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2025 WVEMS/RUC - EMT to Paramedic - New River Valley
When: January 24, 2025 - December 5, 2025
Where: New River Valley Training Center - Radford
Class meets in person on Fridays with the occasional Thursday. There will be a significant amount of independent, online work assigned weekly.
Pre-test is required for class entry (limited to 24 students); you can schedule your pretest after submitting your application by emailing Chris Christensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cost is $8750.00 (all inclusive)
Please fill out the linked application in its entirity before submission. Application and Entrance Exam Deadline is Thursday, December 19, 2024. 

Every agency in the WVEMS region, every hospital, and the WVEMS Council have entered into an agreement whereby the hospitals offer a ONE-FOR-ONE exchange of supply items specifically listed on the Standard List of Restocked Items. Please be aware that the listed items are the ONLY supply items that you are permitted to exchange at any hospital within our region per the agreement, and the exchange is limited to ONE per patient. For example, if you use two EZ-IO needles on a patient due to a failed attempt, you are entitled to ONE exchange needle. Not two. For other items such as IV catheters, you may exchange one-for-one for each one actually used on the patient. 

Abuse of the ONE-FOR-ONE exchange jeopardizes our entire exchange process and could result in loss of all exchange privileges. Abuses of the exchange program will be reported to the provider's OMD and agency officials to be dealt with accordingly.


Please watch for more information regarding the exchange process for specific hospitals. Remember that this supply exchange program is a benefit provided through the generosity of our hospitals and it can be rescinded at any time.

The WVEMS Council recently received a Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant from the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services for the purchase of i-gel® Resus Pack airways for the region. This grant is to assist in the conversion specified by the WVEMS Regional Medical Direction Committee in our most recent protocols. Your field coordinators have begun delivering the i-gel devices to the agencies for future implementation. 

All EMS agencies will receive one set of i-gel Resus Packs in sizes 3, 4 and 5 for each licensed EMS vehicle.  Once your agency has received the i-gels, your Operational Medical Director will determine when to implement them. 

All hospitals in our region have been contacted about i-gel implementation and exchange and they are working with their supply chains to ensure that you are able to exchange “i-gel for i-gel.”  While we are working to streamline this process, we appreciate your understanding if the hospital that you transport to does not have an i-gel for exchange, you may receive a King Airway instead of an i-gel until stock is depleted. Please note that the i-gel, like the King airways, will be available for a ONE-FOR-ONE exchange. 

We are currently working with Intersurgical (i-gel manufacturer) to have a live training session in each planning district.  We will keep you posted on the dates.  Below, you will find a video from Intersurgical with information and direction for placement of the i-gel Resus Pack.

i-gel® Placement Video

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