Jun 25, 2014 2 min read

This year, for the first time, students who completed the EMT class at Carmichaels Area High School have the opportunity to receive certification in the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Seven students who graduated in May already have taken the practical exam and will be completing the written exam this summer to become National Registry EMTs.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the students, the generosity of EQT (Corp.) and the cooperation of our community, all students who tested this year passed their practical exam,” said Rebecca Reed, instructor for the EMT class.

The students are Kaylee Boosel, Layne Estle, Courtney Shine, Samantha Smith, Hana Vilenica, Amanda Brown and Justin Newman.

Carmichaels is one of the few districts to offer an EMT program, a one-year course that allows students to become certified EMTs.

A recent change in the state certification program, however, now requires the students to complete the national registry EMT course, which is far more training intensive, Reed said.

Last year, the district was awarded a $10,000 grant from EQT through the Community Foundation of Greene County which helped the district purchase the equipment necessary to prepare the students for the national registry exams, she said. The Carmichaels EMT program continues to be sponsored by Penn State Fayette and the Emergency Medical Services Institute.

Students who completed the class were trained and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic first aid and first response and in the federal National Incident Management System, Incident Command System and Hazardous Waste Operations.

The seven students who went on to complete curriculum to test for the national registry had additional trainings.

It included training in patient contacts, for which they worked with staff in the Southwest Regional Medical Center emergency department to complete patient assessments; vehicle extraction, which was done with the assistance of members of the Carmichaels-Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company; cross field search and rescue and methods of splinting and transporting patients.

The students also volunteered in the evenings to assist in emergency scenarios for National Registry Practical Exam sessions at Penn State Fayette.

As part of their exit exam, each student also completed individualized scenarios in the following categories as their practicum assessment for the course: CPR, airway management, oxygen administration, supine immobilization, bleeding control and shock management, medical assessment, assisted medication, joint and bone immobilization, seated immobilization, trauma assessment and treatment and burn assessment and management.