Submitted by Columbia Paramedic Academy
Local residents wanting to become a paramedic can now train closer to home thanks to both an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) course and a blended Primary Care Paramedic program (PCP) that will be returning to Castlegar.
The EMR course lasts two weeks and allows individuals to license for work as an entry-level paramedic. It will take place June 7-18; the registration deadline is May 31 and there are no pre-requisites.
The PCP program is eight months. It starts Sept. 17 and runs Friday through Sunday every second weekend. Students completing this training can license to work as a Primary Care Paramedic and provide an intermediate level of care. Applications are being accepted now and close August 3. There are some pre-requisites for the course.
“As a local paramedic and unit chief, I know how challenging it can be for students to access quality training,” says Anneke Fidler, lead instructor.
“By delivering this training locally, students remain connected with their friends, families and communities – critical support systems which give them a greater chance of success. There is a huge demand for trained paramedics throughout the region.”
This focus on student support is a founding value for Columbia Paramedic Academy.
“We know how students in smaller, non-urban communities often face the difficult decision to either travel for training, or to forgo it entirely,” says Nicola Harper, president of the Academy.
“We are proud to return to Castlegar to offer this life-saving training right in the communities that need it the most.”
Students interested in learning more about either of these training opportunities can visit columbiaparamedic.ca/castlegar.
Columbia Paramedic Academy is BC’s largest private provider of paramedic training, nearly half of all paramedics trained in BC this year will be CPA graduates.
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