FULTON, Miss. (WTVA) - Emergency medical workers are needed now more than ever.
In this week’s Skilled to Work, WTVA reporter Sydney Darden went to Itawamba Community College (ICC) to see what it takes to enter the field of emergency medical service.
“Their training is so intense, it’s no room for panic,” Instructor Al Wright said.
The EMT program at ICC trains students to render medical care in any and all situations.
The program teaches at all levels: from basic EMT training that lasts one semester; all the way to paramedics who are certified to perform more advanced procedures like intubations.
To make sure these skills become second nature, instructors use training mannequins to imitate real-life emergencies.
It’s top-notch preparation like this that makes students like John Leavell happy to be a part of the experience.
"Eighty to 90% of the paramedics where I work went to ICC,” Leavell said.
He is already working as an EMT, but he hopes to become a fully-certified paramedic. He wants to help his community during a global health crisis.
“We’ve done a very good job of adapting to the change and rising to that call.”
They are working towards a brighter future, one practice dummy at a time.
Wright said becoming an EMT is like answering a calling.
If you feel you’ve heard the call, visit ICC's website for more information.