Jessica moved to the area in August of 2022 with her family and joined Montgomery EMS about a month later after seeing a volunteer sign on the side of the road. While she wasn’t sure whether she would have the qualifications needed to join, the membership committee told her that they take people from all walks of life. “I was surprised at the professional backgrounds of the squad. We have people from the medical profession, of course. But we also have lawyers, accountants, IT and the retired. The diversity of the squad is a huge benefit to our organization and the surrounding community. And it’s true what the signs say: training is 100% provided by the squad.” Her husband and sons fully supported her decision to pursue becoming an active member and love to see her run out of the house on calls. “My sons who are 22 and 19 worry about me a little, but to me it’s important to show them that volunteering matters. And also that as you go through life, you can continue to grow and learn.”
Jessica was given the option to become either an EMT or a driver, but she decided to train as both at the same time. This type of team member is the most flexible and can reduce the total number of members needed during a call - lightening the load on squad resources. “I was very nervous when the squad’s driver trainer took me out in the ambulance the first time. He had me complete a driving obstacle course and after that, I was hooked. Ambulances are massive, and there are a lot of ‘bells and whistles’ to manage while driving, but when you get the hang of it there’s no going back. Being on a call and driving an ambulance is a huge adrenaline rush. It’s an experience like no other.”
“We are neighbors helping neighbors.”
In January of this year as she finished her driver training, she also began classes to become a certified EMT. The course ran from January through May with classes meeting Monday and Wednesday from 7-10pm, then Saturday from 9-5. She did this on top of working at her full-time position as a clinical research scientist for a medical device company. “I definitely did not anticipate how rigorous the course would be. There were days when it felt like I was back in my Master’s program. But since my boys were grown and my evenings were basically free time, I was able to push through.” Jessica received her EMT license in May, finished her driver training in June, and was recently promoted to full EMT at the end of August.
When asked what advice she would give to someone in the community who might be considering joining Montgomery EMS she had these thoughts: “Volunteering for EMS is truly about what you can give back to the community. Our team members are on call 24-7 and we wake up at all hours of the night to make sure our and, sometimes, the surrounding communities are taken care of. Because our EMS is 100% volunteer and 100% donation based, we have to rely on people who have that same type of spirit. We are neighbors helping neighbors. I didn’t quite appreciate what that meant for the community until I joined. And we need more members to ensure that the community continues to be cared for. The older members will retire, and we need a pipeline of new volunteers. If you have 5-10 hours a week that you can spare, I encourage you to come have a conversation with us. There really is something for everyone here.”
