By Levi Gore
PUC Emergency Services program

Greetings! My name is Levi and I am one of the instructors in the Emergency Services program here at PUC. I have worked in the Nursing Department and Emergency Services program since 2009 after having worked as a registered nurse in the emergency room and intensive care unit as well as serving as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT). I graduated from PUC with my BS in Nursing and have recently completed an MS in Nursing with an emphasis in Family Nurse Practitioner. Currently, I teach classes ranging from Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) to Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVOC) and Technical Rescue, as well as clinical nursing instruction for the AS nursing program. Enough about me though. I am excited to tell you a little about our program and the new Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Services! 

Our Emergency Services program consists of an AS and BS degree with an emphasis placed on public safety leadership and management. The AS focuses primarily on obtaining entry level medical and rescue skills (EMT and technical rescue) with the BS focusing on leadership and management skills. The degrees are set up so that the first two years of the BS degree is the AS degree – therefore students can graduate twice! Whether you stop at the AS or continue for the BS, our goal is to give you a strong foundation of medical and leadership skills to prepare you for a job in the emergency services/public safety realm. I encourage you to go to our website (esp.puc.edu) and look at the full range of classes that are a part of the degrees.

So, if you are thinking of heading towards a career in the fire service, emergency medical services, law enforcement but will need/would like a college degree in a related field, or if you are thinking of going to medical school, then the BS in Emergency Services might just be the perfect fit! Should you decide that this might be a good fit for you, here are some things to remember as you prepare to head to PUC:

1. Breathe. Air is important and when stressed, some people tend to forget this point.
2. Look at getting CPR certified in BLS for Healthcare Providers through AHA before coming to PUC, which will help streamline your first quarter (Go to heart.org for a list of classes).
3. Once at PUC, develop a support network of friends in the major so you can study together and experience training together.
4. Exercise. It’s good for you.
5. Finally, spend time in daily reflection as it will help clear your mind and help you prepare for what the day brings.

Again, PUC is so excited to offer this new BS degree and I look forward to meeting you in person. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact either Enrollment Services (enroll@puc.edu) or myself (esp@puc.edu) and we will be happy to help in any way we can. You can also check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PUCEmergencyServices.