My own son's mentor, and EMT training director for high school programs in the state, died of covid last year. The programs collapsed. The rest of the students continued the health sciences careers academy courses for the university track – and huge college debt accrual.

I believe my son is his last student to complete the training – and he did it by bullheaded conviction and convincing the high school to let the local community college EMT class be his last two EMT courses he needed for his certification. He's waiting for his hiring notice with the county EMS, and the apprenticeship program to cover hisl paramedic training – sans debt accrual.

The state school systems have yet to find anyone to replace Chief Credle. The CTE EMT programs in the HSCAs remain in limbo.