By Emily Attebery
Managing Editor
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) profession program had its first ‘EMS Day’ on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015.
EMS Day’s goal was to promote the TJC program by showing facilities and technology to future students. What started out with only 7 students in the paramedics field quickly grew to 15 with selective administration. Now, the EMS program includes 2 classrooms which can hold 30 students day and night, and they are looking to expand.
While at EMS Day Shay Steel, the Department Coordinator of the EMS program, explained the partnership with ETMC (East Texas Medical Center) , located .4 miles away from the TJC campus, and their contribution to the program. Since the partnership, ETMC has donated an ambulance for the paramedic students to practice and train, as well as a Mobile Simulation lab. The Lab contains automatic dummies or “patients” and equipment that students can use to apply their skills to real life situations.
The EMS program’s faculty includes Shay Steel, Edward Dushuanack, Breanne Lane, and Scott Miles.
ETMC also made an appearance with their Air 1 helicopter, which has seen 60 flights. “Woody” Woodard, one of the helicopter crew, said that on Dec. 20, 1989 ETMC had their first flight for a burn patient. The crew included Andrew Palacios, Greg Slavinsky, and Shana Brown.
Today, there are 3 aircrafts, one in Athens, Mt. Pleasant, and Tyler. In every flight, Woodard explained there will always be a flight medic, a nurse, and most helicopters can hold up to 2 patients at a time.
The Tyler fire department also made an appearance with firefighters Logan Luttrell and Dusty Goodwin. 95 percent of the instructors for the Fire Academy at TJC come from the Tyler fire department, where a partnership was also made 3 years ago when the academy started.
The EMS program hopes to expand even more with their facilities and students, and with the help of local partnerships they have had much accomplished.
