The Fort Worth Fire Department is hosting a training program for their future paramedics, along with area departments in collaboration with a local college.
With the Tarrant County College (TCC) running out of space for the paramedic training, which is in high demand in the region, they started offering a paramedic program at the department's Bob Bolen Training Center.
"TCC came up with this shift-based paramedic program that allows these firefighters to continue with their 24-hour shifts on duty and at fire stations," Fort Worth Firefighter Stephen Stregint told Fox4News.com. "And then they come to class the next day so they organized that specifically."
The program is structured to work around the firefighter's current work schedules.
"It’s a lot harder than I thought," said Jolene Hermosillo, an EMT with Eagle Mountain Fire and EMS, who has been on the job for 10 years. "I thought with the experience I already have, it would be a lot easier and it’s not. I mean it is intense."
"The (paramedic) shortage is real. It’s nationwide. It’s Tarrant County. It’s local. The shortage for paramedics is very real," Stregint said.
