This session will outline multiple facets of the partnership between the Spring Lake Park High School Opportunities in Emergency Health Care (OEC) Program, and the Fridley Fire Department. FFD's contributions include: in-class presentations, skill evaluators, storage and training space, advisory committee presence, an explorer post, ride-along opportunities and paid internships for Emergency Medical Responder and Emergency Medical Technician students. The Fridley Fire Department gives Spring Lake Park OEC students interested in the Health and Human Services pathway, an opportunity to directly see what a career in Emergency Medical Services, the fire service or healthcare really looks like when you're part of the squad.
This session is designed to assist attendees with a road map to help generate valuable CTE-industry partnerships. The relationship between the Fridley Fire Department and the Spring Lake Park H.S. OEC Program goes back to the early 2000's. The relationship started with station tours and ride-alongs, but has evolved to the point that the fire department provides the following services/opportunities to students:
-In-class lecturers and presentations
-EMS evaluators including; skill testing, scenario evaluation, EMS and HOSA competition judges and volunteers. This includes curricular and extracurricular training.
-Advisory committee members. Currently there are two and Chief Zikmund is the current SLP OEC committee chair.
-Evening continuing education sessions for Fridley Fire personnel and OEC students. Fridley FD provides instructors for these seminars designed to mix professionals and the high school students.
-Training space. This includes classroom and tower space for OEC's Fire Rescue and Firefighter 1 courses taught at the fire station during the school day.
-Storage space for OEC's rescue truck used for training and community events
-Opportunity for students to join their Firefighting Explorer Post accredited through the Northern Star Council
-Ride-along opportunities for OEC EMT students on the rescue squad. Students are mentored by FFD firefighters and assist on medical and trauma 9-1-1 calls.
-Paid internships for students who become certified Emergency Medical Technicians. The 2023-24 school year was the first year of the internship. One student was hired in the fall of 2023 and still works for the department.
-A grant allowed four additional students to be hired in the summer of 2024, two for the summer, the other two will continue for the 24-25 school year as they will be high school seniors.
The presentation will focus on how schools can reach out to industry to connect students with real-world opportunities.
After this session, you will be able to:- Identify one industry partner in their community who can be contacted about partnering with their school CTE program.
- Identify three potential industry members to tap for an advisory committee.
- Create a list of ways to develop a constructive partnership.
