By Ethan Forman
Gloucester Daily Times
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Amid a national shortage of emergency medical technicians and a need for training here on Cape Ann, Beauport Ambulance Service Inc. has begun providing EMT basic training at a new training center at its office at 19 Pond Road in Gloucester.
Signups are ongoing for the upcoming course that begins April 3.
According to John R. Morris, the company’s president, this is the only EMT program being taught and offered on Cape Ann. The closest EMT basic course to Cape Ann other than the one now being offered by Beauport is being taught in Danvers. Morris said Beauport is trying to build a local pool of EMTs.
The company, whose motto is “A Local Service By Local People,” said in a statement the private ambulance service has expanded “to initial education for EMT Basics, in the hopes of making Emergency Medical Technician training accessible to the locals in the Cape Ann area.”
In October, the Beauport Ambulance Service Training Center opened its doors to its first Emergency Medical Technician course. The company said “its students have been thriving.”
The program is a 144-hour course incorporating lectures and hands-on skills practice.
Courses are tentatively planned to run three times a year, and each class can take up to 20 students.
Classes take place outside of normal business hours to accommodate non-traditional learners.
At the completion of the course and licensing testing, students will be prepared to enter the rapidly growing field of emergency medical services, the company said.
The program is being taught by the facility’s two instructor coordinators, Sean Rock, an EMT-Basic with seven years of experience in the field as an emergency medical dispatcher, and Samantha Clark, a paramedic with nearly 15 years of field experience in multiple states.
The training center also exposes students to its many seasoned providers who are willing to come in and assist students with practicing their skills, the company said.
The current class ends March 2, and Beauport will be accepting interest in its upcoming course that begins on April 3. Classes typically run Wednesdays from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
Those who are interested in the course or who have questions can reach out to Beauport Ambulance Service’s education coordinator at sclark@beauportambulanceservice.com.
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