ROCKY HILL, Conn. — 12 people, ranging from 19 to 26, received their emergency medical technician (EMT) certificates Wednesday as the volunteer ambulance service industry faces a staffing shortage.
The four days a week, the three-month class was the first put together in conjunction with Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Newington Volunteer Ambulance Departments. Instructor Nancy Brescia said it helped them put resources together to offer the class in both the spring and fall.
"We focused on what each individual service could offer to the program," she said. "In an age where volunteerism is lacking, we don’t have a lot of resources."
Anthony Carlson joined the Newington Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 16, inspired by his grandfather who was also a volunteer. The 20-year-old wants to join a career fire department, meaning they are paid and took the class to help him get there.
"It’s a sense inside that you’re doing well for your community and just a feeling like no other," he said.
21-year-old Mark Accarpio is with the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department. He said he has always enjoyed helping people.
"Just to be able to get through something like this is a lot," he said.
Lucia Leone is the first female to graduate from this new course. The Trinity College student from New Hampshire wants to go to a medical or physician assistant's school and wanted this experience.
"I'm feeling pretty proud and excited," she said. "I can't wait to actually get into the field and start volunteering."
Volunteers staffing is always a challenge, Brescia says. Since it doesn't provide a source of income, she says many are not willing to volunteer.
They get into high schools to recruit and tell people about the service they can do for their community.
"If we're there to volunteer and be there, then valuable time is of the essence," she said.
When volunteer services are short-staffed, other agencies often step in to help. Aetna Ambulance Services, serving the south end of Hartford, is one of them. Operations Manager Bob Mara said, while they are fully staffed, they are often assisting those who aren't.
"When the towns are weaker, that makes the whole industry weaker," he said. "Some of these small towns that are one ambulance towns just can’t get the staff to reach out and get 911s."
He said the pandemic impacted the industry because people weren't able to take the classes to get certified. He said they have seen applications come in again recently.
He said he believes many towns are being to realize running on volunteer agencies isn't the best option but rather having the workers be town employees.
"EMS is basically a gateway into many other medical fields. So what we say is from a staffing standpoint, we get students that are either wanting to be PAs, doctors, nurses, paramedics," Mara said. "When these smaller towns become stronger, then us as a commercial service we can stay strong and be able to help if they need help."
The graduates are excited to help the situation and ensure people are receiving the support they need.
"Definitely knowing that we’re short on members I’m able to take a bigger role in the department," Carlson said.
To learn about the class, click here.
Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tblack@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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