Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Biology

Abstract

The rapid operational expansion of the Smithfield Fire Department and EMS (SFD)—marked by a 300% increase in call volume and a transition to a fully professional, independent paramedic service—exposed critical systemic inefficiencies in clinical preparedness and personnel credentialing. This project addresses the "HALO Paradox," wherein high-acuity, low-occurrence emergencies require expert-level proficiency that cannot be maintained through call volume alone. Historically, the agency relied on fragmented, external continuing education (CE) that incurred high financial costs, lacked equipment standardization, and created administrative bottlenecks during biannual recertification cycles. The central objective of this capstone was to engineer a sustainable, in-house training infrastructure that ensures clinical readiness while automating administrative compliance.

The research methodology followed a three-phase framework: Needs Assessment, Resource Development, and Systemic Implementation. The initial phase involved a comprehensive audit of departmental certification status, leading to the creation of a centralized, predictive tracking database. This system allows for the proactive management of American Heart Association (AHA), National Association of EMTs (NAEMT), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) credentials across three distinct 48/96 shifts. The resource development phase focused on establishing SFD as an authorized training site. This involved leading a cadre of four instructors through multi-disciplinary certification and negotiating training agreements with regional clinical partners to facilitate skills validation. The final implementation phase integrated cyclical HALO training into the department’s operational schedule, ensuring standardized delivery across all shifts.

The primary deliverables of this project are two-fold: a robust, shift-integrated tracking system and a comprehensive, 360-page operational guidebook. The guidebook serves as a definitive institutional reference, detailing the processes for training site establishment, instructor certification, course hosting, and administrative record-keeping. Results demonstrate a significant shift from a reactive to a predictive administrative posture, a reduction in external training expenditures, and a unified departmental standard for cardiac, traumatic, and neonatal emergency management. Ultimately, this project establishes a scalable model for rural EMS agencies to internalize complex training requirements, ensuring that personnel remain clinical experts in high-stakes environments without the logistical failures of decentralized education.

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Faculty Mentor

Andy Anderson

Departmental Honors Advisor

Zach Gompert