An effort to recruit additional emergency medical personnel for the Sutton community is showing promising results following a recent informational meeting for residents interested in becoming EMTs.
Sutton City Administrator Warren Myers provided an update on the effort during Monday night’s Sutton City Council meeting, reporting that several people have expressed interest in joining the local ambulance service or pursuing EMT training.
The recruitment meeting was held July 30 as part of an effort to recruit additional volunteers to serve with the Sutton ambulance service.
Two emergency room nurses attended the meeting and have expressed interest in serving, according to Myers. A third nurse contacted the city following the meeting and also expressed interest.
Another individual who recently moved to Sutton from out of state already has emergency medical credentials, and the city is working with that person to have the necessary information and credentials transferred to Nebraska.
The meeting also generated interest among residents who would need to complete EMT training.
Two Sutton residents have signed up for an upcoming EMT class, while another resident is considering enrolling. People from Edgar are also expected to participate in the class.
“Overall, I thought the turnout and interest were positive,” Myers said. “For a community our size, having residents and medical professionals willing to step up and serve in this capacity is very important.”
Sutton’s ambulance service relies on volunteers to respond when members of the community need emergency medical assistance. According to information published by the City of Sutton, the service operates two ambulances and responds to more than 100 calls each year.
Recruiting and retaining enough trained emergency medical personnel communities, where ambulance services depend on having qualified people available when a call comes in.
While those who have expressed interest are at different stages, from considering the EMT class to transferring existing credentials, the response to Sutton’s recruitment effort could eventually add several trained medical responders to the community’s ambulance service.
For Sutton, even a handful of additional volunteers could make a meaningful difference in maintaining a dependable local emergency medical response.
