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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-09-08, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005. PAGE 17. Pioneering paramedics graduate as ACPs By Mark Nonkes Goderich Signal-Star "We finally made it.” paramedic Joel Siebert said with a wide grin. One of five pioneering paramedics. Siebert and his colleagues celebrated two years of hard work when they graduated as the first certified Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs) in Huron County last Thursday. The group, consisting of Siebert, Tony Southwell, Greg Schwindt, Art MacNaughton and Melissa Springett will now be able to administer special services on scene that most paramedics are not allowed to do. "The results have been seen and will be seen for the years to come,” Siebert said in his address at the graduation ceremony at the Goderich Courthouse Park. As ACPs, the paramedics are able to start an IV drip, intibate patients, run cardiac arrest units, administer comfort drugs and provide diabetics with drugs to stop seizures. “The bar for health care in rural Ontario has been raised,” said David Lew. manager of Huron County’s ambulance services. Students endured two years of tests, field work, training and in classroom sessions to gain the status. "They had to write an entrance exam and an exam pretty much every week.” said Todd Martin of Huron County’s ambulance service. “It’s pretty high stress, it’s not a first aid course.” The course, based off the Toronto Emergency Medical Services system, was especially modified for the rural setting. It involved two- days a week of classroom activity for five months, four months of hospital work in Owen Sound to refine all the skills they learned about and the ride along with a fully qualified ACP for 50 calls. During this time, the five paramedics also worked full time. “Huron County should be extremely proud of the work these individuals have done in improving the level of services,” said Bic Chawla, education program manager for Toronto Emergency Medical Services who also attended the graduation. “Six years ago I frequently doubted we’d ever see a day like this,” said Dr. Dan Eby. who trained the paramedics in Owen Sound. Dr. Eby said that during that time it was considered an ineffective and impractical idea for a rural area. “Fortunately it’s changed,” he said in a speech from the bandstand. “The people of your county will be given the same level of care as the cities.” Mike Muir, who helped run the program, said all five of the students did extremely well and scored above average on their exams. “It’s always difficult to be the first ones through a training program,” Muir said, “as paramedics learning never ends.” A second class of five paramedics will start the process of becoming ACPs on Sept. 19. Eventually, Martin said he hoped, there will be about 21 or 22 ACP practising in Huron. Achievement From left: Tony Southwell, Art MacNaughton, Melissa Springett, Greg Schwindt and Joel Siebert graduate as the first Advanced Care Paramedics in Huron County at a ceremony in Goderich last week. 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