Do you know who enjoys being a passenger in an ambulance? Kids. On Touch-a-Truck day. Do you know who else? No one.
Still, as much as we hope to never qualify for ambulance assistance, the vehicles are an oddly comforting symbol of the lengths people will go to help one another. Because Westport relies on, and needs more, EMS volunteers.
According to Marc Hartog, Westport EMS Deputy Director, Westport EMS could not operate 24/7 without volunteers. Westport EMS, a division of the Police Dept, receives a budget which pays for the salaries of 6.5 full-time staff, the contract for 24/7 paramedic coverage with Norwalk Hospital, service contracts for some equipment, billing services for patient transports, etc.
Westport Volunteer EMS (WVEMS) a fundraising organization, raises all of the funds to purchase all else it needs, from capital and operational supplies, ambulances, SUVs to bandaids and everything else in the vehicles, plus maintenance and repairs of these items. Their primary donations are from residents and corporations.
Aside from six employees, EMS has 58 currently “active” volunteers who round out the active workers. “There are some shifts that are all volunteers,” Marc says. They respond to 2,500 calls a year, day and night. While 58 is great, the reality is only a handful of them do the bulk of the work. So - did I mention? - more volunteers are necessary.
Thus, the training class.
There are roughly 20 students per class, which is open to residents of Westport and surrounding towns. Students as young as 14 may apply. Years ago, many of the volunteers were 30-50 year old women, not in the workforce, with kids either in school or out of the house, who had time to volunteer during the day. Today, their ranks include “Younger people interested in medicine, and retirees looking for meaningful ways to spend time” as well as others.
Before going any further, there are two levels: EMR and EMT. Rudimentarily, the differences are:
- EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) trains 80-100 hours, is a first responder on a basic level and never treats a patient on their own – they are always accompanied by an EMT or Paramedic.
- EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) trains 120-180 hours (up to 300 for advanced). EMTs do all an EMR does, including some medications and basic airway adjuncts and suctioning. According to WestportEMS.org, basic EMTs are usually restricted to using oxygen, glucose, asthma inhalers, and epinephrine auto-injectors (a common exception to the no-needles rule).”
The highest level, Paramedic, requires training beyond the scope of this program.
Not all students wish to become volunteers. Some see it as a step to being in the fire department (EMT certification is usually a pre-requisite to apply for firefighter jobs) or to volunteer in another town. Still others believe it will “look good” on a college application. Whatever the reason, they soon learn it’s hardly a walk in Winslow Park.
What, exactly, does the class entail?
Marc hands me a textbook the size and weight of an anvil. A quick skim of the images proves this is serious stuff. Marc explains, “Volunteers are required to know basic anatomy and physiology, stethoscope use, how to measure blood pressure, splinting, bandaging, how to deliver oxygen and ventilate a patient, CPR, childbirth. Plus they need a rudimentary understanding of what paramedics do, which is everything a doctor would do except surgery.”
Naomi Weingart, whose daughter, Emily, inspired her to take the course, describes it as a “mini med-school.”
Of note, kids age 14-16 may only train to be EMRs. However, they volunteer alongside paramedics and EMTs. While they are fully engaged and not barred from typical rescue work, Marc states, “If the crew chief feels it’s emotionally charged they may elect to not have the teen involved in the call.”
Courses are several months long, with two evening classes a week and one eight-hour Saturday class each month.
Is there an uptick in applicants after a tragedy?
Yes. Which is both good and bad. It’s unfortunate that action is instigated by hardship, but fortunate that hardship instigates action.
What is the application process?
Marc indicates there are several steps:
- Applicants must affirm they understand the training program has rigorous physical challenges and must pass a functional agility test that simulates an actual 911 call, including carrying equipment up two flights of stairs, doing CPR and administering oxygen, doing a full assessment of a patient, lifting 100 lbs on their own, and carrying a simulated 150 lb patient with another rescuer.
- Applicants must include health/medical information and authorization for a background check.
- Applicants must take a written EMT quiz with a grade no lower than 80%, and they must pass an oral board interview with a panel of five experienced first responders.
If this seems rigorous, well, it is. You’re dealing with a life, not a bag of snacks. Both are important, but one requires more physical and emotional fitness than another.
Due to these rigors and other reasons of attrition, the graduation rate is approximately 75-80%. Then after graduating there are other tests involved - but if you’re dedicated to becoming part of the force, don’t worry about that right now.
Just read the words of Jodie Mysel, who was persuaded by her EMT-trained daughter to take the course, “Taking the EMT course has been life changing… Just knowing I am learning valuable information that will help someone in an emergency and maybe even save their life, is all the reward I need.” Naomi adds, “I really value the fact that volunteering for EMS is so critical and immediate. I can’t wait to get on the ambulance.”
Jaime Bairaktaris, WVEMS Director and Executive Editor and Founder of WestportLocalPress.com, shares a personal experience:
“In fifth grade I had to call 911 as my mother suffered a respiratory emergency in our kitchen. As I watched one of my camp counselors come down our driveway minutes later in the ambulance, I knew I needed to become one of the helpers one day.
In high school I signed up, passed my exams, and had my first shift at the age of 15. EMS became my ‘sport,’ my crews became my friends, and I had become one of the helpers.
Any 15-year old can be involved in a traumatic experience, however very few can walk away saying they responded to it and learned from it. Some calls scared me, and with honesty, some calls still scare me. However we were taught how to process what’s in front of us, help those who need it, and use the experience to help the next patient.
My journey came full circle a few years ago when I responded to a person in cardiac arrest on a weekend morning. With the help of firefighters and police officers, their life was saved and they were able to walk out of the hospital a few days later. That Monday while at my day job, a student of mine asked if I had been one of the people to help save their uncle that weekend. I didn’t know it at the time, but it turned out that I was.”
In short, this is an extraordinary opportunity to enrich oneself and, in doing so, come to the aid of our neighbors when they are most in need.