EMT Basic Training to Begin Oct. 1 at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital

WARE — Baystate Mary Lane Hospital will partner Quality EMS Educators Inc. to offer a basic emergency medical technical (EMT) program at the hospital this fall. Classes will be held Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 10 p.m. beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, and will include 180 hours of class time and 10 hours of emergency-room observation time. The training time has been increased from 150 to 180 hours to meet the new National Registry Curriculum.

After successfully completing the EMT basic program, students will be eligible for the national and state certification and licensing examination. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age to take the exam.

This is the eighth EMT basic course sponsored by the hospital, said Dr. Richard Gerstein, chair of the Emergency Department at Baystate Mary Lane. “Providing this training has been a critical asset to many of our communities. People’s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians during the most incredibly stressful situations. The physicians in our Emergency Department also depend on the excellent work and commitment EMTs provide both day and night in the many communities we serve. We are pleased to offer this training locally and proud of the positive impact the EMT basic-training program has had on the many communities we serve.”

The cost for the program is $900, which includes both tuition and books. The terms of payment are $450 due to Quality EMS Educators on the first day of class, with the balance due Thursday, Oct. 29. Checks, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital Emergency Department physicians also conduct monthly continuing education for EMTs, intermediates, and paramedics at no cost. For more information about EMT training or to register for classes, contact Michelle Holmgren, the hospital’s Public Affairs and Community Relations manager, at (413) 967-2296.