DMACC students Trent Swartwoudt (kneeling above, left) of Northfield, Minn., and Jacob Schiller (kneeling above, right) of Norwalk greet Ember the Fire Dog during the Third Annual DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair on Wed., March 20, 2024, at the College's Ankeny Campus. The beloved Dalmatian has been a full-time resident at the Windsor Heights Fire Department since 2016 and is one of the most popular attendees at the DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair each year.
Swartwoudt, who is currently pursuing his EMT certificate at DMACC, previously graduated from Central College in Pella and is a member of the Iowa National Guard. Schiller, a graduate of Norwalk High School ('23), completed the DMACC EMT certificate program during high school and is now continuing his education at DMACC.
Marshalltown Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Cross (left) talks with Harrison Danhauer (right), a DMACC Paramedic student from Urbandale, during the 2024 DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair on Wed., March 20, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
Now in its third year, the Career Fair is free to attend and open the public. Representatives from more than 40 fire departments, ambulance services and health care providers were on hand to meet with attendees during this year's event.
DMACC Paramedic student Nick Kieffer (left) of Ames and formerly of the Quad Cities, meets with Council Bluffs Fire Department Captain/Paramedic Curtis McKeon (center) and City of Council Bluffs Human Resources Recruiter Cori Shaw (right) during the Third Annual DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair. The free event was held from 12-4 p.m. on Wed., March 20, 2024, in the Bldg. 5 Student Center at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
Kieffer, a graduate of Bettendorf High School, was one of the many DMACC students who attended to learn more about career opportunities for firefighters, paramedics and EMTs, and to network with industry professionals.
A trio of recent DMACC EMT certificate graduates take a photo with Indianola Fire Department firefighter/paramedics Tracy Van Zante (center, left) and Joe Colby (center, right) while stopping by the IFD booth during the Third Annual DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair on Wed., March 20, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
Savana Berry (far left) of Des Moines, Shelby Routt (second from right) of Grimes and Mackenzie Plum (far right) of Ankeny are now continuing their education in the DMACC Paramedic and DMACC Emergency Response (Paramedic-Fire Science Concentration) programs. Berry is a graduate of Valley High School in West Des Moines, Routt is alum of Johnston High School and Plum graduated from Ankeny High School.
Joel Otte, DMACC Paramedic Program Chair and Lead Instructor, demonstrates how to use Anatomage, a 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool designed to help students with anatomy learning, medical diagnosis and treatment planning, during the 2024 DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair. Otte said the Anatomage workstation recently arrived on campus and will be an exciting new resource for DMACC students.
Dottie VanZee (left), DMACC EMT Program Chair, and Jacob Schiller (right) of Norwalk, who completed the DMACC EMT certificate program during his senior year at Norwalk High School, are all smiles while catching up during the Third Annual DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair on Wed., March 20, 2024, at the DMACC Ankeny Campus.
Schiller is currently continuing his education at DMACC while also working part-time as an EMT with the Windsor Heights Fire Department. He was able to earn his EMT certificate during high school thanks to the DMACC Career Advantage dual enrollment program.
For more information:
DMACC Fire Science program: Visit fire.dmacc.edu or contact Brent Conklin at (515) 964-6697 or bconklin1@dmacc.edu.
DMACC EMT program: Visit emt.dmacc.edu or contact Dottie VanZee at (515) 965-7044 or dmparsons1@dmacc.edu.
DMACC Paramedic program: Visit paramedic.dmacc.edu or contact Joel Otte at (515) 964-6699 or jhotte@dmacc.edu.