New EMS member hopes to make a difference

    Despite facing challenges in life, Raquell Castillo works hard to overcome racial stereotypes.
    Castillo was born in Parral Chihuahua, Mexico. In 2003, at the age of 12, she and her family moved to Imperial.
    Castillo describes the move as a difficult change but said she was excited to be in a better place.
    In 2011, Castillo completed her education and graduated from Chase County Schools.  After high school she studied psychology for awhile and has worked at Imperial Super Foods since her freshmen year in high school.
    Castillo recently graduated as an Emergency Medical Technician and has become the first Mexican immigrant on the Imperial EMS team.
    “I had never thought about it, except that Craig and Desiree Loeffler told me that they needed more people to have the class,” she said.
    In order to become an EMT, individuals must complete a CPR class, an EMT class of 75 hours of training for two semesters and pass multiple tests.
    From there, it is necessary that they apply for their state EMT license, have a background check completed and send paperwork to the state.
    “Once an EMT has their license, they have to have 20 hours of continuing education every two years,” noted former EMS President Deb Hayes.
    “EMS covers 911 calls, we do inter-facility transfers to other hospitals, standby for football, motocross or other events we are asked to be at,” Hayes said.
    The EMS team currently has 15 EMTs, including Castillo, and eight ambulance drivers.
    Although becoming an EMT was never in Castillo’s plans, she said she fell in love with being able to help the community that has given so much to her.
    Castillo thanks her son, Santiago Castillo, family, and friends for helping her get to where she is now.
    “I am able to represent my roots in a very good way and remove stereotypes because in Imperial we already have Hispanic bankers, preschool teachers and much more,” Castillo said.