Columbia Fire Department begins first day of EMT training course

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Fire Department began its first EMT training course Monday in an effort to combat recruitment and retention challenges and better serve the public.

Columbia Fire got the green light at the end of 2023 to become a certified EMT basic training entity. This will allow new members to get their basic EMT license quicker, which is a job requirement for Columbia firefighters.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Heidenreich said the department noticed less people were coming into the department with their EMT licenses and saw a growing need to provide that in-house.

"We've never offered this before," Heidenreich said. "I think it's just one of the many ways we're adapting to the changing work environment and the changing needs of our city, and we're proud of it."

In the past, Columbia Fire would pay to send members without EMT licenses to other nearby programs, which would cause scheduling conflicts and staffing challenges.

Current firefighter and EMT student Joshua Atkinson said he is grateful for the chance to do the course in-house.

"We're very fortunate to have that opportunity to be able to come here instead of having to go out on our own," Atkinson said. "It's a blessing."

The six-week training course is offered directly through the fire department at its Training Academy, covering topics from law and ethics to administering first aid to trauma patients. It will also allow Columbia Fire to offer continuing education for its members who are already licensed.

Atkinson is one of nine firefighters participating in the first EMT course. Heidenreich said this is everyone in the Columbia Fire Department who doesn't yet have an EMT license.

"We're coming back to further our education so we can be even better firemen to the people of Columbia, Missouri," Atkinson said.

The first day of the course included lessons on how to provide the best patient care.

Heidenreich said in December that this course will save the department money in the long run, as there will be no direct cost for members to take this course and the department won't have to pay thousands of dollars to send members to an outside program.

Heidenreich said the department will likely offer 2-3 of these courses per year. They hope to eventually offer this course to the public, as well.

The EMT training courses will begin directly after a recruitment class graduation. This month, a class graduated on Friday, so the first training course began Monday. It will occur Monday through Friday from 8-5 each day for six weeks.

One aspect of the course is a requirement for students to get real-world experience. While students will be able to get experience on a fire engine, a Memorandum of Understanding is up for a vote at Monday's Columbia City Council meeting for CFD to partner with MU Health Care. If passed, the fire department's EMT students would also be able to get experience in MU Health Care's emergency room and ambulances.

Heidenreich said he is hopeful this gets passed, as it will make the firefighters more well-rounded EMTs. Students will be able to gain experience on the fire trucks along with what happens from that point on when the patient is taken to the hospital and the care they're given in the emergency room.

"We're all part of one system to provide emergency care," Heidenreich said. "So, with that knowledge, we think that they're going to be a lot more successful in these roles."

In an email, MU Health Care Spokesperson Eric Slusher said this agreement will also enhance first responders' working knowledge of the healthcare system's operations.

"Because Columbia firefighters provide support and care to patients on many of our incident scenes, fostering greater coordination between our ambulance service and the Columbia Fire Department is mutually beneficial and improves care to our patients," Slusher said.

He said MU Health Care has a similar agreement with the Boone County Fire Protection District.