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Each year the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) hold competitions on State and National levels.  "The Mission of HOSA is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health science education students, therefore, helping the student meet the needs of the health care community." (www.hosa.org)

Students from schools throughout Delaware compete against each other in respect to their shop of choice.  The State level competition is held at the Delaware State Fire School (DSFS) in Dover, DE.  The top performers then travel to the national competition to go head to head with students from all over the country.

Amanda Saville and Amanda Smith proudly represented St. George's Vo. Tech. High School in the 2013 and 2014 state an national competitions.  Their teacher, Mrs. Immediato is a former NCC Paramedic.  She later decided to move into education and became the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Instructor for St. George's High School.  Under her instruction, Amanda Smith and Amanda Saville obtained the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to become the best of best!

in 2013, the team competed and won the state EMS skills competition at DSFS.  In June 2013 they traveled to Nashville, TN where they competed against teams from around the nation.  At  the awards ceremony, Amanda Smith and Amanda Saville proudly took the stage representing the top ten teams in the nation.  the top three teams were acknowledged on stage that evening.  Sadly, the St. George's team was not in the top three and the days to come proved suspenseful as they waited for the final results to be posted.  Just being acknowledged as the top ten EMS teams in the Nation is enough to make any Delawarean proud.  When the results were posted and Amanda Saville and Amanda Smith were 4th place finalists, it was apparent that Delaware Students are clearly among the best.

In 2014, the team again took first place in The Delaware EMS skills competition and represented St. George's High School in the National Skills competition in Orlando, FL.  Once again, they represented St. George's H.S. and Delaware Students on stage in the top ten.  This year they finished 9th overall.

The EMS team was only one of several shops to represent St. George's H.S. during the competitions.  This year (2014) Delaware Students dominated  the competition winning awards and representing the top ten nationally in their respective shops.  You can read more about the competition at www.hosa.org.

Why are we telling you all this?  Well the Christiana Fire Company is proud and honored to say that Amanda Saville an Amanda Smith are part of our Volunteer Family.  We can also call Mrs. Immediato our family as many of us worked with her when she was a NCC Paramedic.

Amanda Saville joined the Christiana Fire Company (CFC) in 2011 as a Junior Member at the age of 15.  She proved to be a valuable asset to our organization.  Amanda joined knowing she wanted to ride the ambulance and become an EMT.  She quickly got hooked on other aspects of the fire service and began training as a Junior Firefighter.  Amanda met her training requirements in her first year as a junior member.  She rarely missed in house training every Wednesday night and took as many classes as possible at DSFS.  Amanda never sat around waiting for the next call.  You would find her cleaning the kitchen, the apparatus and engine bays.  Amanda spent much of her time showing new members the station and equipment.  She assisted with administrative duties, fundraising events and banquet hall operations as well.  Amanda's positive attitude, drive and determination won her the President's Award and the Junior Member of the year Award for 2012.  Amanda has taken on several responsibilities within CFC, most recently becoming an advisor and mentor for the junior members.  Today (Aug 5, 2014) Amanda received notification that she passed her NREMT.

Amanda Smith was one of the first St. George's Students to be assigned to CFC in order to complete the course required co-op program.  She spent many hours at the fire house riding the ambulance and getting first hand skills practice and experience, learning from the best EMT's around.  Although quiet at times, she was well liked and presented herself professionally and respectfully at all times.  Amanda may have spent a short time with us, but we consider her part of the family.

Amanda Saville and Amanda Smith graduated from St. George's in June 2014.  Both are pursuing nursing careers.  Amanda Saville will attend the University of Delaware.  Amanda Smith will attend Delaware Technical and Community College and later transfer to UD.

Congratulations to all the students who represented Delaware in the National HOSA skills competition.  Regardless of your final standings, we are proud to say you are part of our health care society.  We are a small state, but our students have powerful and brilliant minds, with huge goals.

Best of luck to all of you!