4th Quarter Lifeline 2017

Virginia

LIFELINE

4th Quarter 2017 The Official Publication of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads VAVRS President Kim Craig presents Eliza Johnson with an Emergency Medical Services Lifesaving Award during the VAVRS Conference.

Eliza was a 2017 Rescue Camp Graduate!

Congratulations, Eliza

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Scott Davis, VAVRS President

by Scott Davis, VAVRS President First and foremost I have to thank everyone for the support that you have shown me in the past and continue to show me.

I was fortunate enough and honored to be elected as your President for the coming 2017-2018 year and I look forward to the opportunity and challenges that the year will present us.

I have some great and exciting ideas for the coming year. We will start the hiring process for the Executive that was approved at Conference. We will be vigilant about our finances and use them in the absolute best manner possible. We have some great ideas on how to make our training processes more efficient.

The Committee Chairs and Appointed Officers have been set for the coming year and the Directory will be available soon online for everyone that would like a copy.

It is going to be an awesome year and I look forward to working with each of you.

Thanks, Scott

2017 VAVRS Conference Competitions *

Conference Champions 1st Place EMT—Seniors—Stuarts Draft EMT—Juniors—Stuarts Draft ALS—Forest View Rescue Contest—Stuarts Draft Vehicle Extrication—Light Rescue Truck—Southside-South Hill Vehicle Extrication—Modular Ambulance—Waynesboro EVOC—Non-Instructor—Patrick Scott—Staunton-Augusta EVOC—Instructor—Scott Davis—Fredericksburg Rescue Parade—Best Appearing Marching Unit—Virginia Beach Best Appearing Quick Response Vehicle/Support Unit—Cleveland LSC Best Appearing Ambulance—Danville LSC Best Appear Rescue Truck—WestRock Best Appearing Novelty Unit—Virginia Beach

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2017-2018 VAVRS Officers and Committee President - Scott Davis Vice President - Connie Moore Secretary - Wesley Melson Treasurer - Wayne Rapp Training Officer - Curtis Crawford Chaplain - Gary Dalton Chaplain Emeritus - Page Entsminger Historian - TBD Immediate Past President - Kim Craig Chief Rescue Officer - John Craig Editor - Karen Wagner Parliamentarian - J. C. Phillips Facilities Manager - George Langford Legal Advisor - Mary Malone Medical Advisor - Dr. Scott Hayes District 1 Vice President - Glenn Drumheller District 2 Vice President - Carolyn White District 3 Vice President - Chris Snyder District 5 Vice President - Mike Smoot District 6 Vice President - Scottie Adams District 7 Vice President - Toby Akers District 8 Vice President - Thomas Tomlin District 9 Vice President - Dwayne Stanley District 10 Vice President- Byron Andrews Training Coordinator - Kathy Eubank Office Assistant - Cindy Bailey Bookkeeper - Cynthia Babb Lobbyist - Ed Rhodes

Membership - Connie Moore Human Resources - Connie Moore Bylaws - Bruce Stratton Life Membership - Steve Davis Publication - Karen Wagner Conference - Tarry Pribble Conference Co Chair - Bubby Bish Finance - Wayne Rapp Future Vision - Kenny Frenier EMS Advisory Board - Valeta Daniels EMS Advisory Board - Dreama Chandler Rescue College - Wayne Myers New Course Development - Jason Morgan Scholarship - Greg Burton Public Relations Social Media - Wesley Melson Recruitment & Retention - Wesley Melson Rescue Hall of Fame - Lin Matthews EMS Exchange - Kevin Dillard Legislative - Bubby Bish Information Technology - Steve Ayers Camporee Event - Scott Masincup Nominating - Kevin Dillard

2017-2018 VAJVRS Officers President - Adarah Williams Vice President - Brandon Propst Secretary/Treasurer - Sheriz Chisley-Strickler Historian - Kimber Murphy Chaplain - Maryellen West Advisor Chair - Alfred Smith

2017-2018 AVAVRS Officers and Committees President - Ailease Short Vice President - Fay Browning Secretary - Vickie Arnold Treasurer - Elsie Butler Chaplain - Clara Craig Historian - Linda Berkstresser Parliamentarian - Carolyn Brand Immediate Past President - Harry Householder Midwestern Vice President - Garland Linkous Northeastern Vice President - Marie Householder Southcentral Vice President - Joan Smoot Southeastern Vice President - Judy Frame Southwestern Vice President - Diane Haga Western Vice President - Laura Booze

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Conference - Maxine Kerns Conference - Ruth Swicegood Nominating - Fern Puckett Life Membership - Dolores Hudson Emergency Care - Nellie Sue Ritchie Roll Call - Christie Jefferies Roll Call - Valerie Becker Fundraising - Stacey Frame Fundraising - Tracey Frame

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From your Editor...

