EMT trainees prepare for initial test

SWAN VALLEY - Four volunteers are preparing to take their initial two tests so they can eventually become nationally certified EMTs to serve the Swan Valley. The volunteers have been attending multiple weekly classes sponsored by Swan Valley Emergency Services since early fall. They are looking forward to receiving their certifications and serving the community.

Lectures are broadcasted through Zoom from Missoula Emergency Services Incorporated (MESI). This is the first year Swan Valley Emergency Services has participated online. Other local departments can tune in as well. Seeley Lake Rural Fire District currently has three participants training to become EMTs as well.

The online classes take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 - 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on most Saturdays in the Swan Valley Emergency Services Station. Saturday lessons tend to be more hands-on.

"There's only four students and myself so we're really flexible with people's schedules," Instructor Gwen Feese said. "We have outside people come in to do our trainings sometimes, but we're very fortunate in that we have a lot of people that go out of their way to help us out knowing how far out we are."

The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians is the parent organization of the program. Participants must be at least 18 years old and must attend 150 hours of lessons. In addition, they are expected to study two hours for every hour spent in the classroom. Swan Valley volunteers began taking the course mid-August and will be finishing up this week.

Students have to take a written and a hands-on test in order to pass the class. After passing the class, they must then pass another hands-on test that is certified to be compliant with the national registry. 

The final test will take place Nov. 3. This portion has five segments. If a participant fails any one of them, then they will be able to come back Nov. 5 to take a retest. If they do not pass the retest, then they would have to wait for the next nationally certified exam.

The final step to receive their EMT license in Montana is to pass a written test for the national registry.

Feese said when she last taught the course six years ago, she had a 100% passing rate even though she admits that the test is not easy. Every two years, certified EMTs must continue their education for 48 hours as well as have a 24-hour refresher.

Feese has been a certified EMT since 2003 and consistently studies the frequent changes in emergency medicine.

"I study constantly and I read everything new that comes out and we train constantly to stay on top of things," she said.

Aside from the four trainees, Swan Valley Emergency Services currently has eight certified EMTs. Feese said that number is impressive for a community the size of Condon. They cover everywhere north of the Summit to around the 64 mile marker on Highway 83 as well as the width of the valley.

All certified EMTs in the Swan Valley are given pagers that notify them when there is an emergency and they have an app on their phones to communicate with other EMTs. Since they are all volunteers, they respond as able.

Feese said volunteer EMTs are essential to smaller communities.

"[Volunteer EMTs are] especially important in a place like this because we're so rural and so remote," she said. "And that is also part of why we have success with recruiting people. People out here love where they live and they want it to be a viable community and they're willing to step up and help out and do what they can to make sure it is a viable place to live."

Martin DeHaven of Cygnet Lake said he wanted to take the class because he is a recently retired engineer and wanted to get more involved with the community.

"I've always been a part of the community where I've lived ... here I would like to do the same," DeHaven said. "And with a rural community, medical is always hard and if I can get through this class, then I can help with ... medical response."

Participants learn skills like CPR, splinting broken bones and identifying brain functions. DeHaven said the most challenging portions to learn have been anatomy and physiology. 

"It's been a lot of information," he said.

Sessions are not regularly scheduled throughout the year. This particular iteration was enacted because a number of people had reached out earlier to take one. Because of COVID-19, spaces were limited.

For more information about volunteering with Swan Valley Emergency Services call 754-2870. For information regarding the EMT course visit http://www.missoula-ems.com.