The Chapin Area Rescue squad is celebrating ten years of service with an open house at the Chapin Fire Station tonight.
Chief of the Chapin Area Rescue Squad Bryce McCormick says the department recently purchased a new ambulance, which provides certain rescue services that aren’t available in the area.
“Similar to most ambulances that you see going down the road, it transports patients of medical emergencies and traumatic events to the hospital. We operate at the basic life support level. One of the differences with the Chapin Rescue Squad is that, in addition to providing emergency medical services, the Chapin Rescue Squad also provides some specialized rescue such as vehicle extrication and ice and water rescue that’s not provided in our area,” McCormick explains.
At tonight’s open house, the area rescue squad will provide information on how to become an EMT. McCormick says it’s important to remember that this isn’t just for people wanting to become an EMT in Chapin, this applies to people throughout the area.
“A lot of the small towns are in need. If somebody says ‘I’d like to be an EMT but not necessarily live in Chapin,’ all of us in the emergency medical services talk to one another. If they’re available tonight, we’d love to tell them, because the requirements are pretty much the same throughout the state,” says McCormick.
The only prerequisites to becoming an EMT are that you must be 18 year old and have a high school diploma or GED. McCormick says there are even opportunities beyond just becoming an EMT, and that tonight’s informational meeting could help point people in the right direction.
“After that there’s obviously more opportunities once somebody becomes an EMT, to move forward and become a paramedic. We don’t offer that training, that would be through Lincoln Land, but still this would be a good stepping stone if someone was thinking about a career change or just getting out of high school,” says McCormick.
Tonight’s open house is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chapin Fire Station. Information regarding EMTs will begin around 7 p.m.