MONROE, CT — The ability, intelligence and motivation it takes to become an emergency medical technician isn’t always enough. Work, school and family obligations can make finding the time to attend classes nearly impossible for some.

But the Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service is working with MissionCIT to make it easier for students to find the time to take its EMT course this September. The hybrid model will include online courses with presenters during the week and in-person classes for hands-on training on Saturdays.

“It’s going to be a hybrid class,” Monroe EMS Chief Craig Rosenberg said. “Two night classes a week will be held live online with in-person classes on five Saturdays. We want to make it easier for people to make the time.”

Bella Medaris, community relations chair for the MVEMS executive board and an EMT herself, said, “this is a great importunity to take the class in a more accommodating way — and we hope it encourages a lot of people, who may not have had the ability to take the class prior to this or those who may not have taken the class otherwise.”

Rosenberg said EMS’s call volume has been on the rise with over 1,800 calls a year. Monroe has 30 EMS members and Rosenberg said, ideally, he would like to have five to 10 more members.

“We’re definitely looking for more neighbors to join us and it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “We can definitely use the help.”

Aside from offering the training course, Medaris said current Monroe EMS volunteers are always willing to help aspiring new members to succeed. “We’re like a family and will be with them every step of the way to becoming a member,” she said.

Stop the Bleed is one of the skills emergency medical technicians learn.

Anyone with questions can send an email to [email protected]. For information on the EMT course and to register online, click here. The deadline to sign up is Sept. 15.

The total cost to enroll is $1,395, which Medaris said is on par with a lot of EMT classes in the area.

Those who go on to become a member of the Monroe Volunteer EMS will get half of their tuition money back after being active for one year, and the rest of their reimbursement after serving a second year.

“They also have payment plans on MissionCIT, so students can make multiple installments instead of paying all at once,” Medaris said of the tuition.

Classes will be held from Sept. 22 to Dec. 10. Online classes will be Monday and Wednesday with in-person sessions every other Saturday (five in all) at EMS headquarters, 50 Jockey Hollow Road.

Bella Medaris says Monroe Volunteer EMS members are like family.

The online sessions are 7 to 9:30 p.m. and the Saturday classes are from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. with lunch breaks in between. Food will be provided.

Students will have a fully stocked EMT response bag containing supplies like a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, which they will use during the course, as well as access to MissionCIT’s online portal with recordings of videos from past online classes, as well as resources for test preparation.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to rewatch the online sections,” Medaris said.

In addition to learning from Monroe’s instructors, students will benefit from a wide variety of instructors MissionCIT will provide for the online courses.

In addition to earning EMT certification, graduates of this course will also earn their CPR certification.

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