Students learn to save lives in out-of-school EMT training course

After expressing interest in emergency medical technician (EMT) work and investing three months into studying the profession, three Chapel Hill students took the EMT certification exam on April 30.

Seniors Lucie Arricastres, Dan Kleissler and Nick Young are enrolled in the class, which is run by Durham Technical Community College.

The class is held at the South Orange Rescue Squad building, which is located behind Acme Food & Beverage Company in Carrboro.

The Carrboro EMT class is taught by Sara Nicholson and Robert Eaton. It typically meets twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, for four hours both nights.

But the EMT work is not easy, and there are hurdles and challenges for students aspiring to work in the emergency care field.

The program has a high failure rate, with 33 percent of participants typically failing the class. Each student must end the course with at least an 80 percent in order to pass.

The class started in February and will end after the exam. The classes total 192 hours when added up, and only 19.2 hours can be missed before the student is automatically failed.

Arricastres said that the class is much more practical and hands on than many of her high school classes.

“Rigorous, yet rewarding,” Arricastres said, describing the class.

Arricastres says that the EMT class and lifestyle have taught her the merits of teamwork, working hard and being dedicated.

“I would definitely recommend the class to any students interested,” Arricastres said. “The class teaches you to work hard, the content is super interesting and everything I’ve learned has practical uses.”

Young is also interested in the practical side of the lessons.

“We do many interesting things. We learn how to splint people’s arms and take people’s vitals—very practical and useful things,” Young said.

The course offers emergency techniques that are not offered at school. Students learn through field tests and occasional lecturing.

Kleissler put his training to use a few months ago, when he was called at 3 a.m. to help someone under cardiac arrest.

“Before anything else, I remember thinking, ‘I have no clue what to do,’” Kleissler said, “but as soon as I arrived, my training kicked in; that’s the thrill of emergency medicine.”

The heart-attack victim survived. Kleissler sees the incident as an affirmation of what he took the class for.

“Watching someone go from being medically dead to walking in front of me—as a direct consequence of my work— reaffirmed the importance and excitement of the class,” Kleissler said.

Kleissler said that the event has further influenced him to pursue EMT work in the future.

“In a high and stressful environment, your brain starts to run on autopilot,” Kleissler said. “That’s such a rare feeling outside of emergency medicine.”

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