YC emergency medical program offerings plentiful

Plenty of changes have taken place since the Emergency Medical Services Department opened at Yavapai Community College in 1974. The school is now Yavapai College, and offers everything from basic Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation for the layperson to an AAS degree in paramedicine for professionals.

EMS program director Ken Schoch said each semester the college presents one-day classes in such procedures as CPR and First Aid. Two-day courses include such topics as trauma management.

Life Line Ambulance is a training center for the American Heart Association's "Heart Saver" program and Yavapai College is a training site.

"The American Heart Association's goal is to train as many people in the United States as possible in CPR," Schoch said. "Survival rates (for heart attack victims) go up as much as 40 percent with a fast response. With a defibrillator, the survival rate increases as much as 50 percent." YC's Darcy Stroud arranges what the school calls "Civilian CPR" at neighborhood associations and schools with the Citizen 119 program.

But the school offers semester-long EMT-Basics classes, as well as specialized courses such as Wilderness First Responder, International Trauma Life Support, and EKG Interpretation.

The program to become a certified paramedic encompasses a full year. With an additional year of study, students can achieve their AAS degree in paramedicine.

"With Northern Arizona University, students can work toward a baccalaureate degree in paramedicine," Schoch said. "This can be a stepping stone to research, management, nursing or physician programs."

The school is working to develop additional online courses, such as pre-hospital pharmacology.

"These will allow us to reach more people and minimize travel," Schoch said.