Wharton County Junior College EMS Program Director Gary Bonewald inspects training equipment at the Bay City Campus. The EMS Program will begin offering basic EMT courses at the facility this fall.
WHARTON, TEXAS – The Wharton County Junior College EMS Program is expanding to Matagorda County in an effort to provide more training opportunities for area students.
Beginning in the Fall 2018 semester, the program will offer an Emergency Medical Technician class at the Bay City Campus. The semester-long course provides basic level training on CPR, first aid, the administration of medications and a wide-range of emergency medical procedures aimed at assessing injury and intervening in life-threatening events.
“We were seeing a need to have more localized training opportunities for students,” said EMS Program Director Gary Bonewald. “We see a lot of potential for the program with Matagorda County area residents.”
A classroom was renovated at the campus this past year to create a dedicated space for the training. Already, mannequins, stretchers, AED machines and a host of other equipment have been relocated to the campus in preparation for the first day of classes. Once up and running, program instructors will be able to teach EMT and Advanced EMT courses at the site.
Classes begin on Monday, Aug. 27, and will be held in the evening, from 6 to 10 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Those interested in the program need to complete an application with the EMS Program and obtain a registration packet. Packets can be found on the WCJC website – www.wcjc.edu – and prospective students may also contact Bonewald directly at 979-532-6540.
Bonewald is excited about expanding the program, which currently offers classes at the WCJC campuses in Wharton and Richmond as well as the Northside Center in El Campo. Dual credit classes are also offered for several school districts in the college’s service area, including Wharton ISD, Bay City ISD, Louise ISD and El Campo ISD.
He noted that the basic EMT course is a good starting point for students considering careers in the healthcare or emergency response fields.
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