Karen D. Wagner Welcome to the pages of the LIFELINE, the Official Publication of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads.

My dream is that the pages of your newsletter is filled with stories and photos of your agency’s successes and events. Please consider submitting information to the VAVRS so that others can be informed, learn from your accomplishments and celebrate with you your awards and honors.

If you agency is celebrating a notable anniversary, receives a local, regional or state award or recognition or has a successful fundraising, training, social or community event. Send that information to editor@vavrs.com and I will make every effort to appropriate display your report in VIRGINIA LIFELINE. Remember, thousands browse the pages of this publication on-line from around the world.

You can too, by opening the LIFELINE link at www.vavrs.com.

Deadline for the Upcoming Issues of the VIRGINIA LIFELINE Articles may be submitted by any member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS and VAJVRS. Feature articles are encouraged. Photos and/or graphics are acceptable and can be returned if requested.

Contact the VAVRS Editor at editor@vavrs.com if you need assistance submitting to the publication.

Deadline for future issues are as follows: Jan 1, 2018 for the 1st Quarter 2018 Issue April 1, 2018 for the 2nd Quarter 2018 Issue July 1, 2018 for the 3rd Quarter 2018 Issue Aug 1, 2018 for the Conference 2018 Issue Oct 1, 2018 for the 4th Quarter 2018 Issue Advertising Rates: Member Squads…,…......no charge Full Page…………………..$ 275.00 Half Page………………..…$150.00 Quarter Page……………....$100.00 Business Card……………..$ 50.00

“The VAVRS is your LIFELINE to EMS”

Gaylor National Resort & Convention Center 201 Waterfront St Oxon Hill, MD 20745 May 19, 2018

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EMS Exchange Program Submitted by Kevin Dillard, EMS Exchange Program Chair The 2017 EMS Exchange Program was a great success with having our four visitors from Germany spending time with the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads in various parts of Virginia. Hopefully many of you had the opportunity to meet our visitors and/or read about them in the Convention issue of the Lifeline.

For those of you who are interested in participating in the 2018 EMS Exchange Program by going to Germany to represent the VAVRS, the application is now on line at www.vavrs.com/forms By submitting the application you are one step closer to a trip that many in our profession will never have the opportunity to experience. This is yet another one of the great benefits of being a member of the VAVRS! Those who have made the journey to Germany in the past as part of the EMS Exchange Program have undoubtedly forged new friendships and obtained many fond memories.

We started the EMS Exchange Program back in 1995. This program offers a unique opportunity for EMS providers from the VAVRS to observe EMS and public safety systems abroad. We have conducted exchange programs with not only Germany, but also Colombia, South America.

As part of the exchange the program participants typically have the opportunity to tour hospitals; police, fire and rescue stations; and usually get an opportunity to visit sites of historical significance and see some tourist sites. Your time on the German exchange is usually spent working alongside our German colleagues in ambulances and attending briefings with department managers. Typically the exchange lasts for about 17 days.

The VAVRS has partnered with the City of Kassel branch of the German Red Cross for this program. Kassel is a city of over 192,000 people, located two hours north of Frankfurt.

Applications for the 2018 program must be submitted to the VAVRS office no later than November 24, 2017. Please complete the application in its entirety and fill free to add any additional information that you think might increase your chances of being selected. Usually we select four people to take the trip to German to represent the VAVRS. If you have any further questions about the program, please feel free to contact me at Participants in the 2017 EMS Exchange Program kdillard@lifecare94.com or call me at L – R, Alexander Deutsch, Kristina Aue, Kevin Dillard, EMS Ex(540) 752-7721 ext. 115. change Chair, Jane LaVerne, EMS Exchange Committee Member, Bjorn Bertemann, and Julian Rohrbeck Page

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Kim Craig, VAVRS Immediate Past President Submitted by Kim Craig, VAVRS Immediate Past President (This article is an edited version of the article that appears in the on-line version of the 2017 Conference Issue that was submitted by the then VAVRS President Kim Craig prior to the convention.)

