Northwest ISD Navigator Magazine Spring 2017-18 | Page 7

Now, as members of the EMT program, they take two semesters
of the 90-minute class period. This duration of training time is
much different from other EMT programs offered outside of
high schools. Tarrant County College’s program, for instance,
only takes one semester. Even Dr. Glenn Huff, Eaton’s EMT
teacher, only took four months to complete his training.
Although it does take longer than other courses, the thorough
training of Eaton’s program along with its activities and first-
hand experiences ensure that students are prepared for careers
in the emergency medical field.
requires the students complete 60 hours of observation, either
in ambulances or in the emergency room. Although the skills
practiced in class are beneficial, Dr. Huff believes it’s not as
valuable as working with people who are in the field. Knowing
the importance of training new EMTs, the more experienced
paramedics are sure to allow the trainees to participate however
they can without putting anyone in danger.
“[The students] are issued a different colored shirt for [program
coordinator] MedStar, and the paramedics all have grey
shirts, so immediately [students]
“This program is different in
are recognized on the scene as
comparison to other medical classes.
someone in training,” he said.
It is a very rigorous curriculum and
“But, the skills that they have been
The bottom line is, when they
requires a dense amount of effort,”
taught, the paramedics encourage
get out [of the program], they
EMT student Brylan Villines said.
them to use. The paramedics have
“Students get to participate in a lot
been instructed to let them get in
should be fully equipped to save
of really interesting activities. We
there and do chest compressions
someone’s life.”
get to go to conventions and interact
and let them use the bivalve mask.
– Dr. Glenn Huff, Eaton EMT Teacher
with other interns and EMTs. We
If they know how to spike an
often get hands-on experience
IV, do that. If they know how to
through actual EMT shift ride-
put oxygen on someone, do that.
alongs and even have helicopters
They’re there to practice the skills
fly out to campus to show us the ropes in different aspects of
they have learned in class.”
emergency health care.”
Despite the appeal of on-site practice and other activities, the
According to Dr. Huff, the most important piece of the program
EMT program is still a class that requires great amounts of
is the real-life experience that students receive. The program
work, both in and out of school. Dr. Huff said students who
“
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