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Going for Gold
EMS World and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) established the National EMS Awards of Excellence program to recognize outstanding achievement in the EMS profession.
The 2015 awards will be presented on Wednesday, September 16, at the NAEMT Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, held in conjunction with EMS World Expo 2015, and at the EMS World Expo Opening Keynote on Thursday, September 17.
We would like to thank the following sponsors of this year’s awards: NAEMT/Nasco Paramedic of the Year Award sponsored by Nasco; NAEMT/Braun Industries EMT of the Year Award sponsored by Braun Industries; NAEMT/Jones & Bartlett Learning Educator of the Year sponsored by Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2015 NAEMT/North American Rescue Military Medic of the Year,
sponsored by North American Rescue; Dick Ferneau Paid EMS Service of the Year sponsored by Ferno; and the ZOLL Volunteer EMS Service of the Year sponsored by ZOLL.
Award recipients receive a monetary award, a three-day core program registration to EMS World Expo, plus $1,200 for travel and lodging to attend EMS World Expo and the NAEMT Annual Meeting.
The nomination period for next year’s awards will open in early 2016. Visit EMSWorld.com/awards for more information.
2015 NAEMT/Nasco Paramedic of the Year, sponsored by Nasco: Brandy Rice, Paramedic, Arkansas City, KS
Brandy Rice has worked 10 years as a full-time firefighter/paramedic for the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department and part-time as an ER tech for South Central Kansas Medical Center.
She teaches several EMS and community CPR classes, implemented a Vial of Life program, and is involved in many other organizations that benefit the safety and health of members in her community. She also planned and coordinated the activities for EMS Week in May with local businesses.
Rice was nominated by Jeri Smith, EMS director of the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department, who says, “Brandy is a true ‘caretaker’ of the people of Arkansas City, Kansas: She goes above and beyond the call of duty. She often stays after an EMS call to help people with special needs. When a wheelchair-bound woman returned home after an emergency hospital run with Brandy, she found her dishes clean, her grass mowed, new cordless phones installed and a longer string attached to the ceiling fan she had been unable to reach before.” Rice is a role model for ensuring the needs of patients and their families are met, and has earned the respect of her colleagues.
2015 NAEMT/Braun Industries EMT of the Year, sponsored by Braun Industries: Glen Anderson, EMT, Bridgewater, MA
Glen Anderson, deputy chief of the Bridgewater State University Police Department, is recognized for launching the university’s EMS program. He deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED) program, and initiated CPR and first responder training in his community.
Awarded in 2011 for saving the life of a community member, Anderson has trained more than 1,000 people in CPR and first aid, some of whom were sponsored by the program to become EMTs. He also introduced naloxone to help university law enforcement officers combat the rise of opioid overdoses. Anderson was instrumental in policy development as it relates to mental health issues, and is a strong supporter of programs addressing these issues, serving as an active member of the University's Care team.
2015 NAEMT/Jones & Bartlett Learning EMS Educator of the Year, sponsored by Jones & Bartlett Learning: Matthew Wolkenbreit, Paramedic, Colrain, MA
Matthew Wolkenbreit is chief instructor and executive director of Community911 Training, Inc., director of training and education at Colrain Volunteer Ambulance Association, Inc. (CVAA), and president of the Franklin County Emergency Medical Services Committee.
A dedicated EMS instructor, he teaches a variety of life-saving and trauma care programs, as well as national core competency EMS programs. He also teaches community programs such as CPR, choke saver training for the food service industry, and other programs to educate and mentor EMS practitioners. Wolkenbreit initiated several educational opportunities for volunteer agencies.
Gary Ponce, CEO and director of CVAA, says, “Little did I know that he would not only change what had been happening locally, but would take us on a journey of redefining the who, what, where, when and why of EMS training and much more as Massachusetts dove into the NREMT certification and NCCR training as one of the pilot states.”
Wolkenbreit is credited with providing clear information, guidance and structured planning to help volunteer agencies serve their communities effectively.
2015 NAEMT/North American Rescue Military Medic of the Year, sponsored by North American Rescue: John Crowley, U.S. Navy Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, Hilliard, OH
Navy corpsman John Crowley served as hospitalman (medic) in the Fleet Marine Force, a duty he was specially trained for to work with infantry Marines deployed to combat zones.
His medical preparation and dedication were crucial to the well-being of the platoon, saving the lives of many Marines and foreign military allies while being injured himself and in spite of regular combat attacks.
First Lieutenant Deven Revel says, “He ignored his own wounds to apply tourniquets to two Marines who had both lost legs, and treat his squad leader and interpreter who had suffered substantial wounds. His calmness under pressure and quick thinking were astonishing given his condition.”
