RALEIGH – The 25th annual North Carolina Paramedic Competition gets under way Sunday at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, pitting the 2014 state champs from Rowan County EMS against five teams that clinched regional championships this summer for the right to challenge them.

The regional champions are teams from Davidson, Davie, Forsyth and Stokes counties and from the town of Leland. These five challengers won regional competitions held in July at community colleges in Cumberland, Gaston, New Hanover, Surry and Wake counties.

The competition brings each team out of sequestration and into a ballroom set up with bleachers full of peers, and a scenario that is a closely guarded secret. It is part of the 42nd annual Emergency Medicine Today Conference, which runs from Friday through Oct. 7.

The scenario that these teams will face will challenge them with a true-to-life situation, often with a twist that may resemble what they could encounter in a routine response. They are challenged to complete a rapid and thorough assessment and appropriate treatment on the spot.

The competition provides a training opportunity for the competitors and for the hundreds of paramedics, EMTs and medical directors who closely observe each team’s analysis and reaction to the scenario. Teams are judged on professionalism, communication, patient rapport, conduct, attitude, appearance and attire. Winner is announced Oct. 6 at an awards banquet.