EMT Violet Howe, left, Addy Koskela, Bethel Rescue Chief and EMT Dave Hanscom and EMT Adrian Ribas are seen July 12 in Bethel. Koskela is the first Maine EMS Level 2 Explorer in the state. Rose Lincoln/The Bethel Citizen

BETHEL — Telstar High School Senior Adaline “Addy” Koskela is the first person to reach Level 2 in the Maine Emergency Medical Services Explorer program.

The program allows young students like Koskela, who is 17, to experience and explore EMS without a long-term commitment.

“Addy has been the driving force. (She was saying) ‘Hey what do I need to do next?'” said Dave Hanscom, Bethel rescue chief and emergency medical technician, “She really pushed Maine to advance the program along at the rate that they did because she was ready for the next step.”

The state’s explorer program was rolled out last year and is intended to be a first step before the juniors program, which offers young people EMT classes, said Hanscom. Bethel was one of five Maine towns selected to participate in the explorer initiative.

Hanscom said Koskela, of Bryant Pond, had to balance school life and extracurriculars with her time at the station — learning how to do the paperwork, watching video tutorials, and seeing first-hand cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) scenarios.

To reach Level 2 status, Koskela had to be CPR, First Aid and Stop the Bleed certified, and show proficiency locating and using ambulance equipment. Under state of Maine law, she is allowed to assist with CPR and significant bleeds. She has been able to see patient interaction first hand while working with the Bethel crew.

EMT Violet Howe, right, Addy Koskela, Bethel Rescue Chief and EMT Dave Hanscom and EMT Adrian Ribas are seen July 12 in Bethel. Koskela is the first Maine EMS Level 2 Explorer in the state. Rose Lincoln/The Bethel Citizen

Adrian Ribas, Laura Begin and Violet Howe were her official mentors, but Koskela said, “Everybody (at Bethel rescue) mentored me and helped me.”

Howe was Bethel’s first junior EMT. She said she’s proud of Koskela, “Her after high school plans are going to be helped by this program,” she said.

Koskela has already taken the next step and applied to an EMT program in Windham.

“I am ready for it … I am committed to a class and I’m ready to start it in August,” she said.