Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:  EMS educator and author Robert S. Portor  recently visited Emergency Medicine Institute in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.   Mr. Portor is one of the leading EMS authors of the United States.   Mr. Portor is co-author of Paramedic Care: Principals and Practices,  the text book which a number of students have been trained.  Here Mr.  Portor is seated with Ken Dalessandro, EMS Program Director.  Bob and  Ken have worked together in the past at the Center for Emergency  Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, USA.  Bob was excited to see  the progress of the program and honored to be the recipient of an  award given in his name.  EMI loks forward to anther visit from Bob  and wishes him the best in his latest endeavors.

This summer, EMI administrative staff was received at the palace in Jeddah by Crown Prince Sultan.  The team was celebrating the first American certification examinations given in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  The Price was presented with a memento of the achievement and a personalized copy of the EMI first aid text: “What to do in the first 10 minutes.”  EMI continues to lead the way in the development and implementation of Emergency Medical Services training and service delivery.  In response to the great success of the developing programs, Crown Prince Sultan donated 1,000,000 SR to help foster training Saudi Arabian youth in Emergency Medical Services.

Emergency Medicine Institute made history once again by sponsoring the certification and licensing examination in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A team of personnel from Harrisburg Community College, Emergency Services Health Federation and the National Registry of EMT traveled to Riyadh to administer the examination process.

For 10 days, 63 students underwent both practical and written evaluations to qualify for certification in USA. The team also spent time visiting King Khalid University Hospital and Dr. Salah Tamimi National Guard Hospital with Dr. Hodabe and Dr. Samir Al Hamid, The Saudi Council for Health Specialties with Dr. Mugdil Al Hodathi, and Riyadh branch of Saudi Red Crescent Society with Dr. Tawagari.