Hollister, Mo. — Future paramedics studying at the Table Rock Campus of Ozarks Technical Community College are experiencing what it’s like to work in a real-life emergency situation.
An ambulance simulator is now part of the classroom at OTC. EMS students participate in realistic simulations of emergency scenes.
“On the mannequin, it actually has a pulse and it’ll breath,” Student Aaron Weaver said.
Students like Weaver are preparing to do the job, for real.
“Here, if you freak out, it’s not a big deal. You can kind of get the jitters out and learn from your mistakes. You learn to stay calm,” Weaver said.
Thanks to a $53,500 grant from the Skaggs Foundation, the fully equipped ambulance simulator ensures that Weaver and his classmates get the best training possible.
“Trying to train them without the ambulance simulator is like trying to train someone to weld without having a welder,” EMS Program Director Joshua Freeman said.
Many of the students plan to become paramedics. It’s a job that’s much needed in the Ozarks.
“We work with Mercy, Cox, Taney County and several other EMS partners. All of the services that we work with, really every one of our services, have a shortage in paramedics,” Freeman said.
So, this training will not only help these students fulfill their dreams, but the communities they’ll help keep safe.
“Being able to be there and calm somebody down on one of the worst days of their life, that’s really rewarding,” Weaver said.
“Of course, the students will benefit from being better trained. But we will benefit when our parents call because they’re having a stroke. We will benefit when we get hurt mowing the lawn,” Dean of Academic and Student Affairs Robert Griffith said. “Everybody benefits.”
It’s not just students who will be able to use this simulator. TCAD has already used it for continuing education for their staff.