WC Wisconsin News

Madeline Avery knew at a young age she wanted to be a helper.

At age 16, in her junior year at Mondovi High School, she enrolled in a high school academy at Chippewa Valley Technical College.

“I discovered my passion for emergency services while taking an EMT class at CVTC,” she said.Now, at 19, she will graduate from CVTC on December 20 from the FireMedic associate degree program.

“I am the first in my family to pursue any sort of career as a firefighter or paramedic,” ­­­­she said.She doesn’t have to look far for a job in her field. When she was a senior in high school, she was hired on with the Mondovi Ambulance Service and Mondovi Fire Department. She is an EMT-B with the ambulance and a firefighter and inspector with the fire department.

DeWayne Hanson, CVTC fire service instructor, said it’s nice when students are able to work in the field while going through their program. 

“They receive so much valuable experience, and they can bring anecdotal information to the classroom experience,” Hanson said. “When someone starts working for a local service, it shows their willingness and dedication to this field and helping others.”

Hanson said CVTC is working every day to recruit more people into the field. For people wanting to get into the firemedic and paramedic fields, CVTC is attractive. One hundred percent of students in the program at CVTC find jobs in the field, and many find jobs in the field before graduation, Hanson said.

Avery said she appreciates the education she has received.

“With graduation near, I feel as though CVTC has given me a solid education and the foundation that I need to go into the working world and continue to grow and learn,” she said. “My career goals are closer than ever as I have been hired at a local full-time fire department and am going to start there soon.

“Sometime in the future, I plan on continuing my education and becoming a critical care paramedic.”

Original source can be found here.