WARREN — Emergency medical service (EMS) and fire service organizations face many challenges related to recruitment, training and retention of first responders throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Acknowledging these difficulties, Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC)

is offering six courses to train the next generation of public safety professionals ready to take the step as an emergency medical technician (EMT).

The college will begin hosting EMT courses around the region this summer, slated to begin July 7. Classes will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Dec. 17. The course fee is $775 per student, and payment plans are available.

Courses will be offered at:

• Parkside Commons in Meadville
• Corry Higher Education Council in Corry
• Warren County Career Center in Warren
• Brockway Area Ambulance Services in Brockway
• McKean County Department of Emergency Services in Smethport
• Endurance Center in Wellsboro

Students must complete the pre-registration process, which includes passing the Fisdap entrance exam to enroll in the course. NPRC’s EMT programming covers topics including patient assessment, cardiac arrest management, airway management, patient immobilization, diabetic emergencies, strokes and seizures, and information about the emergency response system.
Learners are required to attend all classes and lab sessions throughout the program to demonstrate their competency in numerous psychomotor skills, complete testing requirements and prepare for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam to be certified. Presently, NPRC has an approximately 90% passing rate for the NREMT exam — well above the national average, according to representatives.

Visit NPRC’s website to begin the pre-registration process or find out more.