The 83rd Conference was held in Virginia Beach and many took advantage of the great seminars and opportunities offered. I want to Thank Tarry Pribble and Bubby Bish for all the hard work that they have put into the planning of the 2017 Conference. We appreciate you going above and beyond in serving the Association by planning this event. I encouraged everyone to attend the seminars as each one offered continuing education hours. It was also important to visit the vendors in the exhibit hall. The vendors help make the Conference possible. The picnic was held on Thursday afternoon at Camp Pendleton and the parade was on Friday night. I enjoyed seeing everyone and the events.

This year the EMS Exchange Program participants from Germany were our guest at the Conference. Many took time to visit with the participants and welcomed them. Thanks to Kevin Dillard for getting this done.

Thanks to Bobby Adams for being their host.

September is here and the end of my two year term serving as your President. It has been a great journey. I have been so honored to serve the members of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads. It has been an exciting time with many accomplishments by the Executive Committee. The hard work of the Officers and District VP’s proved to be challenging but progress was made. The goal has been for the Association to keep moving forward in a time of change.

Change has been hard for some but the members came together to do what is best for the Association. The Association is surviving in era where it is not an easy task for involvement and commitment from today’s generation. The Executive Committee realized to keep this generation involved as well as all generations was for them to have ownership and involvement in the Association. A committee was formed as the Future Vision Committee. The Committee’s task was to research what the membership wanted to see for the future of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads. The BOG’s, Officers and members were surveyed to determine what they wanted to see done. Many goals were met first by having a bylaw change for terms of chairman’s on committees. There were many challenges with this bylaw change. As there were some who didn’t agree that the chairman of a committee should change. It was time and the BOG’s put this bylaw into place wanting to see new involvement. Another bylaw change was put in place defining membership status so that today’s agencies had options to choose from with encouragement to join the VAVRS. There were so many ideas, thoughts and suggestions that it was felt that the Executive Committee could have a workshop to prioritize the tasks. The meeting took place and a priority list was established. First, the hiring of an Executive Director; Second, Public Relations and Marketing; Third, Communications with a VAVRS app and TV. The Committees and Champions are moving forward to bring the information to the BOG’s.

Change has not been easy but as I said in one of my articles. The future of VAVRS lies in the membership.

With the future new doors will open with opportunities, dreams, achievements and change. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future as said by President John F. Kennedy.

Tarry Pribble, Treasurer, has gone above and beyond taking care of our finances. He has worked closely with Cynthia Babb to make sure that we are fiscally responsible in our spending. Tarry and Cynthia worked diligently in keeping the books straight and workable. Thank you both for all you have done over the past 2 years.

Scott Davis, Vice President, has been very instrumental on the continuum to move the Association forward.

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He has worked hard with me as the President and the Executive Committee. It has been a team effort to get the input from our districts and membership while keeping everyone informed. Scott knows how to lead a team and to get things done. Thank you Scott, for serving as the Vice President and doing a tremendous job. It has been pleasure working with you over the past several years and I am looking forward in years to come. It will be a privilege to continue to be a part of your team in serving the Association with this group of great people.

Ed Rhodes, Lobbyist, always keeps us informed of legislative issues. Not many days went by that he and I didn’t talked. Thank you for the job you do in fighting and being our voice.

The girls in the office….. I cannot thank them enough. Kathy Eubanks can get any question I got answered and always keeps me on schedule. She is a great friend and I can always depend on her. Cyndie Bailey was hired at the beginning of my term. She too has been a good friend and always makes sure that I get things done in a timely fashion. I feel that the communication between the Officers and the State Office always can be challenging but these two can make anything possible. Thank you both for all your support.

As my term comes to an end I want to thank Life Members, Officers, District VP’s, Auxiliary, Juniors and the entire membership for your support. It has been such a joy and privilege to serve you as your President of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads. I have worked with the Officers, District VP’s and the members as a team to get a job done by showing everyone appreciation, respect and letting everyone know how important every thought and recommendation is. It takes a team, it takes YOU. You made it possible for our goals to be met and to have the Association progress into the future.

