... and we try not to drop them along the way.

Two weeks of class are under my belt, and I'm feeling kind of good. There is certainly a lot of material being covered, and a whole bunch of practical exercises so we can practice skills until they become second nature. Ashley even described the practical exercises as "fun," even while they are designed to get you to think critically about patient care, teamwork and communication.

And so it begins, not with a whimper or a bang, but rather with a 2-and-a-half hour orientation session last night. 24 hopeful future EMTs, split about 50/50 between men and women, from squads around Morris, Union and Somerset counties.

I'm taking my EMT course through Atlantic Training Center at the Morris County Public Safety Academy in Parsippany, although there certainly are many other training organizations offering EMT courses in New Jersey.

The key message last night was pretty simple: Becoming an EMT is hard work. Be prepared to put in the time, study, practice and study some more. Classroom lectures, reading assignments, online lectures and quizzes, in-class written and practical exams... plus 10 hours of clinical rotation in a hospital emergency department or with the Mobile ICU (MICU, aka paramedics). Clearly, this is not something you can coast through with some last minute cramming.

One instructor explained that they weren't there to help us pass the course. Their goals were to turn out the best EMTs possible, and while they'd be more than happy to help us when we need it or when we ask for help, but ultimately this has to be something that we, as students, really wanted to succeed at.

The goal, as he explained it, was to teach us to "act, not react".

I just realized that my first time as driver for the squad was a year ago, in early December 2014. It's been a very interesting a year as a volunteer, and I thought I'd share a bit more about the experience.

As I mentioned in my introductory post, I had several motivations for joining the squad. Admittedly, I also had a lot of trepidation -- lives are in the balance here at times, and I had zero healthcare background save a CPR course when I was a lifeguard back in my high school and college days.

In talking to members at the 2014 Labor Day Carnival, I was surprised to learn that the squad accepted non-EMT members, and that I could make a sizable contribution to the community simply by being able to respond and drive the ambulance. While it required some investment in time and energy, getting myself re-certified with the American Heart Association's CPR for Healthcare Providers program, and taking the Coaching for Emergency Vehicle Operators [CEVO] course, both were completed in short order.

And I learned the most important lesson of all.... personal safety comes first.

And so it begins... my journey to become a certified EMT here in NJ, furthering my involvement in the Mendham First Aid Squad.

And I'm gonna share that journey with you... because many of you may have had the same reaction I did a year ago, and perhaps by my sharing my own journey, a few more of you will be motivated to join the squad and pursue becoming an EMT as well.

It's no small task, becoming an EMT. NJ state law requires 220 hours of training, and starting in January I'll be dedicating my weekends through May to classes, every Saturday and Sunday from 9am - 5:30pm.

So why am I doing this (and why is my wife putting up with it)?