AgSouth Grant Supports First Responders

Recently, representatives from the AgSouth Farm Credit office in Shelby presented a $5,000 check to Cleveland Community College’s EMS program.

“We are grateful to great community partners like Ag South, who provide support to our Public Safety programs,” said Tony Fogleman, vice president of workforce development. “Their partnership ensures that our local communities have trained professionals that meet the needs of our citizens. AgSouth continues to support our excellent education programs at Cleveland Community College.”

The grant will support training efforts in the Emergency Medical Services program, allowing Nichole Hudson, EMS program coordinator, to purchase upgraded equipment that she says will better prepare students for work in the field. “This investment directly strengthens workforce readiness and patient outcomes in our rural communities.”

The high-fidelity simulator is used to replicate real-life medical conditions, including changes in heart rhythm, breathing patterns, vital signs, airway complications, and patient responses to treatments. Instructors can program scenarios such as trauma, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and pediatric emergencies, allowing students to practice clinical decision-making in a controlled, realistic environment.

“For an EMS program in a rural county like ours, where the potential to run a call in an agricultural setting is high, equipment that places the student in a mock scenario is invaluable,” said Hudson. “The simulator allows students to encounter rare but critical situations in the classroom, then they are more prepared for similar situations once operating in the field.”

Simulators also provide immediate feedback on interventions, support teamwork and communication training, and ensure graduates are better prepared to manage real patients in the field.