Three Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center (CATEC) programs got a special behind-the-scenes look at local critical care emergency service programs on Thursday, November 14, 2024. 

UVA Health Pegasus Ground and Pegasus Air, along with Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center (ECC), visited CATEC so students in the EMT, Fire Science, and Nurse Assistant programs could interact with emergency professionals and their specialized equipment, as well as learn about the unique experience of working in critical care emergencies. 

At 10:00 a.m. UVA Health Pegasus representatives discussed with students their emergency operations and best practices. Students learned about the operations and landing practices of the emergency ambulance. Students toured the ambulance and asked questions about the role it plays in critical care emergencies. ECC representatives talked with students about emergency dispatch protocol and its symbiotic relationship with ambulance services at hospitals. 

EMT instructor Stephanie Corbin says this experience is important for EMT, Fire Science, and Nurse Assistant students because “students having the opportunity to interact with Pegasus and ECC in non-emergency situations is incredibly beneficial to them knowing what to expect during an actual emergency.”