On July 11, Mark Onyon, Director of the Inez & Sidney Bock EMS Training Center at Grace Cottage will begin teaching an EMS First-Responder Course in Townshend. The 45-hour course will be taught on Wednesday nights (6:30-9:30 p.m.) and on four Saturdays (9:00-3:30), and will end on August 29th.

"First responders are often the first personnel on the scene of a medical emergency," said Onyon. "We're in great need of more ambulance volunteers." The cost of the course is $115 (including textbook); Fire and Rescue Services in many towns cover this cost, contact your local service to determine if your town is one of these. For those who wish to join the Grace Cottage Ambulance squad, the cost of the course is reimbursed following successful completion, and there may be scholarships available for those who cannot pay the course cost.