Public Safety · Valley-wide
Clark County recognizes 26 Advanced EMT Academy graduates as its county EMT training program reaches 151 total graduates
Clark County is honoring 26 advanced EMT graduates today. The academy was created to address emergency medical staffing and ambulance response time problems that followed the COVID-19 pandemic.
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What happened
Clark County will recognize 26 graduates of its Advanced EMT Academy at 2:30 p.m. today at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, the Las Vegas Sun reported. According to the county, the group is the sixth EMT or advanced EMT cohort to finish the county's training program since it began in early 2025.
The county said advanced EMT certification adds medical training and patient-care skills beyond the basic EMT level. That extra training allows graduates to take on a larger role in emergency response and in medical care given before a patient reaches the hospital.
Why the county started the academy
Staffing and response time concerns
County officials set up the academy after local ambulance providers and public officials pointed to problems with emergency medical staffing and ambulance response times in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sun reported. County leaders treated the shortage as a public safety concern.
A path into healthcare careers
The county also saw the program as a way to connect residents with high-demand jobs in healthcare and emergency services. In a news release, Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said the Clark County Fire Department and other first responders "identified a need for more trained emergency medical professionals to serve our community."
Shani Coleman, director of the Clark County Office of Community and Economic Development, said residents are earning industry-recognized credentials, moving into high-demand careers and helping "fill critical positions throughout Southern Nevada's emergency medical system," according to the Sun.
How the training works
Format and cost
Participants complete accelerated training that combines classroom instruction, hands-on skills practice, clinical experience, and state and national certification requirements, the county said. The county's economic development website describes the Advanced EMT Academy as a nine-week program that is free and open to certified EMTs, the Sun reported.
Who runs it
The county said the program operates through partnerships with Workforce Connections, the EMS Training Center of Southern Nevada and the Clark County Fire Department.
Results so far
Since it opened, the program has produced 151 graduates, according to the county. That total includes 97 EMTs and 54 advanced EMTs.
The county reported that 99 graduates are employed and 78 are working in EMS-related careers. It also said 66 graduates have passed credential examinations. These figures come from the county as reported by the Sun.
For more on emergency services and first responders across the valley, see our public safety coverage.
What to watch next
- The 26 Advanced EMT Academy graduates are scheduled to be honored at 2:30 p.m. today at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.
- The county's economic development website lists the nine-week Advanced EMT Academy as free and open to certified EMTs.
