Allan Hancock College celebrated a new crop of first responders and healthcare workers as a combined 137 individuals graduated from the college’s fire, emergency medical technician (EMT), and nursing programs, Dec. 11-12.

Newly-minted nurses at Allan Hancock College wear white dresses, nurses caps and blue and gold sashes as they participate in a graduation and pinning ceremony Dec. 11. (Courtesy photo)
Newly-minted nurses at Allan Hancock College participate in a graduation and pinning ceremony Dec. 11. (Courtesy photo)

The fire and EMT academy graduates were honored during two ceremonies at the college’s Public Safety Training Complex (PSTC) in Lompoc, while the nursing graduation took place at the Marian Theatre on the college’s Santa Maria campus.

A total of 30 cadets graduated from the fire academy, marking the end of a rigorous 18-week program consisting of 624 hours of classroom and field instruction.

Before the ceremony, the cadets gave a live demonstration of the skills they learned at the academy, including running fire hoses, dousing burning cars and extricating “victims” from vehicle wrecks outside the PSTC’s burn tower.

“Our battalion showed up every day with grit, determination and dedication,” said academy graduate Ryder Hart. “No academy could have prepared us better for our futures.”

The cadets were also the first Fire Academy class to benefit from the Metallica Scholars initiative, which covered the cost of the cadet’s tuition, textbooks, wildfire protective equipment, and other critical resources. The initiative will directly benefit approximately 60 Fire Academy cadets annually.

At Hancock’s nursing commencement, 31 students graduated from the college’s Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) program, while another 44 students graduated from the Registered Nursing (RN) program.

A total of 32 cadets graduated from the college’s EMT program. During their time at the academy, the cadets learned critical skills such as patient handling and moving, and emergency vehicle driving.

Much of the training was hands-on and utilized the state-of-the-art equipment and technology available at the PSTC.

In addition to traditional classroom learning environments, the cadets trained in one of the only community college EMT simulation labs in the state.

Hancock’s high-tech lab includes simulation mannequins and an ambulance simulator that allows students to experience and practice the treatment of a patient while in a moving vehicle.

“You are all part of a tradition of EMS lineage that spans decades of professionals of EMT lineage who chose service over comfort, compassion over apathy, and courage over fear,” said Sean Newton, Hancock EMT coordinator.

To learn more about Hancock’s public safety and nursing programs, visit https://www.hancockcollege.edu/cte/index.php.