What is done for training?
Training is important but it doesn't consume all your time. We do training before each monthly meeting. We also use an online program for training. With both the hands on and online, you can get all of your training to keep your license when it is time for renewal. You can choose extra training but it's not required. The trainings cover medical, ambulance driving, emergency service situations, haz-mat, med flight situations, mass casualty situations and more. The biggest take away from all the training is that you learn to work on these situations as a team.
What can I do to support the members if I don't want to join?
Three things you can do to support us...
- Like and share our posts on social media to help spread the word we are looking for new members.
- Attend our fundraisers. We love seeing everyone's faces at our Brat Feeds. We want the public to see our faces and meet us. We are your neighbors.
- Stay Safe. We are perfectly fine if we don't go on calls. It means everyone is safe and healthy.
What if I don't have any knowledge or background in the medical field?
Most of us have "regular jobs" that aren't in the medical field and had no prior medical experience prior to joining... accountants, graphic designers, real estate agents, police officers, welders, engineers, carpenters, truck drivers, etc. You don't need a background in medical to successfully do this!
What if I don't live in the city limits?
Depending on where you live and distance from the station, there are options. Contact us to discuss your particular situation and determine if there is an options that might work in your case.
Do I have to stay/sleep at the station when signed up for call?
If you live within the city or within a certain distance from the rescue squad building, you can live your life just as you do every day in your home. You will just respond immediately from your home or wherever happen to be in the city when the pager goes off.
What if I don't have the money for classes, equipment, boots/gear, uniforms?
Mineral Point Rescue Squad pays for most classes (depends on your situation) and all of your needed gear. This is no cost to you.
What is the ride along program?
The ride along program is a way to respond to real calls and see what we do.
All of our members start out in this program. After going through the application process and we issue you a pager, radio and gear, you are allowed to sign up for shifts and respond to calls. You will ride in the back compartment with the other EMTs and see all the "action". There are usually 2-3 EMTs on a call. We try to have two EMTs in the back and a third crew member as the driver which might, or might not, have an EMT license. As a ride along, you observe the call. We may ask you to "hold this clip board or bag" or "grab that blanket" or "help me with the cot straps" but since you don't have an actual license you are not allowed to do patient care. Patient care is defined as touching the patient or administering any medication or using any equipment directly to the patient.
Even though you don't get your "hands dirty" on calls, you still are very valuable to the crew and you learn a lot. With this hands on experience, it puts you a mile ahead of many other students if you decide to stay with us and take the EMT class. There is no downside to joining and riding along, only benefits!
What is the process to join?
The first step is to obtain, fill out, and return an application to the Mineral Point Rescue Squad. You can obtain one via downloading from this website, emailing MPRS, get one from an existing member, or stopping by the rescue squad building if someone happens to be there at the time.
A New Member Committee chairperson will contact you back to setup an interview. In the meantime, we will complete a background check on you.
At the interview we ask questions about your interest in joining MPRS and explain what is expected of you and the process to become a licensed EMT.
After the interview, the committee meets and discusses the application and how the interview went. We will contact you back to let you know whether or not your application is accepted.
After acceptance, we complete an orientation where we teach you some basics of the ambulance, give you a pager and check your immunization records. We need a current TB skin test and Hep B series immunization per State of Wisconsin statutes.
THEN... you are ready to join us on ambulance calls!
You can use this time to go on ambulance calls without a commitment to a class or huge obligation. Should you find this isn't for you after a few calls, you don't have to stay with us. Of course we will be sad but we understand this may not be for everyone.