For years, if one were to stroll into SCCC in the evening, it would not be uncommon to see a dozen students lying on towels or blankets on the floor. Over and around each student would hover several others, practicing any number of techniques for treating the injured: mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, applying bandages and splints, moving and strapping the injured onto boards, or use of a defibrillator. All of these students were participating in one of the College's two Emergency Medical Services courses, Basic EMT Training or EMT Refresher.

For these specialized courses, students need a room that includes desks for the lecture portion of the courses, but they also need to be able to spread out on the floor for the practical component. Over the years, finding a room to offer these courses has been difficult and, often, students have spilled out of the classroom into another or, in the worst of times, into the hallway. Those times are gone.

Because of the expanding partnership between the College and the Zone 5 Regional Law Enforcement Training Center, students enrolled in EMS courses will no longer struggle to find a place to lie down on the floor. Beginning Spring 2006, EMS courses will be taught at the Zone 5 Training Center, utilizing two classrooms for the lecture portion and the Center's large assembly room for the practical component. In addition, Zone 5 staff have identified a large closet for use by the College to store the many pieces of rescue equipment and supplies used by students during the practical component.

According the Shirlee Dufort, Interim Coordinator of Evening and Alternative Programming, the new arrangement makes sense for both the College and for Zone 5. "Many of the students in our EMS courses are already first responders, and most plan to be. Zone 5 is dedicated to training first responders. This is a natural extension of the Zone 5 mission," she said.

Ed Baker, Dean of Continuing Education, agrees. "Our partnership with Zone 5 is strengthening every day. Thanks to Dr. David Hennessy, their trainees are enrolling for credit courses at SCCC, and many are matriculating into our CRJ program. I believe that locating our EMS courses at ZONE 5 is a win-win situation for both organizations. They are good neighbors, and our College and community are benefiting from their very presence."

The College also works with Zone 5 as a partner in the Homeland Security and Public Safety Training Consortium. The Consortium seeks to build a Training Center two miles west of Scotia in the Town of Glenville.