I can’t go without thanking the Staunton-Augusta County Rescue Squad for supporting and standing behind me. Thank you.

I want to Thank my husband and best friend, John. None of this would have been possible without his love and support. He is always there for me to lean on. He encourages me like no other, believes in me, lets me know my limits, accepts me for who I am and that I can do anything I set my mind to do. He is a true blessing in my life. Thank you for being my rock and Driver!!

My wish for the Association is; to keep on the path of success, don’t be afraid to make the changes that need to be made, focus on the positive, energize others, refuse to contribute to the negative and know that all of us have a purpose. You make a difference!!

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Ailease Short, AVAVRS President Submitted by Ailease Short, AVAVRS President What a great conference we just had! Greetings from your new AVAVRS President. I am super excited to lead this elite group of men and women.

We had a lot of fun and accomplished much at Conference 2017. It is our desire to make the upcoming year the best yet. My theme for the year is ”Leaving Footprints for others to follow”. This is going to be a team effort and remember “snow bunny” can do it by themselves.

I would like to congratulate the all the winners at conference. Bensley Auxiliary for being chosen Auxiliary of the Year. Greater Manassas Auxiliary for winning Emergency Care Award. Laura Booze of Clifton Forge for being awarded Outstanding Service Award. Cave Spring Auxiliary for winning first place in Auxiliary Scrapbook. South Central district (Joan Smoot) for winning First Place in district scrapbooks.

Thank you to all who attended our meetings and events at the conference. It was a great time of fellowship and fun.

The Auxiliaries continue to strive to do what is best for our squads and community. Please VAVRS call on us if you need us to help in any way.

Squads out there if you have Auxiliaries that are not members of our association let them know about us and give us a call so we can entice them to join our group. We have great plans for the future and would love to have some new members.

Hope to see many of you as I travel around the state in the coming months. Keep us informed of what you are doing.

Remember to make those footprints for others to follow in your tracks. Here’s to great success of our wonderful organization.

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Maxine Kerns, AVAVRS Conference Chair Submitted by Maxine Kerns, AVAVRS Conference Chair

Greetings, AVAVRS family & friends!

Our 66th Annual AVAVRS event just concluded, and now members are ready to jump into the new term. Woo Hoo! Thanks to everyone for sharing, promoting fellowship and to those who competed, submitted their ideas & effort and to those who won awards.!

As your 2018 AVAVRS Convention Chair, I am looking forward to working with Ruth Swicegood, Conference Co–Chair, and each of you, our dedicated members from across the state. I appreciate

the opportunity from AVAVRS President Ailease Short.

There might be some changes, perhaps a challenge or two but it will be an exciting time to celebrate, applaud and recognize another year serving the AVAVRS. Round up your pompoms and let’s look forward to a great year.

Please let me know if you need anything and keep in touch. Email me @ bozozin@visuallink.com, stay tuned and be prepared to ENJOY.

Maxine Page

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LifeCare Medical Transport Responds to Disasters Submitted by Sue Willis Connors, Director of Marketing & Business Development Civil Unrest in Charlottesville On August 12th, Charlottesville, Virginia gained national attention for the civil disturbances that took place in connection with the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a local park. Many people were injured as the event turned violent. A woman was killed when a vehicle crashed into a group of people, and two Virginia State Police officers died when the helicopter they were flying in crashed.

Along with other EMS agencies in Virginia, LifeCare provided staffing assistance in Charlottesville on the evening of August 12th as there was concern that there would be an uprising of more violence throughout the night. Two LifeCare crews provided standby coverage that night, with an additional five crews the following night.

VP Tasha Browne, President Kevin Dillard, Sgt. Heidi Barton, Division Chief Wesley Melson, Dispatcher Zach Weaver, Capt. Thomas McGowan, Capt. Dustin Hazelwood, VP Dan Wildman

Hurricane Irma In the early hours of September 10th, four LifeCare Medical Transports ambulances began their response to Florida following a deployment activation by FEMA. Two ALS staffed units and two BLS staffed units were directed to stage at Florida A&M University in preparation for the potentially deadly category 4 Hurricane Irma aimed at the state.

