Emergency medical services students from Columbia State Community College were recently awarded in two categories after competing at the fourth annual Battle of the Smokies.

Over 25 teams representing community colleges, county EMS and mine rescue crews from Tennessee competed at the March 4 event in Sevierville, Tennessee.

In the Student Advanced Life Support division, Columbia State’s team won first and fourth place. Roane State Community College students placed second and third.

In the Student Basic Life Support division, Columbia State’s teams won first and second place. Third place went to a team from Roane State Community College.

“We are incredibly proud of these students and their dedication to clinical excellence,” said Gregory S. Johnson, Columbia State EMS program director and assistant professor. “These AEMT and paramedic students performed at an incredible level of skill and showcased their ability to think critically in a very complex situation.”

The EMS competition featured a scenario where several patients had to be treated after a side-by-side utility vehicle hit a telephone pole. Smoke and other hazards on the simulated scene tested the students’ learned skills, as well as their overall awareness, in a crash setting.

Teams were scored in three areas: how quickly they assessed patients, the quality of their medical interventions and the speed of readying patients for medical transport. 

In addition, gaining experience through real-world scenarios and the competition setting, students also gained eight hours of continuing education credits via their work in the competition and the conference they attended.

The Battle of the Smokies is put on by the Tennessee Association of EMS Providers and the Tennessee Mine Rescue Association.

For more information on the Columbia State EMS program, visit our website at http://www.columbiastate.edu/academics/emt-paramedic.