BCC to Offer Two Summer EMT Training Courses

07:44AM / Thursday, May 29, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, MA — Berkshire Community College (BCC), in conjunction with Action Ambulance and County Ambulance, will offer two EMT training courses this summer.

The Action Ambulance course will be held June 2 – Sept. 6 on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and every other Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The County Ambulance course will be held June 16 – Aug. 23 on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Seating is limited, and 100 percent attendance is required. Scholarships are available for students who qualify.

To register for either course, email workforce@berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2115.

An EMT works alongside paramedics to help assess injuries, provide emergency medical care and transfer patients to medical facilities. EMTs typically:

Respond to calls for medical assistance, such as at the scene of a car accident in which someone is injured
Assess people's condition and determine what treatment, if any, is needed
Provide treatment, such as first aid or life support care, to sick or injured patients
Prepare patients for and safely transport them to the emergency department of a hospital or other healthcare facility
Document and report observations, and any treatment provided, to physicians, nurses or other healthcare staff
Inventory and replace medical supplies and clean equipment after use

The program covers the National Emergency Medical Services Educational Standards and prepares students for the National Registry of Medical Technicians practical and cognitive testing. Upon completion of the program and successful certification with the National Registry of EMTs, students may apply for certification by the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services.

Sponsored by the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board, this project is funded through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund FY '21-FY '22 Appropriations and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. It is administered by Commonwealth Corporation.

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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics.

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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