BCC EMS students from left to right are Charity Taylor, Summer Locklear, Lylus Bonnette, Kasidi Larrimore, and Jennifer Inman.
DUBLIN – Bladen Community College will celebrate Emergency Medical Services Strong during the week of May 20-26, in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). No one wants to need Emergency Medical Services (EMS); however, when the need is there, Bladen County emergency response personnel, many of whom are volunteers, bring to the scene the highest possible level of care.
To supply this need for highly skilled EMS workers for the area, Bladen Community College trains students who successfully complete approximately 800 EMS certifications, diplomas, and degrees every year. According to Sharron Thomas, BCC Director of Allied Health Programs, “We are the provider for training and education in our community and the surrounding area.”
The program currently serves eight counties in North Carolina and one out-of- state student. “Since 2015,” remarked Donald Bryan, BCC Director of Emergency Medical and Fire Services, “our options for training emergency workers have expanded. Our certifications and degreed programs can train personnel to work in hospitals, on ambulances, in medical clinics, in specialized medicine, and in emergency rooms.”
In recent years, BCC has added bridge programs that allow students to transfer seamlessly from the associate in applied science degree into bachelor degree programs at universities. The EMS program at BCC is also very flexible. “A student can begin EMS classes while they are in high school, can interrupt their studies, and come back to the program at any time,” stated Bryan. “Credit hours earned at BCC can be applied toward certification in one area, or accumulate toward an associate degree.”
EMS Strong seeks to celebrate, unify and inspire the men and women of our nation’s emergency medical services. Created by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), EMS Strong brings together associations, EMS services, sponsors and national media to honor the dedication of EMS practitioners nationwide.
For more information about diverse and successful allied health careers, contact Sharron Thomas at 910.879.5532.
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