By Quinn O’Hara

Clay County EMS is currently training a new class of AEMT’s, or Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians.

CCEMS Service Director Alec Trembath is one of five teachers administering the program.

An AEMT is the second highest level of EMS. The lower two levels are capable of Basic Life Support, while the AEMT’s and Paramedics are capable of Advanced Life Support.

According to Trembath, “AEMT’s can start IV’s and give various medications. They can also interpret EKG’s and perform some cardiac interventions.” He also says that the AEMT level explores more of the ‘why’ of EMS, and dives deeper into the clinical side of medicine rather than the technical side. He notes that CCEMS is primarily comprised of AEMT’s.

There are six students taking the class; four are currently employed with CCEMS and the remaining two are from Mitchell County.

AEMT training usually consists of a mix of classroom and hands-on training, clinical hospital training, and “Field Internships” for which CCEMS partners with the Salina Fire Department and Riley County EMS to complete.

Trembath says that though AEMT classes can range anywhere in price from $2,500 to $6,000, a combination of a grant called the EIG, and Clay County providing the remaining funds, has given CCEMS and their six students an opportunity for higher education that Trembath says they may not have had otherwise.

Recently, CCEMS has been able to offer one class per year. They offer both AEMT and EMT-B classes. The EMT-B certification is a prerequisite to the AEMT class currently taking place. Trembath says that once the four students currently employed at CCEMS pass their final state and national tests, they will be promoted to the AEMT level.

Those interested in taking a class with CCEMS can call their office, or message them on their Facebook page.