Sen. Klobuchar Sets Veteran EMS Training Plan Into Action
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- War veterans have some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Now a new plan aims to address the shortage of emergency medical workers by offering training and tuition breaks to those vets.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is behind the law to streamline civilian health care training for veterans with military medical experience.
She met with students and educators at Normandale College in Bloomington, Minnesota, Monday.
Sgt. David Stringer explained the frustration for combat medics who are actually trained EMTs.
"When people come back to civilian life they find out that they have to restart. And that's very discouraging for a lot," Stringer said, "especially because they all have families and have to support their families. So a lot of times they'll forgo advancing their EMS licensure for immediate good-paying jobs."
The plan hopes to get paramedics into rural areas where they're needed the most.