Separate from all the strife that has surrounded the East Hampton Village Ambulance Association the last year and a half has been a discussion about how best to recruit new members to bolster an aging volunteer pool. The village board has approved money for flashy recruitment videos and has encouraged village employees to join as volunteers.
But Mary Mott, the ambulance association’s chief, has hit upon another method of recruitment that could prove most successful: an emergency medical services club for students at East Hampton High School. At the Feb. 16 village board meeting, she said the club, which started only in January, has had a “huge response,” with more than 30 students attending.
Meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the ambulance headquarters in the Emergency Services Building. Each night a new skill is demonstrated and there are mock ambulance calls.
The hands-on curriculum puts the students in real-world situations and teaches them how to react. “What if you’re in school and someone collapses?” was one such emergency prompt. Ms. Mott also teaches CPR and how to call 911, so students understand what happens when an ambulance is called.
“The format is designed to show the students what it’s like to assess, interact,
and provide either a medical or trauma treatment to persons who may need their help,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for students who want to move forward in an E.M.S. direction.”
Jordan Dias, a senior at the high school, said he joined the club in part to see how well he could work on a team. “We’ve also been doing CPR training, and I learned how to respond if someone is choking. Ms. Mott was very confident that if we see someone having an emergency in the halls, we’d be able to respond.”
“Our students are thoroughly enjoying being part of the E.M.S. club,” Sara Smith, the high school’s principal, wrote. “They are learning vital first responder skills while being part of a positive group that could eventually help serve the community. We are exploring how we could include CPR and first aid in the curriculum at the high school.”
“This will be a big help for us in the future,” Mayor Jerry Larsen said at the village board meeting. “It exposes students to things they may not otherwise be exposed to, and even if they don’t join the ambulance corps, they gain skills that can help their family.”
Patrick Brabant Jr., a high school junior, also spoke at the meeting. “All of my family has been in the fire department — I just want to follow in their footsteps. When I saw this opportunity, I took the step. Now I want to become a paramedic.”