From Dr. Ben Till, Doctors Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Three Rivers Community College Offers Prehospital Trauma Life Sup
port Course
Our service area offers abundant recreational resources: Lake Wappapello near Poplar Bluff, Current
River at Doniphan and Van Buren, and Clearwater Lake at Piedmont. To prepare for the increased
number of emergency medical situations in tourist seasonsas well as during the yearDRMC's
paramedics are required to be ACLS certified and many also are PHTLS certified. Several DRMC
paramedics are instructors at the local Three Rivers Community College, where PHTLS and water
rescue are among the continuing education courses offered.
DRMC has 3 ambulance divisions: the Poplar Bluff Division has 10 ambulances and about 20
EMTs and paramedics; Doniphan and Piedmont each have 3 ambulances and about 10 crew
members. In addition to serving these three communities, mutual aids with Van Buren and East
Wayne County for severe injuries are common, with crew members providing mostly basic life
support.