Los Fresnos CISD Students Have Chance to Become EMTs

Gualberto Bennett III is making the most of an opportunity to continue a family tradition of serving in emergency medical care.
The Los Fresnos High School senior is among dozens of students in the medical programs who have a chance to do something few others can – get certified as an Emergency Medical Technician while in high school.

“I enjoy everything about this program,” Bennett said. “Emergency services runs in my family.”

His grandfather Gualberto Bennett worked for the Port Isabel Volunteer Fire Department for 36 years before retiring in 2010 as Fire Chief. His father Gualberto Bennett Jr. is Assistant Chief of the Los Fresnos Volunteer Fire Department and is an EMT in Los Fresnos and Port Isabel.

“My dad has taken me to the station since I was little,” Bennett said. “I have seen all of this cool stuff since I was a kid. I started doing some ride-alongs when I was 16 years old. I do want to make this my career.”

Bennett and classmates have gotten the chance to learn from Justin Oakerson, who has 20 years of practical experience in EMT. Oakerson, who owns and operates Intercity Ambulance in Brownsville, is in his fifth year teaching the EMT class at Los Fresnos High School. His responsibility is preparing interested students for the opportunity to become certified EMTs.

Students successfully completing the course are eligible to test for the Texas Department of Health Certification as an EMT.

“I appreciate that the students want to learn, want to excel and want to better themselves,” Oakerson said. “Not all of these students will stay in the field, but they use this field to reach something higher.”

EMT is one of the many programs in the Career and Technical Education program in the Los Fresnos CISD. Other health science programs include Certified Nurse Assistant, Pharmacy Tech, Veterinary Tech Assistant, and Medical Billing and Coding.

“Students interested in health careers use EMT as a bridge to nursing,” said Aurora Brito, who teachers Health Science Technology and Medical Terminology, “This is something else they can learn. If they want to become a doctor, what better way than to be certified as an EMT first.”

Many of Oakerson’s students have gone to other medical professions.

“If it gives them something better to move up in education, or give them a career for the rest of their life, then we’ve done something good for them,” Oakerson said.

Every student who passes the course is eligible to take the national certification exam which makes them eligible to become state certified and be able to obtain employment.

“In the previous four years, we’ve had about 90 to 100 percent pass rate every year for the ones eligible to take the exam. That is roughly around 40 students who are certified EMTs. That’s a good thing. I’ve had quite a few success stories.”

Oakerson has hired students into his own business, and several still work for him now. Others received certification and went to college outside the Valley with the option of working in the field near their new home.

Senior Theo Meisel, whose father is an OB-GYN specialist, also hopes to get his EMT certification. “I enjoy the hands-on stuff and the patient interaction. It’s fun, and it feels like I’m doing something productive.”

Meisel, who plans to attend Sam Houston State University, is also a member of the Los Fresnos Volunteer Fire Department.

Bennett has his career plan in place. After high school, he plans to attend Kilgore Fire Academy and return to either The University of Texas at Brownsville or Texas State Technical College to enroll in the RN program.

He is anxious to become a third-generation emergency medical services professional in his family.

“Everyone knows that my dad is a medic, and everyone knows him at all of the hospitals in the area,” Bennett said. “I’ve got some big shoes to fill.”