MAAC Foundation and United Way Northwest Indiana train community for crisis with Indiana EMR class

On Monday, June 22, Northwest Indiana residents learned how to save a life at the MAAC Foundation.

The MAAC Foundation trains both citizens and future first responders, giving them the skills needed to handle dangerous situations and potential crises. The MAAC Foundation hosts a number of different courses, including life support certification, a firefighter academy, and Monday’s training, an emergency medical response (EMR) course.

Mike Parks, the lead instructor for the EMR course, is aware of how many situations need to be taught and practiced. The course spans eight weeks and is a mix of virtual assignments and in-person classes. The class covers different emergency situations every time it meets.

“There are all sorts of different skills that they need when they go out and actually operate as responders,” Parks said. “Tonight, we’re going to be working on the immobilization of patients and moving patients. So how they can move them, whether from the floor, a seated position, or a vehicle, and how to immobilize them on a long fine board.”

The students taking this year’s EMR course are a mixed group of different ages and career aspirations. Some of them are hoping to get their EMR certification for early career advancement, while others are equipping themselves with the knowledge necessary to handle an emergency in their day-to-day lives. This is something that Nicole Gladstone, President and CEO of the MAAC Foundation, finds especially important.

“We have a good mix of individuals who aren’t necessarily in the medical field. So we’re hoping that coaches, boy and girl scout leaders, just people that are involved with youth and other individuals that are out in the community take this class,” Gladstone said.

The partnership between United Way Northwest Indiana and the MAAC Foundation is an important one. United Way Northwest Indiana is an organization that works to strengthen Northwest Indiana counties by promoting economic opportunities, youth programs, and EMR programs like this one. Northwest Indiana, along with the country as a whole, is experiencing a shortage of emergency responders. This makes courses like the MAAC Foundation’s even more dire.

“The reason we really wanted to do this was to improve the community overall,” Gladstone said. “So the MAAC Foundation’s partnership with United Way Northwest Indiana is really to improve the overall well-being of the community.”

A community’s vitality hinges on the health of its residents. The MAAC Foundation and United Way Northwest Indiana’s partnership is founded on this shared care for The Region’s health, and training a new batch of emergency responders is a solid step toward keeping our community safer.

“Supporting this initiative reflects our commitment to building healthier communities by investing in people, preparedness, and partnerships that save lives,” said Chris White, President and CEO United Way Northwest Indiana.

For more information on the MAAC foundation, visit maacfoundation.org

To find more information on United Way Northwest Indiana, visit www.unitedwaynwi.org