EMS EDUCATION OVERVIEW
Prepare for confident care in the field.
The EMS Training Institute offers separate EMT and Paramedic programs built around independent preparation, hands-on instruction, clinical experience and direct faculty support.
01
EMT Program
Entry-level emergency medical education with laboratory and hospital clinical experience.
02
Paramedic Program
Advanced prehospital education with simulation, hospital clinical rotations and field experience.
CHOOSE YOUR EDUCATION PATH
Start with the level of care you are preparing to provide.
The programs are related through the EMS profession, but they are not a single progression or combined course. Applicants should review the complete requirements for the program they intend to enter.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
Build the foundation for entry-level emergency care.
The EMT Program combines online learning, required in-person laboratory sessions and supervised hospital clinical experience. Graduates who complete the program requirements are eligible to pursue National Registry certification and Missouri licensure.
PROGRAM EMPHASIS
Assessment, basic emergency care and patient support
LEARNING SETTINGS
Online, laboratory and hospital clinical experience
PARAMEDIC
Prepare for complex medical and trauma emergencies.
The Paramedic Program develops advanced knowledge, clinical judgment and patient-care skills through hybrid coursework, interactive laboratories, realistic simulation, hospital clinical rotations, field experience and capstone care.
PROGRAM EMPHASIS
Advanced assessment, intervention and clinical decision-making
PROGRAM STANDING
CAAHEP accredited upon the recommendation of CoAEMSP
HOW LEARNING WORKS
Preparation, practice and patient care reinforce one another.
Both programs use a blended approach, but the depth, clinical requirements and field expectations are specific to the selected course.
01
Prepare
Complete assigned online learning and arrive ready to participate.
02
Practice
Apply assessment and treatment skills during guided sessions.
03
Experience
Develop supervised patient-care experience in clinical settings.
04
Integrate
Use feedback, simulation and application to strengthen judgment.
BCFPD TRAINING CENTER
Realistic settings support hands-on EMS education.
Most classroom laboratory sessions are conducted at BCFPD Headquarters. Selected sessions may also take place at the district’s Training Center north of Columbia, where students can apply patient-care concepts in practical, scenario-based environments.
SCENARIO ENVIRONMENT
Roadway settings support realistic emergency-response exercises.
RESIDENTIAL SIMULATION
A two-bedroom simulated house provides space for in-home patient-care scenarios.
PROGRAM USE
Activities reinforce the laboratory and clinical education required by each program.
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Students practice decision-making where space, access and scene conditions matter.
Scenario-based education helps students connect assessment and treatment skills with the practical demands of prehospital care.
EMS TRAINING INSTITUTE FACULTY
Clinicians, educators and program leaders working toward one standard of care.
The faculty remains connected to medicine, field operations, clinical coordination and program development while supporting students throughout the EMT and Paramedic programs.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Brian Openlander
Dr. Openlander is board certified in Emergency Medicine and serves as Medical Director for Mobile Integrated Healthcare-EMS within the multi-state Mercy system. He also advises Mercy’s Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness team and the St. Louis Regional Response System’s Healthcare Coalition.
His career began as an EMT, registered nurse and firefighter-paramedic in 911, critical-care transport and intensive-care settings. He completed undergraduate study at the University of Missouri, attended medical school at VCOM in Auburn and served as chief resident during his Emergency Medicine residency at the University of Missouri.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Ellie Corcoran
Ellie joined BCFPD’s EMS education programs in 2011 and now serves as Program Director and Lead Instructor for the EMT and Paramedic programs.
She brings more than 20 years of urban, rural, ground and flight EMS experience, along with firefighting and rescue experience. Ellie is a nationally certified EMS educator and holds a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Medical Care. Her work centers on educational theory, learning styles and preparing EMS professionals for the changing needs of the field.
Nicole Myers
CLINICAL COORDINATOR AND ADMISSIONS
Nicole joined the faculty team in 2023 and supports the Paramedic, Public EMT and Recruit EMT cohorts through admissions, clinical coordination and executive support. She holds a degree in business, is a graduate of the BCFPD Paramedic Program and works with clinical sites throughout Missouri to support meaningful hands-on patient-care experience.
Hannah Greenway
ALS COORDINATOR AND PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR
Hannah is a graduate of the BCFPD Paramedic Program and joined the full-time faculty in January 2025 after serving as an adjunct instructor. Her experience in rural and urban paramedicine supports a teaching approach focused on helping students understand difficult material, strengthen clinical reasoning and progress confidently in their careers.
Bonnie Pemberton
LEAD INSTRUCTOR AND COORDINATOR
Bonnie serves as a lead instructor while continuing field work as a flight paramedic and paramedic. She holds a master’s degree in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and serves as a Medical Specialist with Missouri Task Force 1. Her teaching emphasizes best-practice medicine, sound clinical decisions and lifelong professional learning.
ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS
Current field experience remains part of the classroom.
Part-time adjunct instructors teach alongside their full-time careers as ground paramedics. BCFPD selects instructors who bring current clinical experience, a commitment to learning and a desire to advance the EMS profession.
2011
EMS EDUCATION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED
PROGRAM LEGACY
A foundation built through medicine, teaching and service.
Bryant Gladney established the Fire District’s EMS Education Program in 2011 and served as Program Director until his line-of-duty death in 2021.
Originally licensed as a paramedic in 1985, he held clinical, staff and leadership roles in Boone County, St. Louis and rural EMS systems throughout the region.
His commitment to medicine and teaching shaped the EMT and Paramedic programs and continues to influence the faculty’s work with today’s students.
CONTINUING THE WORK
Clinically grounded instruction. Thoughtful program development. Commitment to the profession.
The faculty continues this work by preparing students for entry-level readiness while encouraging continued learning and professional growth.
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