WESTPORT — Registration is open for new volunteers to be trained for the Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service.

The course, scheduled to start Sept. 21, will train volunteers for Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Responder certifications. 

The class size is limited and slots go quickly, according to a WVEMS statement. All current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines will be followed during training, and vaccinations are mandated for all students.

This will be the first WVEMS training course in nearly two years because of COVID-19 pandemic protocols. As a result, WVEMS officials say that membership in the all-volunteer corps has declined.

Despite challenges posed by COVID-19, the non-profit agency continued to staff the town’s three ambulances throughout the pandemic.

The course is taught by Westport paramedic and EMS instructor Rick Baumblatt, who has more than four decades of experience in the field. Participants will be trained with cutting-edge equipment and technologies, WVEMS officials said.

High school students 14 years old and over are eligible to join the Westport EMS Youth Corps, 

The training class is also open to 14- and 15-year-olds, who under state regulations can qualify for EMR certification only. After completing the course and passing its tests, students will be eligible for state certification, allowing them to volunteer on Westport’s ambulances

Teens can be certified as an EMT after they turn 16 years old.

No prior emergency medical experience is needed to enroll in the course. A full tuition reimbursement program is available to those who successfully complete the EMT course and go on to volunteer with WVEMS.

• For more information about the EMS training or to apply, email the Westport EMS Training Division at: training@westportems.org

• Anyone interested in taking a CPR class or learning more about the Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service should visit its website here.