By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


An agreement with an area-hospital will help Livingston County EMS recruit future first responders.

In a memo written to the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, EMS Director David Feldpausch reveals that Ascension Genesys Hospital has reached out to them with a proposed contract to allow their students to complete their clinical rotations and field internships with county EMS. The rotations and internships are a required part of the educational process to become licensed in the state of Michigan.

Students undertaking the program will have the opportunity to gain real operational knowledge in real-life situations while working under the guidance of senior paramedics.

Feldpausch notes a benefit to EMS in that it gives them the opportunity to interact with students and evaluate them as a potential future hire. They would get to see firsthand a student’s practical skills and knowledge, along with their interpersonal communication skills and general work ethic. He states that recruitment and retention are critical points in the EMS field, and that this agreement could give them an advantage over other EMS services that wish to recruit the same students following completion of their education. There will be no additional direct costs to the department under the contract. Students will be placed with employees who are already scheduled to work and no additional compensation will be paid.

The Board of Commissioners approved the contract as part of their most recent consent agenda.