Klamath Basin educators are expanding training for high school students interested in careers as EMTs, firefighters and other emergency responders, as rural communities struggle to fill those jobs.
Klamath Union High School is partnering with Klamath Community College and Sky Lakes Medical Center through a $5.2 million grant from the Oregon Health Authority. The effort will allow students to earn high school and college credit while getting hands-on career training.
Steven Hobbs, dean of Allied Health and Sciences at KCC, said the region relies heavily on volunteer emergency responders. In some areas east of Highway 97, he said, emergency response times can be lengthy.
“We do not have enough EMTs. We do not have enough firefighters," Hobbs said. "If you're in a car crash, it may take two hours for somebody to actually get out there."
The new partnership aims to introduce students to emergency response careers while they're still in high school.
Students can begin Emergency Medical Responder training at 16, Hobbs said. From there, they can pursue EMT or paramedic training or move into structural or wildland firefighting.
The program is also designed to make the transition from high school to college easier.
KCC instructors will teach alongside high school teachers at Klamath Union, giving students a chance to become familiar with college instructors and expectations before they reach campus.
Carly Lynch, rural health transformation administrator for Klamath Falls City Schools, said that gives students a relatively safe place to make mistakes while they're learning both technical and workplace skills.
“We want them to mess up,” Lynch said.
She said students can learn from mistakes such as a poorly prepared resume or an unsuccessful practical exercise while they still have support from their high school instructors.
The partnership also allows the schools to share training equipment. Hobbs said equipment purchased through the grant, including self-contained breathing apparatus used by firefighters, can be moved between KCC and Klamath Union.
Lynch said that kind of collaboration is particularly important in an isolated region such as the Klamath Basin.
“We find ourselves having to really try to work together and be creative with the resources that we have,” Lynch said.
Guest
- Dr. Steven Hobbs, dean of Allied Health and Sciences, Klamath Community College
- Carly Lynch, rural health transformation administrator, Klamath Falls City Schools
