Northwestern Polytechnic will receive a nearly $44,000 gift from the Regional EMS Foundation that officials say will help the school facilitate health training in the coming years.
The polytech has been working to develop a new Emergency Medical Responder certificate and officials suggest that the funding will help with the purchase of new specialized training equipment at NWP’s Health Education Centre in the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.
NWP President and CEO Dr. Vannessa Sheane has been quite vocal regarding her school’s plans to continue expanding local healthcare training and says a critical part of the process is establishing effective learning environments for students.
“A key component of our work to expand local health care education offerings is establishing leading-edge learning environments where students can safely refine their knowledge and skills,” she says. “We are very grateful for the ongoing support from the Regional EMS Foundation and look forward to seeing this equipment in action once the program is fully operational.”
The Emergency Medical Responder program has an anticipated start date of January 2025, and hopes to equip learners with the skills and experience necessary to succeed in the emergency response industry.
The new equipment will be purchased ahead of the semester in preparation of the influx of students who will benefit from the new tools. The school maintains that the investment will complement existing hands-on lab technology including patient care mannequins and a new ambulance training environment.
Applications for the EMR program are expected to open in the coming months.
