Dyersburg, Tennessee – Dyersburg State Community College’s first group of non-credit EMT Basic and AEMT students finished the first-year program at the Blue Oval City site. Dyersburg State just recenty opened a branch campus in Paris.
Dyersburg State’s Workforce Development, along with Ford Motor Company, Haywood County EMS, and the Tennessee Board of Regents, launched a unique initial Emergency Medical Services education program in which initial EMT Basic and AEMT education was coupled with the first response ambulance service for the Blue Oval construction site.
This novel program encompassed the didactic and skills portions of the course at the Haywood County EMS and Fire Station. At the same time, the clinical experience provided by Baptist Memorial Hospital – Tipton ER, Haywood County EMS, Crockett County EMS, Priority EMS – Tipton, and of course, the response territory of Blue Oval City.
“This program has proved to be quite a positive environment for students already on the job in the fire or EMS field. I like to think of it as homeschooling for firefighters. We look forward to molding and shaping this program as we grow it in the coming years,” according to Baker McCool, EMS Program Director.
Dr. Amanda Walker, Vice President of External Affairs, said, “Dyersburg State is thankful to be able to offer workforce development programs such as the non-credit EMT and AEMT to reach the needs of industry partners and our communities.”
President Dr. Scott Cook said, “Dyersburg State is committed to meeting the needs of our communities and our industry partners, and we are honored to start this entrepreneurial training for emergency medical services to support the Blue Oval City effort.”
For more information about the EMS Program at Dyersburg State, contact Baker McCool, EMS Program Director, at 901-475-3189 or jmccool1@dscc.edu or Rodney Alford, Director of Workforce Development, at 731-286-3346 or alford@dscc.edu.
Photo: EMT Basic students (left to right) Zach Pinner, DSCC Paramedic Instructor; Danielle House, Assistant Director of HCEMS; Chris Milton, Director of HCEMS; Brian Shoemaker, Lead Instructor for Blue Oval EMS Program; Jason Kernodle; Marcus Turner; Marlon Gray; Justin Shoate; Harley Whitley, Adjunct Instructor for Blue Oval EMS Program; and Kevin Cagle, State of TN EMS Region 7 Consultant finish the first cohort of the EMT Basic program at Blue Oval City.