Marshall University receives $50,000 grant for emergency medical services training initiative

Marshall University's Center for Economic & Community Development in Isolated Communities has received a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Power Foundation for the expansion and evaluation of an emergency medical services (EMS) training initiative. The funding will help the university expand its EMS training to rural and underserved communities through the deployment of augmented reality training systems.

According to an article on Marshall University’s website, Brian Abraham, who serves as the president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power, was quoted as saying of the funding, “Appalachian Power recognizes the vital role EMS professionals play in the health and safety of our communities. We see tremendous potential in this program and the difference it can make across West Virginia, particularly in rural areas. The Appalachian Power Foundation is committed to strengthening the areas we serve, and we are proud to support this initiative, which will help build a skilled emergency response workforce and improve access to critical, lifesaving care.”

Through the funding from the Appalachian Power Foundation, Marshall University will be able to deploy at least 54 augmented reality training systems from Medcognition. The training systems provide more than 10,000 scenarios that will give students the ability to practice their emergency medical service skills. 

Dr. Alan Letton, the director of Marshall University’s Center for Economic & Community Development in Isolated Communities, said, “The goal is not simply to put more training systems in the field. We also want to understand what works, what it costs and how the program affects the communities it serves. By documenting those outcomes, we can help communities and policymakers make informed decisions about future investments in emergency response training.”

The university was able to perform a pilot program of this system through an earlier gift from the Shell family of Huntington, which distributed 14 of the training units throughout West Virginia. The pilot program was seen as highly successful in bringing EMS training to rural and underserved communities, where this type of training may otherwise be limited.

During the project, the university will work with the Central Appalachia Applied Economics Collective, a recently established partnership between East Tennessee State University, West Virginia State University, and Marshall University, in collaboration with the West Virginia Community Development Hub.

For more information about Marshall University, visit the school’s website.