Berkeley Independent
Sponsored by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the four-month class requires 160 hours of training. The volunteer firefighters are trained in basics life support, airway intervention for cardiac arrest, spinal mobilization, ambulance operations and other life saving procedures.
Butch Bomgardner is a paramedic with the county and an EMT instructor.
“This is a big boost for Berkeley County, this puts six more EMTs’ on the road to save lives,” Bomgardner said.
The students spent 16 hours on the weekend in the woods practicing trauma scenarios.
There were six out of eight students that completed and graduated the course on June 30, which began Feb. 4. The graduates will take state and national exams to be certified July 30 at Lowcountry Regional EMS in North Charleston.
“They go to work a job somewhere else but spend their free time training and answering calls day and night,” Bomgardner said. “That’s dedication.”
The next class will be from Sept. 2-Jan. 3. Currently, there are seven people registered.
“It’s a hard course and it’s not for everybody,” Bomgardner said.
The classes are held at Moncks Corner Medical Center. Bomgardner and his students recently presented the medical center with a plaque in appreciation for providing a classroom and equipment for the training course.
“Being a volunteer firefighter is incredible and I wish the citizens would appreciate them like I do,” Bomgardner said. “It just goes to show the caliber of firefighters in Berkeley County.”
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