Before joining Montgomery EMS (“MEMS”) in May 2023, Vaughn Hernandez volunteered in Princeton Medical Center’s Pre-Health Professional Program and remembers seeing MEMS crews bringing patients into the ER. Seeing cadets and adult EMTs working side-by-side to provide medical care, he knew he wanted to join the squad and help provide medical attention to patients as a first responder.
Soon after joining MEMS, Hernandez navigated New Jersey’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) reciprocity process and worked diligently to transfer his New York license here. He then began riding on their ambulances as an EMT trainee, learning how the squad operates. “On my first call I felt like I was in a movie,” he says. “The radio chatter, lights and sirens, and urgency of calls really get your adrenaline going and mind racing. Every call tests your skills and sharpens your ability to connect with patients.” In the summer Hernandez joined, he graduated from the training program and took on a greater role in supporting the Montgomery community.
“Every call tests your skills and sharpens your ability to connect with patients.”
Since joining the squad, he’s responded to over 100 calls and has helped two other members navigate the reciprocity process to transfer their EMT licenses to NJ. He’s served on calls ranging from CPRs to active seizures and traumatic injuries. While on duty he enjoys connecting with crewmates and practicing skills at the squad building, and his favorite shifts are when his crew gets called into action, “I don’t mind jumping from call to call – a busy shift means we’re able to make the most of our time and help the community.”
Hernandez recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University with Honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology and plans to apply to medical school this upcoming cycle. Although he used to see orthopedic surgery as his end goal in medicine, becoming an EMT with MEMS has opened his eyes to the world of emergency and pre-hospital medicine. “Our destination for every transport call is the ER, where we know that we’re leaving our patient in the best care for their medical needs. Becoming an EMT with Montgomery EMS, I could definitely see myself taking on that role as an ER doctor someday – assuring patients that they’re in good hands.”
Hernandez has had great experiences with the squad and getting to meet new people in Montgomery. He recalls his first time receiving a thank you note from a patient that he provided care to, and how it made his day. He says, “It was such a kind gesture, and knowing that our patient was able to receive the care he needed made my efforts as an EMT feel all the more valuable and appreciated.” Hernandez looks forward to continuing his service with Montgomery EMS over the next year while applying to medical school during the 2025 application cycle.
