Rankin Inlet (Oct 15/03) - The Rankin Inlet Ambulance Service has three certified emergency medical responders (EMR) for the first time in its history.

Thomas Tiktak Jr., Ron Bailey and Eelow Korgak were certified as EMRs following a two-week course in Cambridge Bay this past month.

The training was provided through the Municipal Training Organization (MTO).

The MTO joins with various funding partners to provide a number of training programs to communities across Nunavut.

Bailey said the EMR training program was intense and required 100 per cent dedication to pass.

He said the three Rankin ambulance attendants studied about three hours a night throughout the entire two-week course.

"It was a tough course and we weren't there for a holiday, but we did receive a lot of warm hospitality from the people in Cambridge Bay," said Bailey.

"We knew our team back in Rankin was depending on us.

"So, we decided to do well right from the start and bring back as much information to the guys in Rankin as we could in order to improve our overall patient care."

Rankin fire Chief Rick Penner said his department embarked on a plan this past spring to increase the training for those working on the ambulance crew.

He said one of the first initiatives his crew undertook was an advanced medic's first-aid course.

"We had seven participants in the first-aid course, which was the prerequisite for the EMR training," said Penner.

Better service

"We want to provide better service to the community.

"There's training available now to allow us to learn and be able to do that."

Penner said he's going to ensure members of the volunteer fire brigade and ambulance crew continue to learn and improve in the performance of their duties.

He said the more training they receive, the more lives they will ultimately save.

"There's no sense doing anything unless you learn how to do it properly.

"We're not going be a bunch of cowboys in our fire department and ambulance service.

"What our people learn in the classroom could be the difference between life and death on any given night."