important we have an ambulance because it can help students learn," adds student Jaquan Samuels.
The school already offers fire and law enforcement training, and now they are preparing for EMT courses.
"This will allow them to get basic emergency response care, they can actually learn the basic life-saving skills, they will actually be able to be certified in basic life support, first aid, CPR, your bleed control, and the Emergency Medical Responder Certification," says teacher Anna Harvey.
"Like I said the emergency responders would love to have the training with EMS so it just prepares them and makes them more job-ready," Harvey adds.
She goes on to say that she hopes this will motivate students to become EMTs and help bridge the gap in an industry that's experiencing a shortage of first responders.
"We have to look at industry need and student interest, and industry needs show we need more EMS drivers, we need more certified people in the field working, and then thank goodness student interest shows we have a lot of people want to learn about EMS, and health science and take the class so this course that was able to check both boxes," says assistant director, Rose Montgomery.
The program will be open to high school students, starting in the 2023-2024 school year.