LifeCare’s taskforce team consisted of Division Chief Wesley Melson, Captain Thomas McGowan, Michael Hill, Breanna Gray, Mary Rose, William Snead, Jacob Koch, and Kristina Farley. Three of the units responded from LifeCare’s Stafford County office, and the other unit responded from LifeCare’s Newport News office. The crews arrived at their staging location at Florida A&M University just over 12 hours after leaving Stafford County.

Taskforce staging at Florida A&M University

Division Chief Melson sent photos along the way showing the reality of a pending hurricane …

Northbound traffic in Georgia and Florida was bumper to bumper, while the southbound lanes were virtually empty except for emergency vehicles heading south to assist.

While in Tallahassee, LifeCare’s units were assigned to Emergency Medical Service Strike Team 47. A strike team is a self-supporting unit at the scene of a disaster. The LifeCare taskforce team was deactivated on Wednesday, September 13th, and returned back to their respective stations.

Taskforce staging at Florida A&M University (Continued on page 14)

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(Continued from page 13)

LifeCare had been put on alert for possible deployment to assist the regions impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

With Hurricane Irma coming on the heels of Harvey, LifeCare was placed instead on alert for Irma. LifeCare was prepared to send 10 staffed ambulances immediately and additional ambulances if needed.

Resources from LifeCare were utilized by FEMA during both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy.

Ambulances and providers spent 8 weeks in Louisiana to provide EMS services in and around New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was LifeCare ALS providers who utilized ambulances equipped with ventilators to assist in the relocation of ventilator dependent patients in New York City during Hurricane Sandy. LifeCare crews also assisted with 911 EMS calls in New York City.

LifeCare Automotive and Fleet Service Center LifeCare currently maintains a fleet of over 130 vehicles which must be prepared for daily transports as well as for events such as the Charlottesville civil unrest and Hurricane Irma. The team of mechanics at LifeCare’s Automotive and Fleet Service Center were recently awarded with certificates of commendation for the exceptional work that they have done to keep the fleet in top condition. When traveling a distance to the sight of a natural disaster, any mechanical issues would be a significant problem due to a lack of local resources as well as the need to send a replacement vehicle. All of the vehicles sent to both Charlottesville and Hurricane Irma performed without incident. Kudos to LifeCare’s Service Center leadership and staff: Wendell Gilberry, James Miller, Gary Billingsley, Joseph Lejeune, Walter Petrone, Kim Bruno and VP Joey King.

Celebration

Front—Wendell Gilberry, Walter Petrone Back—VP Tasha Browne, President Kevin Dillard, James Miller, Gary Billingsley, Joseph LeJeune, Kim Bruno, VP Dan Wildman

On September 9th, LifeCare celebrated its men and women who went above and beyond to provide staffing for the deployments to Charlottesville and Florida, as well as the men and women of the service center whose commitment to excellence ensured the safety of the vehicles that carried their providers during these events. Following a cookout at their corporate headquarters in Stafford, Chief Kevin Dillard, along with members of the Executive Leadership Team, presented the members of these teams with certificates of commendation.

Additionally, two new supervisors received their bars: Sgt. Bill Hopkins and Sgt. Andrew Wesley of Station 4 in Northern Virginia.

Crews back in Fredericksburg following Irma deployment: Breanna Gray, Katrina Farley, Mary Rose Official

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Rescue Camp for Kids Submitted by Debbie Rice VAVRS hosted the first Rescue Camp for Kids of 2017 in conjunction with Rescue College in Blacksburg June 15, 16 & 17th with 41 kids in attendance coordinated by Gail Rice. This year’s Rescue College was dedicated in memory of Kelly Southard, a huge supporter of our camps. In his honor, Orange County Rescue Squad bought and donated a trailer to store Rescue Camp equipment. The trailer was presented to the Rescue Camp by Orange County volunteers.

VAVRS hosted the second camp of 2017 in conjunction with the Conference in Virginia Beach September 28 & 29th with 19 kids in attendance coordinated by Debbie Rice. Eliza Johnston, camp attendee, was honored for using skills learned to save a life this summer. While at a summer church camp she recognized a friend was choking and performed the Heimlich maneuver. Later when speaking about her save she simply said “it was no big deal, I learned it at rescue camp”.

