This fall, the Capital Health Foundation received a $50,000 gift from the Pennington Area First Aid Squad to support Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative (TNI), a progressive five-year program.
Pennington First Aid Squad’s donation will benefit those interested in pursuing EMS careers, as well as furthering the education of seasoned Capital Health emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
“The generosity of the Pennington First Aid Squad has a three-fold impact,” said Alex Lewinsky, director of EMS Capital Health. “We are able to enroll, train and outfit up to 12 new EMT Academy interns this fall and provide current EMTs at Capital Health the opportunity to pursue paramedic training. Adding to our workforce and supporting advanced training has a positive impact on the communities we serve in times of crisis and need.”
Capital Health’s EMT Academy trains future EMTs and transitions them to positions as full-time employees, supporting the TNI goal of mitigating social determinants of health such as socioeconomic status or access to training. The program is open to anyone who wants to pursue a new career or is just starting out.
“For currently employed Capital Health EMTs, professional development – specifically paramedic training – is important,” said Lewinsky. “Paramedics are more highly trained EMTs and they are capable of more advanced medical procedures, such as providing oral and intravenous medication, monitoring electrocardiograms (EKGs), and performing advanced airway techniques.”
The gift from the Pennington First Aid Squad allows Capital Health to structure a program for current EMTs to remain full-time in the workforce while attending a two-year, accredited paramedic program. Upon their successful credentialing, the employed paramedics commit to a minimum of three years of service to Capital Health communities. For many, this opportunity will also have a generational impact on local families.
The Pennington First Aid Squad provided emergency medical services to local communities from 1954 until February, 2023 when they responded to their last 911 call.
For more information about the EMT Academy at Capital Health, contact Alex Lewinsky at [email protected]. To make a gift of support to Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative, contact Jennifer M. Antinoro at [email protected]. For more information about the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative visit www.tnitrenton.org.
