Jared Baucom was excited to learn he could go to college in his hometown.

The Brownwood native and Winchell Volunteer Fire Department firefighter is in his first semester of the Emergency Medical Services – EMT program at Texas State Technical College’s Brownwood campus.

“When I heard that classes were beginning again, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll,” Baucom said. “I think I might have been the first to register.”

Baucom said he wanted to pursue a career as a first responder for a simple reason.

“I like to help people on their worst day,” he said.

Miranda Hicks, the Emergency Medical Services instructor, knew Baucom’s work ethic from her time working for Life Guard Ambulance.

“Jared was always at the station ready to go on a call,” she said. “I am excited to see what he does when he completes the program.”

Baucom said his first goal will to continue his education through a fire academy program.

“Helping others is my career,” he said.

Hicks asked her student to assist with the recent Hendrick Healthcare Academy campus tour for high school students.

“I was able to talk to students about why EMS is the best career you can choose,” Baucom said.

Discussing his first semester at TSTC, Baucom said Hicks’ teaching style benefits all students.

“Miranda is going to push us to be our best and will not let us quit on ourselves,” he said. “She gives us some great examples and goes in-depth to teach us.”

Baucom will put his skills to the test later this semester when he joins his classmates at a mass casualty incident at the Abilene campus.

“I am looking forward to be part of that because my peers will be right there by my side,” he said.

Baucom said the event will allow him to use skills learned in the Brownwood labs to a real-world scenario.

“I have not seen anything like the Immersive Lab we have here,” he said. “It is the closest thing to a real-world response you can get. The ambulance simulator gives us the perspective of the room we have to make sure the patients are safe.”

According to onetonline.org, the need for emergency medical technicians in Texas was expected to grow 19% between 2020 and 2030.

In its Emergency Medical Services program, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedic, as well as certificates of completion in Emergency Medical Services – EMT, Emergency Medical Services – Advanced EMT AEMT, and Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic. The program is available at the Abilene, Brownwood and Harlingen campuses.