MINOT, ND ( KXNET ) — Between stopping bleeding, opening airways, and even delivering babies, life as an EMT is certainly not easy — but the latest group of Minot graduates say that they can’t wait to be certified.

“The first thing you are always taught in EMS is always scene safety,” said Student EMT Tristan ‘Jack’ Bolstad. “If your scene isn’t safe, don’t enter the scene, because one of your priorities is your own safety. How can you help other people if you become a patient yourself? After trauma, we also think about operations — what kind of equipment you have, different types of ambulances, and how they respond to different situations.”

Trinity Health’s EMT Class takes the complex topic of emergency medicine by breaking it down into multiple parts — most notably, by splitting up the medical and trauma aspects.

Harvey Hagliin, a student in the class, says that like many of his peers, he just wants to help people — but that when it comes to trauma, broken bones, or bad injuries, he is fully aware of the fact that such a goal will include plenty of gruesome sights. However, he also notes that he has already been able to put some of his knowledge from the course to good use at his day job at Rebel Gymnastics.

“We learn plenty of skills,” he shared, “like stopping a bleed and tourniquets. At my job, we get a lot of small injuries, but they can also be big. It’s gymnastics, so there’s a lot of twisting involved. Now, I know I can tend to those injuries in a much more immediate and effective way.”

One of Haglin’s classmates, Tristan Bolstad, says this class comes with hours and hours of studying. They have to know every bone in the body, as well as biology — and things only become more difficult when medical terminology is added.

“In EMS,” he stated, “when you’re talking about your abdominal area, it’s divided into quadrants. It’s about knowing what organs are in what quadrants,” said Jack.

Instructor Taaz Khan helps lead the class and says that one of her favorite aspects of teaching is seeing the improvement in the room.

“Over time,” she concluded, “the class has gotten closer together. They’ve helped each other, and they worked through the different skills together.”

The next EMT classes start July 29, and a $1,500 class fee is required to attend. All interested applicants must complete and turn in the required paperwork to Trinity Health by June 7.

For more information on the program, visit this page , and email info@trinityhealth.org to receive an application.

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