Decatur County Memorial Hospital launches Future First Responder summer camp

For $15, Decatur County students can spend three days inside the world of EMS, fire and law enforcement through a hands-on camp built around local agencies and real skills. Decatur County Memorial Hospital is teaming with Decatur County EMS, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Greensburg Police Department and the City of Greensburg Fire Department to give current 9th through 12th graders an early look at the jobs that keep the county safe.

The Future First Responder Summer Camp is set for June 9 through June 11 and is limited to students at Decatur County or Greensburg schools who are interested in emergency medical services, fire service or policing. Organizers describe it as a physically active, outdoor program, and participants should be ready to get dirty or wet as they move through EMS, fire and law-enforcement training. Days 1 and 2 will focus on skill development, while Day 3 will turn into a field day with team-based scenarios designed to test those abilities in real-world situations.

Lunch will be provided each day, but students must bring water. Phones will be collected during activities for safety and returned only during breaks and lunch. Campers are required to attend all three days, a detail that underscores the program’s focus on building teamwork and continuity rather than offering a one-day demonstration.

Registration is first come, first served and is confirmed by email. The deadline to register for a guaranteed T-shirt is May 15, though late registrations will still be accepted without a shirt guarantee. The form says payment can be made by cash, check or credit card, and it also includes permission for participants to be photographed and to provide brief testimonials for use in publications, social media posts, articles or advertisements by the participating agencies.

The camp fits squarely into Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s broader community role from its home at 720 N Lincoln St. in Greensburg. Founded in 1922, the hospital serves Greensburg and Decatur County with inpatient, outpatient and specialty services and says it has more than 100 expert providers on staff. Greensburg, the county seat, had a population of 12,312 in the 2020 Census, giving the camp a tightly local footprint in a community that depends on homegrown emergency workers. With Sheriff William B. Meyerrose now in office and local agencies sharing the training load, the camp is designed to build the next generation of responders before they ever put on a uniform.