Essex-Windsor EMS Chief awarded for outstanding contribution

Essex-Windsor EMS, Bruce Krauter, presented Community Partnership Award (Courtesy: St. Clair College)

Windsor, Ont. -

St. Clair College presented the Chief of the Essex-Windsor EMS, Bruce Krauter, with the first-ever Community Partnership Award for his outstanding contribution to the school and its students during a difficult year.

Because of provincial and regional restrictions, students in the paramedic program were not permitted to participate in the work-placement component of their education: riding along with professional ambulance squads.

Utilizing Krauter’s expertise, St. Clair developed a completely new, in-house practicum for senior-year Paramedic students. Utilizing its own ambulance vehicles and creating its own radio system, the new hands-on program saw students dispatched throughout the school’s campuses to respond to illness and accident scenarios, using fellow students and other volunteers as patients in need of assistance.

Also included was the essential oversight and adjudication of the students’ efforts by professional paramedics acting as preceptors and patients. Krauter was integral in assembling the professionals who acted in this capacity.

“The fact that the College could replicate this system in as detailed a fashion as it did, that the school had it up-and-running as quickly as it did, and that the essential preceptor involvement was retained, were all very much due to Chief Krauter’s participation and support in this innovative undertaking,” said College President Patti France.

Just weeks before the end of the Winter semester, the provincial government expressed concern the alternative system may not be adequate, and prospective Paramedic graduates would potentially have to acquire additional hours of work-based experience with real patients.

Krauter took a lead role in advocating the case in letters and meetings with the Ministries of Health and Universities and Colleges, emphasizing that the provincial government’s position would create a delay in the entry of new paramedics into Ontario’s healthcare system during a time when the need was highest.

Ultimately, the College was successful in ensuring the Paramedic students graduated in June 2021.

“Always a friend and supporter of the College, Chief Krauter went above and beyond on behalf of the institution and its Paramedic students during the crisis-laden year of 2020-21,” France said. “He epitomizes the definition of a Community Partner in Education.”