DETROIT, MI –Â Detroit’s emergency response system just gained new strength. Eight newly certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are officially joining the front lines after graduating from Superior Ambulance’s EMT training program – a hands-on workforce development initiative that trains and hires community members for critical EMS roles.
Superior Ambulance, together with its affiliate Life Support Training Institute (LSTI), hosted a graduation ceremony Wednesday morning to celebrate the new class. Each graduate has accepted a full-time EMT position with Superior and will serve in Detroit, reinforcing the company’s deep-rooted commitment to growing local talent and building a resilient, community-based healthcare workforce.
“Superior Ambulance has a deep commitment to building a sustainable, community-based EMS workforce in partnership with local leaders,” said Kim Godden, Vice President of Legal, Government Relations, Corporate Compliance and Education at Superior Ambulance. “It’s a model that meets critical workforce needs while ensuring Detroiters have access to meaningful, long-term careers in healthcare. We’re proud to work alongside the City of Detroit and Detroit at Work to turn shared goals into real opportunity.”
For more than a decade, Superior Ambulance has played a vital role in Detroit’s emergency response system. As a key private ambulance partner for the city, Superior deploys several ambulances daily across Detroit – supporting urgent 911 calls and providing dedicated coverage to local casinos. Today’s EMT graduates represent a critical expansion of that frontline force, ensuring greater coverage and faster response for communities throughout the area.
U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar (MI-13) praised the program’s dual impact on workforce development and public health. A member of his staff read remarks at the graduation.
“I’m proud to see organizations like Superior Ambulance investing in Detroiters and building a stronger homegrown EMS workforce,” Rep. Thanedar said. “This initiative is more than workforce development – it’s about empowering our residents with life-saving skills, creating stable career pathways and improving public health outcomes for our communities.”
Several graduates have been connected to Superior’s training program through Detroit at Work, the city’s workforce development system that helps residents access job training and career pathways. Dana Williams, President of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, the agency that operates Detroit at Work, added, “At Detroit at Work, we’re focused on creating pathways to good jobs with real upward mobility. We look forward to connecting more Detroiters to careers that matter, not just to them, but to the whole community.”
“We’re grateful to Mayor Duggan for empowering organizations like ours to collaborate with workforce development leaders such as Detroit at Work,” said Dustin Hawley, General Manager of Superior Ambulance of Michigan. “By reaching into the community, identifying those with a passion to serve, and equipping them with the tools and support they need, we’re building a pipeline of dedicated professionals.”
Superior and LSTI launched the Detroit training program in March 2024. This marks the third class to complete the program, with a fourth class of 20 students set to being in Fall 2025.
