Carmel Fire Department to allow Hamilton Southeastern EMT students to ride on ambulances under clinical affiliation

The Board of Public Works and Safety on March 5 approved a clinical affiliation agreement allowing eligible Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE) EMT students to ride with the Carmel Fire Department to complete required ambulance clinical hours.

Fire Chief Joel Thacker told the Board the school-based EMT program requires students to complete 12 hours riding on an ambulance to satisfy clinical training. He said students had previously ridden with private services and transfers that did not necessarily expose them to typical 911 responses; the affiliation agreement gives qualified HSE students the opportunity to ride with Carmel Fire Department units for those hours.

Why it matters: The arrangement provides high-school EMT students direct exposure to 911 operations and integrates a local public-safety agency into the schools’ clinical training pathway.

Details presented at the meeting - Presenter: Joel Thacker, Fire Chief, Carmel Fire Department. - The agreement as presented covers students affiliated through Hamilton Southeastern Schools; Chief Thacker said Carmel Schools is pursuing separate affiliation in the future. - The motion to approve was made and seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.

Discussion and next steps - There were no substantive questions during the meeting; staff said further affiliation work with Carmel Schools will be pursued later.

Ending The Board’s approval authorizes Carmel Fire Department to accept Hamilton Southeastern Schools EMT students for ambulance clinical ride-alongs under the terms of the agreement approved March 5.