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Advanced EMT Taylor Eidson stands in front of an Oglethorpe County ambulance. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Oglethorpe County High School began offering a class titled "Emergency Medical Technician" in 2017 that is taught by Jason Lewis.
Like the certified nursing assistant classes offered at the school, it allows students to receive professional training and a basic EMT certification before graduation. At least four Oglethorpe County EMTs took the class while they attended OCHS.
One of them, Taylor Eidson, first rode on an ambulance as a sophomore at OCHS in 2018. Now 20, she’s an advanced EMT who works full time for Oglethorpe County EMS and part time for the Madison County EMS. The Oglethorpe Echo had a chance to learn about the Arnoldsville native’s experiences as an EMT in the community where she was raised.
Comments have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Why did you choose to become an EMT?
A: I started looking into EMS in 2018, when I did a project for HOSA and chose to shadow paramedicine. I had to learn one skill from their job and ride a certain amount of hours with the ambulance service. So, I started riding with Ryan Hollingsworth and Coty Harris, and I fell in love with it.
Q: What is an advanced EMT?
A: With your EMTs, you’re able to basically do the run of the mill; check vitals, you’re able to give oxygen if needed. When you get into advanced EMT, you’re able to start IVs, you’re able to give certain medications; you have a lot more skills to learn, and you’re able to do more compared to the basic (EMT).
Q: Why did you choose to work in the community you grew up in?
A: I love being able to treat patients that I know and that I have either gone to school with the guy, I’ve gone to school with their children or their grandchildren, or I just see them in town because I’ve been here my whole life. You meet them in the Dollar General and it’s awesome, knowing you’re able to follow up to see what ended up happening with those patients.
Q: Is there a downside to that?
A: It’s nice, but it’s also terrible. You’re running people who are very sick or have passed away, that you grew up with, or you grew up with their grandchildren. You also run the risk of running your own family, which has happened multiple times to all of us. All of us have a story of running somebody in our family or getting toned down to your own address. But it gives you that motivation to do your best because you’re the one responding to the people you love.