May 24—ABILENE — To commemorate the 50th anniversary of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, May 19-25, Texas State Technical College has revisited some of its past.
With the 2024 EMS Week theme of “Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future” in mind, current and former TSTC EMS instructors and students gathered on Wednesday, May 22, to witness the opening of a time capsule that will celebrate the program had sealed 28 years ago.
“What a way to honor EMS Week by opening our time capsule,” said Joni Coons, a former TSTC paramedic instructor and current leadership coach for TSTC Residence Life and Engagement. “I’m glad our current students can read the messages left by our first responder partners and see what equipment was used in 1996.”
Also inside the capsule was a leather hip pack with all the necessary supplies for a first responder, some state certification patches, a stethoscope, a supply catalog, a T-shirt, some trade magazines and a textbook, according to a news release.
Current paramedic students began filling a second time capsule with items from their time in the program, including notes, photos and an empty can of caffeine drink with “I passed EMT school with this” written on it.
Andy Weaver, provost of TSTC’s West Texas locations and former program director of the EMS program, thanked the past and present instructors for coming to the ceremony.
“It was such a blessing to work with this team,” he said.
Among those in attendance was CL Meeks, who helped start the EMS program in Sweetwater but left TSTC before the time capsule was sealed.
“It was amazing to see where things have changed and at the same time seem to stay the same,” he said. “I know that when the next time capsule opens in 25 years, there will be a lot of changes too.”
Tristan Potter-Hargrove, a current student paramedic, said it was fun to see what students were using in 1996.
“This shows us where we have come from as a program and where we are today,” he said. “It shows how quickly things can change in our field. It’s also a good reminder that we have a future in this industry.”
According to onetonline.org, the need for paramedics in Texas is projected to increase by 19% between 2020 and 2030.
In its Emergency Medical Services program, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedic, as well as certificates of completion in Emergency Medical Services – EMT, Emergency Medical Services – Advanced EMT AEMT and Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic. The program is available on the Abilene, Brownwood and Harlingen campuses.
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. More information can be found at tstc.edu.
