Training
The Training Division of the Burke County Office of Emergency Services is responsible for the development, implementation, delivery and coordination of all training for those serving the citizens of Burke County under the auspices of the Burke County Office of Emergency Services. A full-time coordinator, a part-time First Responder Coordinator, and four Shift Training Officers staff the Training Division.
In the furtherance of its mission, the Division last year offered courses in Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and EMT-Paramedic. Each of these courses were an initial certification course approved by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services with instruction provided by instructors credentialed by that agency. These courses were sponsored and supported by Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) Continuing Education Division, which serves as a vital resource for Emergency Services in Burke County.
Training Coordinator
The Training Coordinator has overall responsibility for all training activities within the system, serving both Basic and Advanced Life Support certified providers. In addition, the Coordinator has oversight responsibility for Quality Management within the system. The coordinator also regularly serves as an instructor in various certification courses attend by both Burke County employees and the general public. All instructors are credentialed through North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services.
Basic Life Support Coordinator
The Basic Life Support Coordinator serves as an assistant to the Training Coordinator and is primarily responsible for the training and certification of volunteers serving as First Responders affiliated with the various fire departments and rescue squads in the county. This member of the division, in addition to working in the training role part-time, also serves as a full-time Paramedic shift member.
Shift Training Officers
The Shift Training Officers serve in a training role while working in their regular role as Paramedic shift members. They assist the Coordinator in implementing and monitoring the County's Quality Management Program. They also assist in training the other members of their respective shifts in the latest patient care methods and procedures.
Division Personnel
The Division as a whole serves a total of 110 Advanced Life Support (ALS) personnel, 68 full-time and 46 part-time, as well as a total of 244 Emergency Medical Technicians and Medical First Responders in the Basic Life Support (BLS) program. These BLS personnel provide valuable support to the ALS Program with initial basic lifesaving interventions for patients in need.