Paramedics and EMTs in the Birmingham area hit the books starting today.
The EMS Challenge starts today in Mountain Brook. It’s a monthly continuing education program so EMTs and paramedics can practice their skills and get feedback. The program travels around the Birmingham area with the help of the Alabama Fire College’s sponsorship.
Wes Ward is an Administrator of the Alabama EMS Challenge. He said these first responders work in an understaffed profession.
“Medicine just changes constantly, and so continuing education is very important if we want our EMS workers to perform well on real calls,” Ward said.
If any first responders can’t attend today’s in-person classes, they can view the courses on Youtube.
Ward said that feedback is one of the things that is missing for EMS providers.
“I kind of say it jokingly, but really one of the biggest benefits of the Alabama EMS Challenge is lunch. The paramedics and EMS providers get to have conversations with the physicians off-script and ask questions and learn," he said. "I just think there’s huge benefit of that interaction and there’s really no other program like it that I’m aware of.”
The recorded lectures are posted to the Alabama EMS Challenge YouTube channel for those who can’t attend in-person.