In 2012, Crowley was awarded the esteemed Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action during his deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Crowley also helped local villagers assess minor medical conditions and instructed Afghan National Army soldiers in basic trauma care.
2015 Volunteer EMS Service of the Year, sponsored by ZOLL: Calvert Advanced Life Support, Prince Frederick, MD
Calvert Advanced Life Support is dedicated in more ways than one.
They are the last remaining all-volunteer advanced life support company in Maryland. While committed to providing that service, they remain intertwined in the community they serve as much as possible.
Their coverage area is 289 miles, including the peninsula of Calvert County, and they also provide mutual aid to their surrounding counties. Their squad consists of 62 paramedics, 21 paramedic interns, 11 paramedic students, 22 EMT-Bs and 11 administrative members. They responded to more than 4,500 calls last year, and provide water-based ALS coverage on the Chesapeake Bay, Patuxent River and other smaller creeks and rivers.
Calvert ALS is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year.
Chief Stephen Stanton says winning the award is a great honor. “My hope is every member sees this award and realizes just how important each individual is in making CALS a successful volunteer organization,” Stanton says. “This award is a lovely recognition to receive for our efforts. I think it means we’re doing something right.”
The dedication of the staff was one of the most important parts of winning this award, Stanton says. “Many spend countless hours behind the scenes, from administration and apparatus to station repair and training. It can be tedious at times,” Stanton says.
To provide the best ALS services possible, Calvert ALS has many different programs. Their Paramedic Early Intervention Program (PEIP) provides ALS gear for every BLS unit in Calvert County. This allows paramedics to respond from any fire station on those ambulances and cuts down on delays in delivery of ALS care.
Calvert ALS is also one of the pilot protocol agencies in Maryland for the use of video intubation. There is now a video laryngoscope and recording module for all trucks in their fleet, which will reinforce the quality of care that is provided.
To further increase the reach and response of their ALS care, Calvert ALS has paramedic chase vehicles in their station, and two support utility vehicles. Paramedics can use the support vehicles to respond to critical calls. Satellite units are also provided at two locations in Calvert County.
To protect the people in their squad from illness and injury, Calvert ALS provides an infection-control officer who monitors the vehicle fleets, buildings and department grounds for any hazards that may harm paramedics or guests. They also recently provided new medical bags with features that reduce any lateral torque needed to maneuver them. Since this implementation, they have had no injury claims related to carrying the medical bags.
Like most EMS services, their first concern is keeping people safe and providing quality care, but service in the community is a close second.
“I am in awe of the dedication these people provide to the department and to the community,” Stanton says. “We are a team, and we work hard to provide a much-needed volunteer service to our community.”
Calvert ALS provides a number of community involvement programs. They work with Calvert Memorial Hospital to follow up with patients, and they hold regular meetings with the Calvert County Department of Health to give information to the community on ways to keep themselves healthy and safe.
Calvert ALS also provides care for gatherings of the community, such as the Calvert County Fair, concerts at Bayside Pavilion in St. Leonard, concerts at the Calvert Maritime Museum and open houses.
The group also regularly sponsors the College of Southern Maryland’s paramedic training program. They provide financial support in exchange for a commitment to volunteer.
The volunteers at Calvert ALS also help staff BLS units around Calvert County, and allow them to attend training courses, drills and special events at Calvert ALS. The group has an on-site training space and simulation laboratory with resources including adult and pediatric manikins and task-trainers. The company provides in-house CPR training to their members, as well as other first responders and members of the community.
To show their dedication to education, Calvert ALS partnered with the Calvert County Commission for Women to implement a program that aims to gain more women in fire and EMS in Calvert County. The initiative encourages development in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Calvert ALS also provides a public recognition program. The program works through the county public information office, and is aimed at raising awareness for the signs and symptoms of potential medical emergencies. This helps the public know when to seek out medical attention if they see someone experiencing one of these issues.
A “meet and greet” program is also held by Calvert EMS, which allows former patients to publicly meet with the EMS care providers who tended to them in the field. The program hopes to give patients a way to show appreciation to EMS providers, and for the EMS providers to be able to educate the public on the circumstances surrounding various emergencies.
Stanton says encouraging youth through engagement in the community is a key aspect of Calvert ALS. “We would always like to inspire the younger generation of the community to become involved with Calvert ALS or any of our local departments,” Stanton says.
To learn more about Calvert ALS, visit www.calvertals.net.
2015 Dick Ferneau Paid EMS Service of the Year, sponsored by Ferno: Richmond Ambulance Authority, Richmond, VA
Richmond Ambulance Authority is one of the busiest ambulance services in the United States per capita, and despite this the agency still finds ways to ensure it is providing patients with the most excellent care possible.
