WHO:             Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services      

WHAT:           Paramedic Class Graduation Ceremony 

WHEN:           Friday, July 30, 2010 at 4 p.m.                       

WHERE:         Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center - Auditorium
                    75 Langley Drive
                    Lawrenceville, Georgia 30045 

WHY:  The Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services is excited to announce the graduation ceremony for its newest group of paramedics.  All seventeen graduates are veteran Gwinnett County firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMT's) who have chosen to enhance their skills in the area of advanced pre-hospital emergency medical care.  The training will allow the department to continue to provide the optimum level of service to the citizens of Gwinnett County.  The new paramedics will be sent back to the field where they will perfect their skills on ambulances and paramedic engine companies throughout the county.  

This is the fourth class to graduate from the Department's paramedic program since its start in 2007.  Personnel in the paramedic program undergo 981 hours of training to include: classroom instruction, practical evolutions, and clinical rotations.  Newly trained medics spend time in hospital settings such as the operating room, emergency room, labor and delivery, intensive care unit, pediatric unit, and psychiatric unit.  This particular class experienced an 88% pass rate on its first attempt at national registry testing.  This is sixteen-percent higher than the national average for paramedic testing.            

HOW:  The media and the public are invited to join the fire chief, elected officials, and fire department command staff as they recognize the accomplishments of the graduates and celebrate this important time in the history of the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. 

There will be plenty of visuals available as well as interview opportunities with fire department staff, paramedic graduates, and their families.  For additional information or to attend, please contact Captain Rutledge, PIO.