Niagara Career and Technical Education students learn about respiratory system

Students at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center recently got a very hands-on lesson about the respiratory system. 

Sara McCartin, who teaches the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) program at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES center, said her students have been learning about the respiratory system and ventilation and respiration and rescue breathing. 

“Thanks to Hartland Abattoir Corp, which is a USDA slaughterhouse, we were able to have some cow lungs brought in as a tool to show the students anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. The students were able to find structures and identify them. They are also able to see how the lung inflates and deflates similar to inspiration and expiration,” said McCartin.   

The EMS students also played teacher and invited students in from the Diesel Technology program, the Health Occupations Technician program and the Computer Technology program to explain to them the parts of the lung and how it works. 

Diesel Technology teacher Wes Blidy said, “My students thought it was the coolest and weirdest thing they had ever done. They used compressed air to inflate the lung.  It is pretty awesome to say you went to diesel class and received science credit by helping the EMS students inflate a real cow lung. Talk about a real-life unique experience.” 

“My students had a great time,” said McCartin. “Not only were they able to see how the respiratory system works, but they got to touch and explore it.  They were very excited about discovering the bronchioles and blood vessels and other parts of the pulmonary anatomy.”