The Moraine Park Foundation has received a donation of $10,000 from Waupun Memorial Hospital, a member of Agnesian HealthCare, to purchase 44 Portable Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Jump Bags. This equipment will be used as an additional learning tool for the College’s Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), and Paramedic program students. 

“COVID-19 had a significant effect on our hands-on classroom time,” Drew Novak, paramedic instructor said. “While we’ve done an excellent job at adapting and finding alternatives, these bags allow students to continue their learning and practice skills outside of the classroom.” 

The EMS bags are designed around the tools and equipment that are needed in the field and are centered on the Wisconsin and National Curriculum’s scope for EMTs. Items include simple airway devices (oral and nasopharyngeal airways), SAM Splint, Blood Pressure Cuff, stethoscope, bandages, cervical collar, gloves, bag valve masks, tourniquet, and an assortment of bandages. The bags are designed to be safe for the student in an unsupervised environment and are a means to continually engage students in learning.  

“The EMS jump bags will allow students to practice their skills remotely,” Novak said. “Additionally, students can record their progress so we can evaluate and follow their learning.” 

This donation will serve the educational needs of approximately 400 students over the next five to ten years and will help to ensure that the local community has a pipeline of skilled emergency care professionals who provide competent, compassionate care to patients. 

“These kits will help our future paramedics and EMTs get the training they’ll need to provide the very best emergency care within our communities,” DeAnn Thurmer, President, Ripon Medical Center/Waupun Memorial Hospital, said. 

Moraine Park Technical College’s Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic program strives to prepare competent entry-level EMT-Paramedics in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains to perform pre-hospital medical procedures. EMTs respond to emergencies and transport patients to appropriate care facilities while working collaboratively with various healthcare professionals to provide patients with the best care possible. The College is committed to upholding excellence in the standards of healthcare and safety, and this generous gift demonstrates a commitment to educating the next generation of EMS providers.  

“We are grateful to our community partner, Waupun Memorial Hospital, for their continued support of student learning,” Dana Bourland, Moraine Park’s director of college advancement, said. “Their generous donation will help ensure our students have access to robust learning tools- helping to make them ready to serve our communities.” 

For more information, visit morainepark.edu.