RAA covers 62.5 square miles, housing a population of 204,149 residents with a daytime population up to 800,000 as Virginia's capital city. In 2014, RAA responded to about 64,000 calls, and transported 42,000 people to the hospital. RAA’s average response time in 2014 was 5 minutes and 45 seconds.
According to its website, emergency-response times were 95% compliant with standards for life-threatening emergencies in 2012.
“To be identified as the Dick Ferneau Paid Service of the Year is not just rewarding for this year, we feel this is like a lifetime achievement award, because we constantly strive to achieve excellence,” says Chip Decker, chief executive officer of RAA. “To receive this isn’t just about the year or the decade of work we’ve put in to be as good as we can be, it’s also about showing our efforts to have a workforce that’s happy, safe, engaged and clinically focused.”
RAA is an innovative agency with many programs that benefit patients and employees alike.
In terms of patient care, RAA treats patients using inventive methods that increase quality of care. RAA uses mechanical CPR to provide consistent and high-quality chest compressions. RAA also uses therapeutic hypothermia during resuscitation procedures, which cools the body to preserve brain function. The cooling program (followed by appropriate post-resuscitation care) has resulted in nearly 12% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients to be released neurologically intact, compared to an 8% rate nationally.
“We are constantly looking to innovate,” says RAA Chief Operating Officer Rob Lawrence, “whether it’s participating in things like the freshly thawed plasma trial or cultivating a culture of safety in our agency. Safety is first and foremost, whether it’s vehicle training to remain accident free or our beneficial relationship with the police department. We see this culture as an innovation in and of itself, because this way we don’t have to reeducate people to be able to obtain this culture. We embrace this culture.”
RAA also recently implemented a new patient record software. The FirstPass system collects data from each call, and allows the agency to track trends in clinical behavior and make adjustments and provide remedial training to paramedics accordingly.
A recent addition to RAA ambulances was popular among EMS agencies across the nation. RAA equipped its vehicles with solar panels to provide green power. So far this has reduced the overall engine idle time and fuel consumption and made the fleet more environmentally friendly. Data analysis has revealed considerable savings. The fleet remount program has completed its five-year rotation, and all of the ALS fleet is now fitted with solar panels.
“Our vehicle technology is an efficient and innovative operation in itself,” says Lawrence. “We have solar panels on top of our vehicles to keep them charged and let them not use as much fuel.”
For the benefit of their employees, RAA provides a fitness program to educate staff about the advantages of a healthy lifestyle. RAA Fit focuses on nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation and stress management. The program gives staff members recipe suggestions for healthy eating and has established a staff garden to grow fresh produce. RAA Fit conducts “Fruity Fridays” during which bowls of fresh fruit can be found around the campus.
RAA is also heavily involved in the Richmond community. RAA partners with many organizations, including the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the Richmond Office of Multicultural Affairs to teach hands-only CPR classes. Because Richmond has an increasing Hispanic population, RAA recently began teaching a series of Spanish-language CPR classes using bilingual instructors from RAA and local hospitals. RAA has also partnered with the Richmond Office of Multicultural Affairs and CrossOver Healthcare Ministry to start a train the trainer program.
RAA also takes a role in the development of international EMS via its partnership with the Panamerican Trauma Society. Trauma surgeons from Central and South America take part in the international observer program and spend weeks at a time embedded with RAA to understand fully the role an EMS organization plays in the overall trauma system. Additionally RAA serves as part of the USAF pararescueman training pipeline and provides clinical placements for the trainee PJs at least once a year.
The Rider Alert motorcycle safety program was launched by RAA in 2011, and places a card with next of kin and contact details inside motorcyclists’ crash helmets. This provides details to attending emergency service or emergency department staff when a motorcyclist cannot communicate. The program took off on a worldwide basis. Across the globe, 1.2 million cards are currently in use, and the program has spread to countries as far away as Sweden, Finland and Romania and the U.K.
The Crossing Alert program analyzed data that demonstrated that the rate of pedestrian-related incidents in which the injured party was distracted was increasing. To combat this, RAA created a YouTube video that combined a catchy beat with a rap song about paying attention and being safe when crossing the street that garnered some popularity on the Web. The video has nearly 9,000 views.
“We believe in paying forward with our research,” says Lawrence. “If we learn or develop something, we don’t hold it close to our chest, we ensure our learning is passed along for the benefit of the entire industry.”
To serve patients who frequently use the 9-1-1 system, RAA has adopted what it calls a "paramedic in the community" approach. This ensures people who need special treatment, such as patients with opioid addictions or frequent service users, are directed into the appropriate care pathways, usually via multidisciplinary case conferences. RAA is also able to alert hospital systems of incoming patients whose needs do not fit a trip to the emergency department. This way, patients of such nature are able to be given the primary or social care needed.
For more information, visit raaems.org.
