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Clay County has received a $50,000 investment grant from Nantahala Health Foundation to fund a coordinator for its Emergency Management Technician Training Fellowship.
Grant investment funds from Nantahala Health Foundation will being used to fund a part-time Fellowship Coordinator for two years to mentor students being trained through the Paramedic/Peer Support Specialist Program.
As the newly hired, Jeff Ledford, RN and Paramedic/Training Office with more than 30 years in the field, works with high school guidance counselors and others to identify students who are interested in becoming EMTs or paramedics.
Ledford's role is to encourage students to take the classes that are available to them at the high school level, such as anatomy and physiology and CPR certification. Ledford also mentors and guides students through the courses they need to take at the community college level and works with them to ensure that they are completing their course work and proceeding through the training at the necessary pace to stay on target for completion.
Debbie Mauney, County Manager stated, "Nantahala Health Foundation's grant investment is essential in our effort to increase the number of students entering the EMT field, which will increase the potential for future available employees. By ensuring students are successfully recruited and complete all educational requirements for becoming an EMT, we are able to safeguard our community. These first responders play a critical role in the health and well-being of our citizens and, unfortunately, there has been a decline in the number of people entering the field. The success of this program will be far reaching and will have an impact on our neighboring counties and the region as a whole."
Clarissa Rogers, Health Director, stated, "We had four students to successfully complete the training. One student has plans to go into the Air Force, two wish to continue on to the next level and get the advanced EMT certification, and the final is undecided at this moment. The potential to recruit, train and retain our own homegrown students to serve in an EMT capacity is great and much needed in our community."