The Whitesboro Fire Department (WFD) recently celebrated the addition of three more paramedics among its membership. Lieutenant Levi McDowell, Firefighter Cody Keller and Michael DePiazza can now add “Paramedic” to their titles.
These three paramedics spent the last year in an accelerated program at North Central Texas College (NCTC) in Gainesville. The shift-based class met every third day, excluding Sundays, for eight hours and required several rounds of EMS ride-outs on active 911 ambulances and rotations at local hospitals
Because they were already employees or volunteers at WFD, all three were able to do their ride-outs with Whitesboro EMS. This was helpful in many ways as it gave the on-shift EMS providers students who were familiar with WFD EMS systems, and it ensured that as students, our members were learning under a top-notch agency that valued their success.
Lieutenant McDowell has been a volunteer for the Whitesboro Fire Department for over 10 years and is the C-Shift Fire Officer. He also works as a part-time EMT-B (Basic) in the EMS Division and was just hired by the Celina Fire Department as a Firefighter/Paramedic. As soon as his schedule allows, he will do his field training ride-outs with the EMS division allowing him to work as a paramedic on the WFD EMS ambulances
Firefighter Cody Keller has been with the fire department as a volunteer for a couple of years, and currently works as the EMT-B for Medic 252 on B-Shift. He felt that taking the paramedic class was the next natural step in growing his fire and EMS career. Keller is currently undergoing field training and looks forward to his new role once approved to work as a paramedic on the WFD EMS ambulances.
Michael DePiazza started his career with Whitesboro EMS just over a year ago as one of the original WFD EMS employees. He came on board as an EMT-B when the city of Whitesboro took over EMS services from a floundering Texas Vital Care. He does not have any experience on the firefighting side but hopes that will change.
“I decided to go to paramedic school to better my skills and continue to improve as an emergency health care provider,” DePiazza said. “Long-term, I would like to pursue my fire certifications so I can be an asset on the fire division of WFD as well.”
DePiazza is finishing his paramedic field training ride-outs as well and should be cleared in the next couple of weeks to work as a paramedic. The WFD will benefit greatly from the addition of these three new paramedics.
Paramedics can perform Advance Life Support (ALS) patient care. This means they can intubate patients, administer drugs, interpret and treat heart dysrhythmias, start IVs and many other advanced functions beyond the EMT-B. WFD EMS staffs every ambulance with a minimum of an EMT-B and an EMT-P (Paramedic).
All three of the new paramedics were in the same class at NCTC, and the class was paid for through a grant the State of Texas administers for rural EMS coverage.
The students committed their own time for the class and ride-outs and WFD leadership expressed their gratitude for the dedication and commitment shown by these three new paramedics.
