Last year, the quick thinking of senior and trained EMT Vivek Majumdar spared a man’s life when he delivered life-saving CPR at a sporting event. Today, students like Majumdar continue to serve the community in the fire service branch.
Senior and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) trainee Lucy Kerr has responded to emergency calls and helped save lives while she volunteered last summer at Station 3 of Rockville’s Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD). She has worked on board a medic unit and ambulance while balancing her childcare job at Lifetime and a busy soccer schedule. Additionally, her role as a medical service provider is both physically and emotionally demanding. “I would say the hardest thing about what I do would be disassociating from the actual emergency and focusing solely on the care. It takes a certain person to be able to focus on what’s at hand and not be distracted by the baby crying in the background, or the mother screaming for her child,” Kerr said.
In 2021, the Rockville Fire Department celebrated 100 years of service and boasts over 240 members who have dedicated their lives to public service and safety, working all hours: weekends, holidays and even in the middle of the night. “I’m honestly not exactly sure why I was so drawn to being a public servant, especially in such a dangerous and underpaid field. I do, however, love the community you establish, the respect you gain and the trust you are able to put in yourself and receive from others,” Kerr said.
The Rockville Volunteer Fire Department requires all firefighters and medical personnel to have a minimum certification of an Emergency Medical Technician status. The EMT certification requires at least six months of hands-on classes followed by exams throughout the course as well as a required number of ride-on hours. Trainees like Kerr who are studying to become an EMT are able to ride on vehicles like fire engines and ambulances to learn and observe real-world patient care. “As of right now I have not taken the official certification test because of other conflicts, however, I have fully worked taking calls and saving lives,” Kerr said.
From CPR to priority management, the training and hands-on experiences that the program offers give students a front-row seat in patient care while teaching lessons like discipline that have wider applications in both personal and professional relationships. “It absolutely serves me in other aspects of my life, being objective and looking at any situation without bias as well as being a very compassionate person and never wanting bad upon anyone,” Kerr said.
Unlike the other stations within the RVFD, Station 3 has a junior member program in which students over the age of 16 can begin volunteering for the department. Throughout high school and into college, students can continue to volunteer and learn during their course of study, even becoming career personnel. “I joined the fire department because of my passion for helping people and knowledge of being good in stressful situations. I plan on continuing to volunteer through college,” Kerr said.
