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2/ TheBucknerClarion.com March 12 2015 AMR Donation Scores High Donation Delivers Real-Life Experience Heidi Koger Proofreader Jessica Mauzey Staff Writer Photographer Morgan Nail Contributing Writer Tempest Wright Photography & Video Marjorie Langas Graphic Support Randy Leiker IT Support Tonia Wright Publisher, Editor-in-Chief Tell us how we're doing online or on Facebook. The Buckner Clarion is published by Grace Advertising & Consulting, Inc. 325 Broadway Lexington, MO 64067 660.259.3700 or 866.824.1020 (press 0) TheBucknerClarion.com is the online arm of this print publication. A special thank you to our advertisers and sponsors in this issue: The Firm Insurance Group, Inc. Grace Advertising & Consulting, Inc. Red Cross Pharmacy Tim Krickle, Fort Osage CTC Instructor, receives additional equipment to enhance the educational experience for EMT students. On Thursday, March 5, the American Medical Response (AMR) formally donated an ambulance to the Fort Osage Career and Technology Center. Tim Krickle, Fire Science and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) instructor at the Career and Technology Center, sat down with The Buckner Clarion to discuss what this donation means to his EMT class and its students. A retired firefighter from the Independence Fire Department, Krickle jumped at the opportunity to teach at the Fort Osage Career and Technology Center four years ago. "I teach everything from anatomy and physiology to cardiac arrest and bleeding control. Anything that an EMT would need in the field, I teach," he said. Due to certain age requirements by the National Registry of EMTs, the EMT program offered at the career and technology center is for high school seniors only. "Anybody that passes all exams with a minimum of 70 percent is able to sit for the National Registry Exam and also pass National Registry skills testing. After they do that, they can get a Missouri State License as an EMT and start working immediately," Krickle said. Currently, there are 15 students enrolled in the EMT program, and Krickle warns that his classes are no walk in the park. "It's all college level work and overall, it's a very hard class," he said. "I think the hardest thing for the students is the fact that it's all textbook based. There are a few primarily skill-based learning tools, but the number of skill work compared to the number of book work is incomparable." Krickle has always been an advocate of helping his students get hands-on experience, so reaching out to AMR for an emergency response vehicle was a no-brainer. Gina Vaughan, a supervisor for AMR and advisory member for Krickle, helped in the donation process, filling out hefty amounts of paperwork. "I mentioned early in the year that I wanted to get an ambulance so we can have the kids try and do things in the back while being driven around the campus. And she was kind enough to look into it and find out that AMR was getting new equipment, and one of their ambulances was set aside for donation," he said. After receiving word that an ambulance was available, Krickle got to work applying for the donation. The opportunity to have an ambulance on hand means a lot to Krickle and his program. "The students haven't really been able to use any equipment yet, so just being able to have equipment in the ambulance where they can know where to set up and how to approach things is a great way for them to learn," he said. The main benefit students will get from using the ambulance is the opportunity to gain real-life experience. Aside from getting to work in the ambulance during class, students also get the opportunity to apply their skills on "ride-along" trips. With the help of AMR and the Fort Osage Fire Department, trainees get to ride with professionals in the Emergency Medical Response (EMR) field. Students must meet strict guidelines to participate in a ride-along. "This year we've stepped our requirements up," Krickle said. "You have to have drug testing and a number of vaccines and tests done in order to be able to ride." Because of the recent nationwide flu epidemic, this year's applicants were screened continuously for the virus and vaccinated accordingly. After all health screenings are cleared, students are allowed to experience the day-in-the-life of an EMT. "They actually work with real patients and a couple of my students have already gotten to do CPR on actual patients en route to the hospital," Krickle said. "It's literally hands- on, real-life experience." The donated ambulance is an older van model, but Krickle said that AMR was generous enough to perform necessary maintenance and body work to the vehicle to keep it well maintained. Because AMR is such a large company, Krickle couldn't be more thankful for their donation to the career and technology center. "AMR is a nationwide company – they've got ambulances from New York to California – and they provide all EMR transport vehicles for the city of Independence and the surrounding areas," he said. When it comes to the training process and curriculum, Krickle said he couldn't be more excited for what this donation will bring. "The curriculum itself may not change, but I think what it will do is give the students a better chance at becoming more acclimated to this career field," he said. "Aside from the textbook work, this gives students real experience and it should help the curriculum become more true-to- life." Now, both of Krickle's classes will have appropriate EMR vehicles to help his teaching process hit home. "The Independence 76 Historical Society was kind enough to loan one of their fire trucks to us for use, but eventually I'd like to upgrade to a newer donated one with four doors," he said. "But still, anything we use gives the students an opportunity to have an experience that's more real- life." As for the future of his programs, Krickle hopes that the addition of the ambulance might increase both student enrollment and adult education night-class enrollment. "I think it'll give our students a little more incentive to check and see what the class is all about." At the formal donation ceremomy, as Krickle and his students eagerly crowded their new ambulance, he thanked the AMR crew, saying, "You guys being willing to donate an ambulance to help us get even more ready for clinical time is amazing. I don't know how much more I can say 'thank you,' but thank you!" By Morgan Nail

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