Training

**NEWS FLASH**
The NYS EMT class(HSC300) is offered on campus for credit. If you are interested, the next class is in the Fall 2008 semester. It will tentatively be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:20pm to 3:40pm, with a lab session on Thursdays from 5pm to 8pm.  It is worth 4 credit hours, and will be taught by Oswego Fire Department Paramedic Mark Murray.

When you join S.A.V.A.C., it is not necessary to have any prior experience or training in EMS or any emergency services. We will provide any training that you may need in order to become a valuable and effective member of S.A.V.A.C. and as an EMS provider. Because we do provide all training for our members and because we wish to provide the best emergency care to the campus community possible, training is a very important part of S.A.V.A.C.  Only through effective training can we continue to improve both our skills as EMS providers and improve the quality of care provided to the campus community.

The S.A.V.A.C. training program has three levels. While you are training to be certified in each of the three positions, you are designated as "in training." The three levels of certification within S.A.V.A.C. are listed below, with the services provided by each level as well as the qualifications required for each.

• Helper - a Helper assists the Attendant with such tasks as taking a patient's vital signs and filling out portions of the Prehospital Care Report (PCR). In order to clear as a Helper from the HIT (Helper in Training) stage, you must have a minimum of 1 "perfect call" in which you quickly and accurately obtain the patient's vital signs. The only requirement to become a Helper is to be a member of S.A.V.A.C.
  
• Driver - Drivers, as their title implies, drive the ambulance. In addition, if only two crew members are on the ambulance for a shift, the Driver goes in with the Attendant and functions as a Helper while on scene. In order to clear as a Driver from the DIT stage, you must go through a series of training steps, first riding "shotgun" in the ambulance, observing and running the radios, then a non-emergency driving stage, in which you drive but not to calls, then an emergency driving-only stage, in which you drive to calls, but do not run lights, sirens, or radios, and finally, a minimum of 2 "perfect calls" in which you perform all operations required of a driver - driving, radios, lights and sirens. The requirements to become a Driver are to be cleared as a Helper and to possess a valid New York State Class "D" driver's license.
  
• Attendant - the Attendant on board the ambulance is the Crew Chief, in charge of the ambulance while he/she is on duty. He or she is the primary care provider on board the ambulance, taking care of the patient. In order to pass the AIT stage, you must demonstrate on a number of calls, under the supervision of an Attendant trainer, the ability to provide emergency care on the NYS EMT-B level as prescribed by New York State protocols. The requirements to become an Attendant are to be a cleared Helper and to have a minimum certification of New York State Emergency Medical Technician - Basic.

In order to provide the kind of training required in an agency such as S.A.V.A.C., and to assist people in becoming certified in the above positions at S.A.V.A.C., we hold and/or sponsor people to the following types of training sessions throughout a typical academic year:

• Weekly drills at S.A.V.A.C. base focusing on a wide variety of EMS topics.
• Certain skill training classes, which, while not cleared positions in the operations of S.A.V.A.C., are vital to our operational needs.  These include, but are not limited to, C.P.R., A.E.D., and communications training.
• We sponsor members to take a New York State Emergency Medical Technician course, which is held at least once a year on a semester-based schedule.
• S.A.V.A.C. members who are already EMTs are offered the opportunity to take Continuing Medical Education credits in order to maintain their certifications.
• If needed, S.A.V.A.C. EMTs can be sponsored to EMT refresher courses.
• Finally, when you are going through the process of being certified in one of the three positions available as a member of S.A.V.A.C. (Driver, Attendant, and Helper), you respond to calls on board the ambulance with an experienced member who serves as your trainer. This person helps you obtain the skills necessary to function in one of these capacities so that you can make a quality contribution to the corps.