web_20231211_EMS_Class_007.jpg
Marlee Colvin-Griffith takes classmate Henry Loth’s blood pressure.
New course teaches CPR, life-saving skills
A significant need for fire and rescue volunteers has developed in Rappahannock County, but high school students are stepping up to hopefully help fill this shortage.
Fourteen students are taking a new course at Rappahannock County High School called EMS and Intro to Healthcare Professions. It takes students through a variety of trainings and certifications that prepare them to pursue a career in emergency medicine. Some of the students are already volunteering at fire departments.
The county has a critical need for firefighters and Advanced Life Support responders such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, according to a 2020 Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association Strategic Plan for the county. Many volunteer recruits are “young retirees,” who are not able to meet all of the physical demands required, the report said.
As the age of the county’s population continues to rise, younger volunteers are needed to fill the more laborious positions.
web_20231211_EMS_Class_010.jpg
Kathryn Waters, recruitment and retention coordinator for the Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Department, poses for a photo in the Intro to EMS and Healthcare Professions classroom at RCHS. Waters teaches and designed the curriculum for the course, which was offered in Rappahannock for the first time this semester.
The course teaches 9-12th grade students the basics of emergency medicine, such as checking vitals and patient assessment. Students also complete CPR certification and Until Help Arrives training, where they learn skills such as how to move an injured person or stop bleeding in order to stabilize a patient until EMS arrives on the scene.
Kathryn Waters, who teaches the course and serves as recruitment and retention coordinator for Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue, said her ultimate goal is to equip and inspire students to go into a career in emergency medicine in a paid capacity while still living in Rappahannock and imparting their knowledge to volunteer crews in the county.
“I want them to continue their training and their progression…and get a career out of this,” Waters said.
“With me being at the school, I’m able to be in touch with the younger generation a little bit more, to try to kind of motivate and drive them, and let them get a little bit more interested in volunteering within the county,” she said.
Waters has a 14-year background in emergency medicine. She started as a volunteer with the Castleton Community Volunteer Fire Company with her husband in 2021 before becoming a firefighter and paramedic on the county’s quick response vehicle.
web_20231211_EMS_Class_001.jpg
Marlee Colvin-Griffith (left) and Jaeda Switzer (right) practice checking vital signs on classmate Ryan Jenkins in the EMS and Intro to Healthcare Professions course at RCHS.
The students in this semester’s inaugural class have an array of career goals, from EMT or trauma surgeon, to veterinary care.
Marlee Colvin-Griffith, a sophomore, said she initially decided to take the course because of her interest in a career in veterinary medicine, and thought some of the concepts would be similar. After taking the course, emergency medicine piqued her interest, and she said she is now considering a career in the field.
Colvin-Griffith said offering a class that focuses on medical training to students in Rappahannock is especially important because of the economic constraints some students face. Even if a student does not have the financial ability to attend training classes or medical school, Colvin-Griffith said this course allows them to access some of that in the public school system.
“This is a good opportunity to get that training if you want to go into it to see if you actually want to go into this field,” Colvin-Griffith said.
The course has been greenlighted for a second semester, where students will dive into fire skills and training. Colvin-Griffith said she plans to take the second portion of the course, and that beyond the curriculum, she enjoys the community and new friends she has found within the class.
web_20231211_EMS_Class_006.jpg
Henry Loth has his blood pressure taken by classmate Marlee Colvin-Griffith.
In the future, Waters says she hopes to offer the class across two semesters, where students will complete both CPR and Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) training. It would be a shorter, more entry-level emergency medicine course than EMT training. She also wants students to gain first-hand experience in fire response, and operate as what she describes as a junior fire and rescue crew, shadowing emergency crews on real calls.
“I can only teach so much in the classroom. So for them to actually be able to witness and see what we’re going over in class is amazing,” Waters said. “That’s my hope and my dream to kind of take this little semester and make it grow.”
Five students in this semester’s class are volunteering at fire and rescue stations and their interests and roles differ, Waters said. Because of their age, their level of involvement on calls is somewhat limited. She said they help with less dangerous duties and calls.
Foothills logo – horizontal
Foothills Forum is an independent, community-supported nonprofit tackling the need for in-depth research and reporting on Rappahannock County issues.
The group has an agreement with Rappahannock Media, owner of the Rappahannock News, to present this series and other award-winning reporting projects. More at foothillsforum.org.
