Fire department serving fastest growing part of county graduates 16 Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians

Emergency medical care providers are now even more prepared to serve the fastest growing part of the fastest growing county in Indiana.

Sixteen individuals recently graduated as Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs) with the Vernon Township Fire Department (VTFD), which serves the towns of McCordsville and Fortville and the unincorporated area of Vernon Township in northwestern Hancock County.

Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians are a level of emergency medical services (EMS) provider that have more training and a broader range of skills than Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). AEMTs can perform more advanced procedures, such as administering intravenous (IV) fluids and medications, and using advanced airway devices. AEMTs can also provide both basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) care.

This advancement is especially significant considering the majority of VTFD response runs are calls for emergency medical assistance. Improving the quality of care is a top priority of VTFD.

The 16 new AEMTs passed their practical exams earlier this month after a rigorous training program that has been taught for the past eight months by VTFD EMS Chief Kiely Culberson.

This improvement comes amid rapid growth in Vernon Township. More than 1,200 residential building permits were filed in McCordsville from 2021 through March 2024. In Fortville, 350 residential building permits were filed from 2021 through 2023. It’s all contributing to Indiana University’s projection that Hancock County’s population will rise to over 115,000 by 2050, an increase of 44.5%