LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus' Office of Outreach and Continuing Education has received a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to support a pilot program designed to address the shortage of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel across western Pennsylvania.
The Emergency Medical Services High School Pilot Program is designed to introduce approximately 90 high school students to careers in emergency medical care, providing opportunities to develop practical skills and pursue emergency medical technician (EMT) certification.
The program seeks to strengthen the region's EMS workforce by establishing an early pathway into emergency medical careers, particularly in rural and underserved communities where recruiting qualified emergency responders remains a challenge.
Through a combination of online coursework and in-person skills training, participating students will receive instruction from certified EMS educators and opportunities to engage with local emergency medical professionals. Hands-on laboratory sessions will help students prepare for real-world emergency response scenarios, with the goal of obtaining national EMT certification within three months of completing the course.
Continuing Education plans to collaborate with high schools, technical and vocational schools, and EMS agencies throughout western Pennsylvania. The program will target school districts in Elk, Fayette, Erie, Beaver, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland, Somerset and Allegheny counties, with training opportunities coordinated through approved instructional sites.
As a pilot initiative, the program will also evaluate approaches to delivering EMS education through partnerships with schools and approved training locations. Continuing Education will monitor student enrollment, certification completion and participant feedback to assess the program's effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
The initiative builds upon more than 30 years of EMS education offered through Penn State Fayette's Office of Outreach and Continuing Education, ranging from CPR instruction to paramedic training. The department has established relationships with five high schools and vocational schools offering emergency medical responder and EMT programs.
High schools, vocational and technical schools, EMS agencies, and students interested in participating in the Emergency Medical Services High School Pilot Program are encouraged to learn more and submit an interest form.