Monroe-One BOCES is now training high school seniors to help manage the current shortage of EMTs.
The Eastern Monroe Boces is currently training around a dozen high school seniors to be EMTs, giving them both knowledge and college credits.
The students have been training for two years at Perinton Ambulance with training in the classroom and the field. The first year they become CPR certified and the second year NYS EMT-B certified.
Students describe seeing the staff shortage first hand, and explain that staffing has become competitive among agencies. Agencies have described pay in an attempt to gain recruits, but the average starting pay for an EMT ranges from $15-16 dollars an hour.
Chris Dewey of Monroe Ambulance explained the staff consists of a lot of individuals working while in school for something medical related. This means that staffing long term employees is harder to do.
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