TrinityEMS co-owners Gary Sepe (left) and John Chemaly (right) with the new ambulance they donated to NECC for the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center.

John Chemaly and Gary Sepe know well the life of an EMT and the skill set needed to perform the job successfully. So when Northern Essex Community College was building its new Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center on Common Street in Lawrence, the two men, who are co-owners of TrinityEMS, didn’t hesitate to donate a fully-equipped ambulance to be embedded in the first floor of the building.

That state-of-the-art vehicle, which will be used in the training of future students enrolled in Northern Essex’s EMT Basic course and Paramedic Technology certificate and associate degree programs, was unveiled at the recent ribbon cutting for the El-Hefni Center.

Chemaly, a resident of Chelmsford, and Sepe, a resident of Pepperell, co-own and operate TrinityEMS, which is headquartered in Lowell and includes 40 ambulances and 275 employees.

In addition to the ambulance, Trinity has pledged $100,000 over the next five years to purchase equipment for the Paramedic Technology Program at Northern Essex. The paramedic technology program exists, in part, because Chemaly saw a shortage of trained paramedics and asked NECC to develop the program.

“I’m committed to doing anything I can to help this college continue its good work,” says Chemaly, president of TrinityEMS. “Our partnership with the college has benefited our company and the delivery of emergency medical care in the region.”

“Industry leaders like John Chemaly and Gary Sepe are committed to helping Northern Essex offer the very best in academic programming,” says Jean Poth, NECC vice president of institutional advancement. “This donation will allow us to train more individuals for jobs in emergency medicine.

The 44,000 square foot El-Hefni Center features a Health Education Simulation Center, where health care students receive hands-on experience in simulated environments such as a hospital intensive care unit, a trauma room, an acute care hospital room, an apartment, and a doctor’s office in addition to the ambulance. The building also includes classrooms and computer labs and a Career Planning and Advising Center where students receive academic and career counseling.

“An important part of the college’s mission is providing local residents with the skills and credentials that will lead to jobs, and that is just what this new facility is helping us to do,” said Lane A. Glenn, president of Northern Essex.

Last year, 381 students received certificates and associate degrees from Northern Essex in health-related fields and 93 percent of those graduates are employed in their field a year after graduation, according to Glenn.

The building is named in memory of Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni, a native of Egypt who was a longtime resident of North Andover and a successful business owner. An electrical engineer, he began his business in the basement of his home, and for 30 years provided jobs for hundreds of people. Before his death he created a foundation, now carried on by his widow Wensley El-Hefni, which has provided significant support to the college, including a $1 million donation to provide equipment for the new building.