HOPKINSVILLE, KY – Hopkinsville Fire and EMS is redefining what’s possible in paramedic education, achieving outcomes so significant they are drawing attention well beyond Kentucky.
In just one year, the Hopkinsville Fire and EMS Paramedic Program graduated 92 paramedic students, achieving an 83% retention rate and a 100% pass rate among graduates who have sat for the National Registry of EMTs exam to date. By comparison, many paramedic programs nationwide report graduation rates between 50% and 60% over a two-year timeline. Even more striking, Kentucky typically graduates roughly this same number of paramedics statewide each year across all training centers combined.
Graduating nearly 100 paramedics at once is virtually unheard of.
Accreditation and recruitment
This success comes at a critical moment. Kentucky faces one of the lowest paramedic production rates in the nation, losing approximately 100 paramedics annually and creating a persistent statewide shortage. Hopkinsville’s program is actively helping reverse that trend and is already on track to graduate a similar, if not larger, class beginning later in 2026.
Adding to this milestone, the Hopkinsville-Christian County EMS Paramedic Program has officially earned Initial Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), effective January 16, 2026, following a comprehensive review and recommendation by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). The review found no areas of non-compliance, confirming the program meets nationally established standards for quality and excellence in EMS education. The next evaluation is scheduled for 2031.
“This accreditation is a major achievement for our organization and our community,” said Fire Chief and EMS Director Steven Futrell. “It reflects the dedication of our instructors, staff, and students, and it confirms that the education we provide meets the highest national standards. Most importantly, it strengthens our ability to prepare paramedics who will deliver exceptional care to the citizens we serve.”
Program’s success, role of educators
The program’s success is driven by an innovative and scalable training model developed by Hopkinsville Fire and EMS. The model combines flexible, online-style coursework with hands-on skills training through a statewide network of 14 paramedic skill check-off sites, removing common barriers to certification while maintaining rigorous educational and clinical standards.
Deputy Chief Phillip Ferguson, Program Director, emphasized the long-term impact of both the accreditation and the program’s outcomes.
“Earning CAAHEP accreditation validates years of hard work and continuous improvement,” Ferguson said. “This accomplishment enhances opportunities for our students, supports workforce development in emergency medical services, and reinforces our commitment to clinical excellence and lifelong learning.”
Ferguson also credited EMS Educator Michael Cornett for his role in the program’s success, citing his dedication to student mentoring, real-world instruction, and professional development as instrumental in preparing graduates for excellence in prehospital care.
As a result of these outcomes, emergency response leaders from other states and agencies have begun reaching out to learn how Hopkinsville’s model can be replicated to address EMS workforce shortages nationwide.
Open house this spring
Hopkinsville Fire and EMS invites, interested citizens, and potential paramedic students to attend an upcoming open house and tour of the paramedic training facility. Attendees will have the opportunity to see the training environment firsthand and speak directly with current students, program leadership, and training officers about the program’s structure, outcomes, and career pathways in emergency medical services.
The tour will take place on March 13 at 10:00 a.m. at the new Fire Station 5 located at 101 Walton Way, Hopkinsville, KY.
With its newly accredited paramedic program and record-setting results, Hopkinsville Fire and EMS is positioning itself as a national leader in EMS education, strengthening emergency response capabilities locally while shaping the future of prehospital care far beyond Christian County.
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