By Dawn Hatfield
DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — CareFlight touched down amid an excited group of Med Tech students at Greenville High School Career Tech Center (G-CTEC) on Nov. 3. Thanks to the combined efforts of Greenville Township Rescue, CareFlight, and G-CTEC, students were able to gets hands-on experience with the fastest air medical transport in the region.

Amanda Koenig, RN, BSN, Medical Tech Program instructor explained details of the demonstration.

“Both our junior and senior Med Tech groups heard a presentation from a CareFlight nurse as we awaited the arrival of the helicopter,” said Koenig. “Students then witnessed the landing as well as departure just outside the CT building. Students were able to discuss the profession with other CareFlight nurses as well as the pilot. They also had the opportunity to sit inside the helicopter and heard explanations of procedures and supplies within the helicopter. It was a very rewarding and exciting afternoon for our Medical Tech Prep students!”

Each CareFlight helicopter staff includes two registered nurses with at least three years critical care experience and a pilot with a minimum of 2,500 flight hours. Since 1983, the CareFlight team has completed more than 74,000 flights. CareFlight Air and Mobile serves more than 450 agencies in 17 counties with its four Dauphin helicopters, five Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU), and a team of more than 100 staff. CareFlight provides life-saving air medical transport to Miami Valley Hospital’s Level 1 Trauma Center for patients with the most serious conditions, such as cardiac, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and other critical care needs. The cooperation of local law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, dispatch centers, and more than 150 hospitals coordinate to provide essential rapid care response.

The CareFlight demonstration is just one recent example of the ample hands-on opportunities students receive through G-CTEC. Andrea Townsend, director of Career Technology & Special Education, highlighted the community’s good fortune on the Greenville CSD website.

“Greenville is so lucky to have the G-CTEC. Thanks to the hard work of students, staff and teachers at G-CTEC our community benefits from college and career ready young adults equipped with industry recognized credentials, technical skills, and employability skills,” she said.

The program, with its 99.1 percent graduation rate and 93.9 percent meaningful post program outcome (within a year of graduation), offers 13 different CTE programs, including Agricultural Education, Teaching Professions, Careers with Children, Family & Consumer Sciences, Engineering, Automotive Technology, Medical Technology, Interactive Media & Television, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, and Computer Information Systems.

“Career-Tech Education provides students with 21st Century skills that prepare students for further education and/or to enter the workforce,” Townsend added. “Through Career-Tech Education, students learn through project-based and hands-on learning, have the opportunity to earn college credits and scholarships, have job shadowing and other on the job experiences to prepare them for a successful future. Whether you are looking for a future that includes a job right out of high school or a two- or four-year college degree, we have a program that can help you achieve your goals. Our highly skilled instructors are in touch with the latest business and industry standards and requirements, so all learning activities will prepare you well for an exciting job in your field of preference.”

Contact Andrea Townsend for a visit to any G-CTEC program of interest by phone at 937-548-4188, extension 1301.

Dawn Hatfield covers education stories for The Daily Advocate. Have a school-related event to share? Reach out by email at [email protected] or by phone at 937-569-0066.