Ranger College is now boasting state-of-the-art EMS training equipment for its classes thanks to a grant from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The competitive Jobs & Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program funds equipment for career and technical education courses leading to a highdemand occupation in Texas.
Along with a Mobile Ambulance Simulator, the program was able to purchase new high-fidelity training mannequins and other state-of-the-art equipment to train EMS students.
Ranger’s EMS program is an ideal candidate for the program as the Texas EMS Alliance has reported the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent factors have led to a dramatic decrease of EMS professionals in the state.
“Ranger College aims to meet this demand and provide highly trained EMTs to enter the workforce,” said Ranger College EMS Program Coordinator J.D. Gambino. “This grant has given us a major boost to be able to do so.”
The college states the EMS program is working hard to provide the highest level of education to help fill the evergrowing need for qualified professionals in the EMS industry.
The new training equipment aims to set the program apart by giving the ability to place students in real-world emergency scenarios and expose students to situations they will face in the field. Ranger College plans to expand the program to offer more advanced EMS training in the future.
“This equipment takes our EMS program to the next level,” said Dr. Sandra Lee, the Dean of Allied Health for Ranger. “I am particularly excitedabouttheopportunities to develop scenarios and applications for all our allied health programs and help students learn to work with each other across disciplines.”
The Ranger College EMS Program is a 20-week hybrid program that combines weekly online coursework and weekly in-person classes on Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. at the Erath Center in Stephenville.
The total program cost, including course material, is $2,200. Grants are available to cover the cost for qualified students willing to work in the EMS field for at least one year after graduation.
The next EMT Basic class starts July 18th. To sign up, e-mail EMS@Rangercollege. edu.