By Emily Morris
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)
Copyright 2006 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Co.
All Rights Reserved
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — In some ways, Marjorie Galvin is a classic-looking granny: She has short white hair, wears blue-rimmed glasses and totes a quilted bag with photos of her grandkids.
But when Galvin, 72, gets prepped for the tech school class she enrolled in this summer, she gears up by dressing in fatigues and lacing up her combat boots.
Galvin is by far the oldest person in her emergency medical technician class at the Manatee Technical Institute in East Manatee County, but she’s by no means the most timid.
She’s known as the hardest worker in her class, which she is taking because she’s bored with traditional volunteering opportunities for older folks and because she wants to help people.
“The kids are grown (all 10 of them) and the husband passed away and I have nothing to do. So I thought, ‘Why not?’” said Galvin, a former bookkeeper who lives in Bradenton.
Though her class will certify her in certain aspects of emergency medicine, Galvin has no intention of becoming a working EMT. She likely couldn’t pass the employment tests such as running up five flights of stairs while carrying equipment and dragging an adult from a room.
But Galvin won’t let her training — which includes patient assessment and transportation, emergency childbirth and basic extrication — go unused. Instead, she plans to shop her new medical knowledge to local hospitals as a volunteer.
She’s not sure what that might encompass, but she’s not one to be daunted by new things — like last year when she tried skydiving for the first time.
For now, though, she’s just focusing on finishing the class.
When she showed up at the Manatee County Emergency Services station for her first day of on-the-job training, she admitted that “this is about the scariest thing I’ve done in my life.”
Galvin was worried she wouldn’t be accepted by the other students, many in their 20s, and that she’d have trouble keeping up with the coursework.
But her worries were mostly unfounded. She is well liked by the students and a favorite of the teachers.
Donnie Bathje, of the North River Fire District, said Galvin’s attention to detail and enthusiasm make her one of his best students. Her age, he said, hasn’t played a role in her training so far.
“It’s mind over matter, and if you don’t mind it doesn’t matter,” Bathje said. “I have zero issues thinking about whether she’s going to do the right thing.”
Galvin recognizes the limitations of her age, but says they’re not insurmountable.
While attending to a patient in practical training, Galvin realized she couldn’t stand up from her crouched position without letting go of her patient. Another teacher pointed out that she could have asked someone to assist her.
“One of the first things we teach very early on is proper lifting and moving techniques,” Bathje said.
Galvin has proven herself capable of tending to a sick person or performing CPR. “She has actually surprised me,” Bathje said.
There have been some bumps along the way. Galvin said she almost quit during the portion of the course that focused on terrorism, decontamination and other nonmedical issues.
Galvin said taking classes five days a week, and the intense study on the weekends, was wearing on her.
“There was a point when I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’” she said.
A phone call to one of her sons kept her going.
“He said, ‘You can learn it; don’t be silly,’” Galvin said.
She persevered, and now she can laugh at some of the memories she’s made.
“We went through the OB-GYN chapter and all the guys are going ‘Gross,’” Galvin said.
When they learned about delivering babies, Galvin said the class looked to her for advice.
“They all said I knew about this stuff, but I said, “Hey guys, I’ve got news for you -- I’ve never been on this end.’”
It’s EMS, not AARP for her
Here are the details on the EMT class taken by 72-year-old Marjorie Galvin of Bradenton.
Title of Class: Emergency Medical Technician
Hours of training: 250
Cost: $825 plus uniform fees
Tests required: math and English skills test, drug test, background check, high school diploma or equivalent.
Skills learned: Patient assessment and transportation, emergency childbirth, airway maintenance, basic extrication.