By Suzie Ziegler
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) graduated its first ever DPS Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class on Thursday. The class of 15 troopers can now provide advanced care when responding to crashes and other medical emergencies, according to a release from Texas DPS.
“This program enhances the wide variety of services we already provide across the state of Texas, allowing us to offer enhanced emergency medical treatment in critical situations,” said Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw in a statement. “I congratulate this first class on their accomplishments.”
The eight-week classes included hands-on training, video instruction and two weeks of clinical classwork. The program was open to troopers with “at least some medical background,” according to the release.
Each EMT-certified trooper will now carry advanced equipment for trauma, airway management and other medical emergencies. They can also deploy for DPS missions as a medical provider and offer regional medical support to other partner agencies, the release reads.
The program was led by Texas DPS’ Operational Medicine Unit (OMU) in partnership with U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector’s Search, Trauma and Rescue Unit (BORSTAR).
“This partnership has opened the door for future EMT classes to enhance the Texas DPS medical first responder program,” said Andrew Aviles, the Del Rio Sector BORSTAR agent who led the course creation, in a statement. “We also believe that it will strengthen the entire emergency medical system for the state.”
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