Clatsop Community College
1653 Jerome, Astoria OR 97103
For immediate release
Contact: Sheila Ruhland (503) 338-2440
CCC’s EMT Program Accreditation Report includes commendations
and recommendations
Nursing and Allied Health Director Laurie Choate was commended by the
Department of Human Services- Health Services for her efforts in preparing
a self-study of Clatsop Community College’s EMT Training program
in an EMT Program Accreditation Summary report conducted last week.
The accreditation team was also impressed with the dynamic leadership
from the EMT program administrative staff.
“We anticipate that the Program Director and Dean will promote
the EMT program to a higher level, creating partnerships with local emergency
services and responding to the needs of the community,” the EMT
Program Accreditation report stated.
The program was also commended for its close relationship to CCC’s
nursing program, where it will be able to utilize a variety of simulation
equipment recently purchased by the college with funds from a Department
of Labor Employee Training Grant.
While the accreditation team praised many aspects of the EMT program,
it had several recommendations to offer. It recommended that the program
give a more active role to a Medical Director, or possibly recruit a
Medical Director from a local agency, as well as considering funding
for instructor development for adjunct faculty. The report also recommended
that the College consider partnering with community stakeholders such
as Job Corps and high school health career students to recruit more students
to the EMT program. The College was also advised to consider conducting
a needs assessment and developing an advisory committee to identify unmet
community needs.
The report also provided EMT program administrative staff with a list
of several deficiencies the program needs to address, “Most of these deficiencies are minor and curriculum-related and
will be corrected by fall term,” said CCC Vice President of Instruction
Sheila Ruhland. “We were pleased with the committee’s recommendations.”
The EMT training program at Clatsop Community College offers basic and
intermediate Emergency Medical Technician Training. The courses allow
candidates to acquire the necessary certification to be volunteers at
local fire departments and other vital emergency services to residents
until professional emergency personnel arrive at the scene.
As a customer of CCC’s EMT program, Warrenton Fire Department Chief
Ted Ames was interviewed by the Accreditation team.
“
If [the EMT training] isn’t available at the college and I want
to get people trained, I have to send them to Portland or somewhere else,” Ames
said. “Yes, I have a wish list of things I’d like to see
different, but overall, am I happy with the program? Yes.”