From left, CMC Salida EMT graduates Sarah Evans, Landon Loepker, Marcie Spears Post and (not pictured) Zach Rocco now work for Chaffee County EMS. Photo by Chelsea DePetro

Chaffee County EMS hires four CMC EMT graduates

Chaffee County EMS's newest recruits from Colorado Mountain College are Sarah Evans, Landon Loepker, Marcie Spears Post and Zach Rocco.

These four EMTs received their EMT-Basic certification at CMC Salida during the fall 2022 semester. The course is a rigorous, 12-credit, semester-long program, which includes lecture, lab and clinicals.

Since fall semester 2019 when the EMS program began at the Salida and Leadville campuses, students have had a 93% first-time pass rate for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians testing, which is the certifying exam for EMTs. During that same period, statewide the first-time pass rate was 76%; nationally was 68%. Currently, the state of Colorado is covering tuition for the program through the Cares Forward Act.