'They don't want to dilly-dally around'

Patrick Camp, The Cullman Times, Ala.
·2 min read

Mar. 29—The EMS Fast-Track program offered by the veteran-owned Camp Liberty in Cullman is offering military veterans, members of the National Guard, and their families the opportunity to become certified Emergency Medical Technicians in only five weeks.

Course Director Joseph Land began developing the program after noticing a shortage of EMS professionals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a veteran himself, Land was able to see how easy the transition from "warfighter to lifesaver" could be made.

"EMS has a clear and distinct mission and it's still a service. They're still in uniform, they're still a part of a team," Land said. "We [veterans] tend to be mission focused, we tend to be service oriented. We're very directive about how we get things done, so it's a good solid match for EMS."

After taking a survey of around 25 armed service members, Land found the vast majority would be interested in becoming an EMT upon exiting the military as long as the training process could be expedited.

"As my grandfather would say. 'They don't want to dilly-dally around.' They want to get in, be given the tools, be given a mission and be left alone to get the job done. That's kind of the mindset of most military folks," Land said.

Land has succeeded in creating a program which leaves no room for "dilly-dallying." Upon enrollment, participants become full-time employees of the country's largest EMS provider, Global Medical Response (GMR) and begin receiving compensation and benefits while they are in training. During the first four weeks of the program, students will receive 160 hours of classroom instruction and 48 hours of hands-on clinical rotations both on ambulances and in emergency rooms. The final week is reserved for students to study and prepare to take the EMT National Registry Certification exam.

"It's long, it's hard days that are sometimes 10-12 hours long plus study time. This is not a side gig, it's something that you have to really dedicate yourself to," Land said.

Three groups of between eight and 10 students from across the country have already completed the program, the most recent of which graduated in February. Land said the upcoming class — scheduled to take place around the first of October — will be opened up to around 20 students. With interest in the program continuing to grow, Land is hopeful that Cullman County becomes the primary training location for military-to-EMS professionals in the United States.

For more information, or to apply for the program, contact EMS@camp-liberty.com.