A two-day event is helping inspire and educate those looking for a future in EMS and cardiac care.
Heart of a Future Hero is an event with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES), in partnership with ZOLL Medical that is designed to give some insight on what is involved with being a paramedic.
High School students interested in the career path were invited to join LFES staff at the fire training facility to learn some things from industry leaders and try their hand at some tasks of the job.
Students Ciana Catonio and Meridian Patenaude are both interested in becoming paramedics, and enjoyed the experience so far. They’re both looking to the medical field for future jobs and enjoyed the hands on training they got to take part in.
Martin Alvaro is an Account Executive with ZOLL Medical and says the initial Heart of a Hero tour was started back in the Maritimes as a way to thank paramedics and first responders for all they did and started right after COVID-19. This then evolved into the Heart of a Future Hero tour.
“It has evolved a little bit here in Alberta as the Heart of a Future Hero tour, again as a way to give thanks for all the hard work that Lethbridge has been doing for the community, but also as a way for them to get the word out of what they do every day for work, the satisfaction they get for treating those people in the community and a way to get younger people involved and interested in the profession as well,” says Alvaro.
Mike Humphrey, EMS Operations Officer says it’s been great partnering with ZOLL Medical and getting the word out to young people and help showcase employment opportunities. Getting younger people involved is super important.
“Even if people don’t decide that or maybe they decide that this isn’t the career for them, at least they know what’s out there and they might be able to tell a friend ‘Hey this is a great place to work, these are the things that they’re offering’,” says Humphrey.
The Heart of a Future Hero event is happening Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lethbridge Fire Department Station #4 and includes clinical presentations and skill stations.