ABILENE From a young age, Joseph Flores knew he wanted to help people.
The Abilene High School graduate had hoped to enroll in his high school’s emergency medical services (EMS) class, but it was canceled. His uncle Nathan Loflin, the program team lead for Texas State Technical College’s aviation maintenance programs in Abilene, stepped in.
“After the class was canceled, my Uncle Nate told me to get ready to go to school at TSTC,” Flores said in a news release. “He told me about the EMS program that was offered in Abilene.”
Now Flores is enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Fire Academy class, which meets once a week at the Abilene campus.
“I knew at a young age that he would do something good in his life,” Loflin said in the release. “He has high ambitions, and I have no doubt he will accomplish them because he will set his mind to do it.”
Flores said the first few weeks of lab work have been rewarding.
“There have been a lot of hands-on learning activities, which is a great way for me to learn,” he said.
Another aspect of the class that Flores enjoys is the teamwork shown by classmates.
“We are going down the same road to be a first responder,” he said. “Teamwork will be important when responding to a call.”
Cindy Waggoner, an EMS instructor, sees Flores having a good career as a first responder someday.
“He is very in tune to what we are doing in class,” she said. “He has a true desire for knowledge.”
While Flores is training for a career, he has another reason for becoming an EMT.
“I am learning skills I will be able to use my whole life,” he said. “When I am not on the job, I will be able to help people who may be in distress.”
Flores was awarded the inaugural Hometown High School Opportunity Scholarship that was available to 2024 graduates of the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater school districts who enrolled at a TSTC campus in West Texas.
“Receiving this scholarship makes me feel noticed by the college,” he said. “I appreciate that TSTC wants students to attend school in their hometown.”
According to onetonline.org, the need for emergency medical technicians in Texas was expected to grow 19% between 2020 and 2030.
In its Emergency Medical Services program, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedic, as well as certificates of completion in Emergency Medical Services – EMT, Emergency Medical Services – Advanced EMT AEMT, and Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic. The program is available at the Abilene, Brownwood and Harlingen campuses.
Registration for TSTC’s spring semester is underway. To learn more, visit tstc.edu.
