Paramedic Services Week marked in Simcoe County as Georgian College invests in paramedic programming
As the country marks Paramedic Services Week, one of Simcoe County's most prominent colleges is celebrating a significant investment in its paramedic program.
Georgian College has unveiled an approximately $50,000 investment in its paramedic program, adding a state-of-the-art training vehicle equipped just like ambulances used daily on the road.
"So this training vehicle is paramount to that because not only do they learn how to drive the vehicle, how to operate it, the safety components of operating an emergency vehicle and all the patient care equipment that we have in it, the students actually get to drive it as well," said Randi McDermott, the program coordinator for the college.
The college has a strong working relationship with the County of Simcoe paramedics division, says the chief of paramedic services. Sarah Mills says it's critical that the two work together to increase staffing by keeping graduates in the community.
"It's shown that students that go to school in the communities end up living here, and we want to build Simcoe County as well as bring in great new workforce," said Mills.
Mills has only been in the top job for less than a year. She says recruitment ranks amongst the top challenges as paramedicine faces staffing shortages like much of the healthcare sector.
"We're working on a lot of county initiatives to recruit and retain our employees," said Mills. "We want to bring new people in, but we also want to keep our current employees healthy and happy and safe in their environments."
Mills has been a paramedic since 2002. She says she was drawn to the profession by her desire to give back to the community.
"I wanted to be able to help people when they needed it the most, and that really drove me into this and then throughout my career from the frontline, I decided to change course and get into my current job so that I could help the frontline staff and make their work environment better."
The service offers various mental health initiatives and peer support teams to help maintain its existing workforce.
Students studying at Georgian College learn about the profession's significant impacts on them, focusing on both the physical and mental health implications. While 42 students are accepted to the two-year program each Fall, only about 30 graduate.
"Not only is the profession of paramedicine hard on your physical body, it's hard on your mental body as well," said McDermott from Georgian College. "So we do our best to try and prepare our students as novice, entry to practice paramedics and give them as robust an experience we can so that they are prepared to enter the profession."
The program does have a 100 per cent employment rate, a number that has risen over the last few years.
"It was definitely very challenging, but it definitely prepares you for what you do see on the road," said Kenzie Wigney, a recent graduate of the program who now works in the field as a paramedic.
Wigney says the program is realistic and says having tools like the new state-of-the-art training ambulance-like vehicle is critical.
"In one of these training, you spent 2 to 3 hours a week and more if you applied yourself and went to your open labs, you could spend 6 to 8 hours a week in the trucks," said Wigney.
While there are challenges every day, the County's paramedic chief says she's incredibly proud of the teamwork exhibited daily.
"When we talk about Paramedic Services Week, it's so important to recognize the resilience our staff show, the dedication to their jobs and how important they are to the communities that they serve," said Mills.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.