VAVRS District 10 hosted the third camp in Fredericksburg on October 14th with 55 kids in attendance coordinated by Steve Dove. The camp is open to the public and draws children from all over for the one day event.

In all, 115 kids learned Fire, Police and Rescue skills in 2017 because of these camps. With continued support from VAVRS we will continue to impact the lives of children in Virginia. Mark your calendars now for upcoming camps in 2018….Rescue College June 1416, 2018; Conference September 27-28, 2018; Fredericksburg October 13, 2018.

Rescue Camp coordinators are looking for gently used equipment or supplies to use in their camps. For more information on any of these camps please email debbierice8@verizon.net.

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Looking for an exciting way to kick off your 2018 summer?

Well, we have just the experience you have been looking for!

2018 VAVRS Rescue College at Virginia Tech!

The VAVRS Rescue College offers something for everyone, event for children 8 to 15 years of age and the PRICE IS RIGHT! Did you know that the registration fee is only $50 for VAVRS members and for the one-time registration fee you can take PHTLS, ACLS, PALS, GEMS, AMLS all in one week or take as many of the management classes and/or technical rescue classes as you can fit into that a one-week time frame?

The location of the event is the Virginia Tech Skelton Inn and Conference Center which is only a short drive away from Cascade Falls or Mountain Lake where “Dirty Dancing” was filmed.

Come join your fellow EMS / Fire providers by experiencing first-hand a great few days or a full week at a First Class Educational institution, with a great staff of instructors and multi-disciplined programs, one that will surely meet your needs!

We can picture you with us at the 2018 Rescue College at Virginia Tech We hope you will join us for a great few days or a week and receive the education you want in an outstanding environment with very dedicated and awesome instructors!

EMS Education at it’s Best!

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2018 VAVRS Rescue College Virginia Tech June 8—June 17, 2018 Course Offerings for 2018 Continuing Education and EMS Educational Hours: 16 hours of Required Topics for all levels of EMS Certification and PHTLS,ACLS, PALS, GEMS, AMLS, TCCC, Sports Injury/Sport Medicine, EMS and Forensic Evidence, Haz Mat 1st Responder, Infectious Disease Control, Designated Infection Control Officer, Defensive Tactics, Situational Awareness, PEPP Management Courses: Auxiliary Workshops, EMS Leadership Challenge-Summit, Parliamentary Law, Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety, Suicide Awareness : An Introduction to Crisis Responders, Group Crisis Intervention, Managing Volunteer and Small Combination Emergency Service Organizations, Emergency Service Organization Planning and Strategic Focus Workshops, The Effective Department Leader, Volunteer Retention and Recruitment, EMS Officer 1.

Technical Rescue (Basic & Instructor) Basic & Light Duty Rescue Awareness and Low Angle Rescue, Vertical Rescue-High Angle Operations, Advanced Vertical Rescue-Technical Level, Cave Rescue, EVOC Trailer Operations, EVOC Instructor, Farm Machinery Extrication basic & advanced, Vehicle Rescue Awareness Operations, School Bus Rescue, Advanced Vehicle Rescue, Search and Rescue, Introduction to Swift Water Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Special Events and Off-Road Operations (SEOR-OPS), Tricks of the Trade.

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PARLIMENTARY LAW: Did you know?

Submitted by J. C. Phillips, VAVRS Parliamentarian Did you know that some newly elected officers, especially Presidents, do not read their organizations bylaws? During this 4th quarter year many volunteer rescue squads and fire departments elect their officers for the ensuing year. I know that bylaws are not fun or exciting to read, but they keep officers out of trouble. Most bylaws list what each officers’ duties are but there are many other duties that should be placed in a job description for that office.

When you are thinking of running for a particular office, make sure that you have the time and ability to preform the obligation of the office you seek. You should have attended all board and membership meeting before your election to office so that you are informed to the current issues of your organization.

All elected officers are responsible for attending all board and membership meetings. Your members expect you to be in attendance.

REMEMBER:

  

Check your duties in the bylaws.

Talk to the person who held that office before you. That person should give you valuable information for your office.

Find out if there is a detailed job description for your office. If not, start writing one as you go through the year.

