2025 Central Virginia EMS Expo in Henrico provides classes for local first responders
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The 2025 Central Virginia EMS Education Expo took place in Henrico County, providing an opportunity for more than 500 medical professionals and EMS providers from agencies throughout the region to learn and connect.
The 2025 Central Virginia EMS Education Expo took place from Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 2 at the Regency Square Adult Education Center, located at 1420 N. Parham Rd., which included classes for first responders ranging from advanced-burn life support to mental health resilience.
8News spoke with Amy Howard, Bon Secours EMS coordinator, who said the annual event is a free educational opportunity for fire and EMS personnel, nurses, police and communications officers.
"So, we want to bring them together [and] do educational classes for recertification," Howard said. "EMS providers in the state are required to get recertification hours, so we like to provide those education topics for free."
The 2025 Central Virginia EMS Education Expo on Sunday, March 2. (Photo courtesy: William Berksteiner, 8News)
(Photo courtesy: William Berksteiner, 8News)
(Photo courtesy: William Berksteiner, 8News)
(Photo courtesy: William Berksteiner, 8News)
(Photo courtesy: William Berksteiner, 8News)
The expo featured classes on mass casualty, trauma and how to deal with a patient having a stroke or a heart attack.
Howard said the event started 15 years ago when a need was identified for providers to have more pre-hospital education and make sure there was a connection in patients coming to and arriving at the hospital.
"We know that providing more education to the EMS provider means a better outcome for the patient in the end," Howard said.
According to Howard, the expo originally started as a connection between Bon Secours and Henrico County Division of Fire, with Chesterfield Fire and EMS joining a few years later.