As an informed officer you will have a good foundation to make your job run smoothly and efficiently.

VAVRS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Virginia EMS Symposium - November 8-12, 2017-Norfolk VAVRS Instructor Update - March 3, 2017 - VAVRS State Office and Training Center VAVRS Spring BOG Meeting - March 24, 2018 - Holiday Inn Tanglewood, Roanoke National EMS Memorial Service - May 19, 2018 - Oxon Hill, MD National EMS Week - May 20-26, 2018 VAVRS Rescue College - June 8-17, 2018 - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA VAVRS Convention - September 26-30, 2018 - To Be Determined

2017 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS November 4, 2017 - VAVRS State Office and Training Center, Oilville February 3, 2018 - Teleconference March 23, 2018 - Holiday Inn Tanglewood, Roanoke June 2, 2018 - Teleconference August 18, 2018 - To Be Determined

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Virginia Office of EMS to Offer Scholarships for Initial EMS Certification Submitted by Charles E. Faison, Jr., Virginia Department of Health Office of EMS, Training and Development Coordinator Senior The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) is partnering with the VDH Office of Health Equity (OHE) to develop and administer an online scholarship, which is expected to launch in October of this year.

Scholarships will be eligible to candidates seeking an initial EMS credential, and the first scholarships are anticipated to be awarded in early 2018.

Interested candidates must be enrolled in an approved OEMS initial certification program prior to applying.

The scholarship program will be a great opportunity for those who are new to the EMS profession, as well as existing EMS providers who are pursuing an initial certification for an advanced EMS credential. The OEMS and the OHE will administer four online application cycles per year.

For more information about the Virginia EMS Scholarship Program, please visit: www.vdh.virginia.gov/ emergency-medical-services. You may also contact the OEMS Training and Development Coordinator Senior Chuck Faison at charles.faison@vdh.virginia.gov or 804-888-9120.

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The Chaplain Connection Corner Submitted by Gary Dalton, VAVRS Chaplain I received many compliments regarding the 2017 VAVRS Memorial Service and I want to make sure the compliments are to the correct individuals.

My thanks and compliments go to A. Page Entsminger—VAVRS Chaplain Emeritus for his moving reading of St. John’s Gospel and his personal prayer. To Linda Berkstresser—AVAVRS 2017 Chaplain, for her glorious closing prayer. To Karen Wagner—VAVRS Editor, for eloquently reading the names of the VAVRS members that have passed. To Garland Linkous—Christiansburg RS, for his beautiful playing of TAPS and to David Johnston and Eric Edwards—Forest View Volunteer Rescue Squad, for their beautiful duet.

As they sang “Amazing Grace”, the faces of the names that were read kept running through my mind and I reflected on the sacrifices each had made during their lifetime for their communities. We should be truly honored to be First Responders, they were. We should feel especially blessed to be involved in emergency medical services, they were. As members of this profession, we are also blessed to have the trust of our patients and the skills to ease their anxiety and pain, they did.

Our members, both past and present, have given of their time and have the dedication it takes to provide patient care to our communities. Job well done, my friends.

Next year we will endeavor to honor our departed members that die between September 1, 2017 and August 31, 2018. Please submit their obituary or complete a deceased member form, a photo suitable for printing and a photo, gif file or PDF of your agency patch.

Also, your agency and/or you as an individual should consider becoming a member of the VAVRS Death Benefit Plan—initial cost is only $3.00 and then you will be assessed 50 cent upon the death of anyone in the plan. The current payment to the beneficiary of someone covered in the plan is $1,250.00 and as more members join the payment increases.

Be safe and may God bless.

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CBVRS Donates Heart-Starting Device to CBES Submitted by Sara Hunt Colonial Beach, VA (Sept. 12, 2017) – Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad donated an automated external defibrillator (AED), an important piece of life-saving equipment, to the new Colonial Beach Elementary School that recently opened its doors for the 2017-2018 academic year.

An AED is paramount in restarting the heart if it malfunctions or stops beating unexpectedly, causing sudden cardiac arrest. The device delivers an electric shock to the heart in the attempt to restore a normal rhythm as soon as possible.

“Every second counts in a cardiac emergency,” said Joey Straughan, CBVRS Rescue Chief. “In addition to being lightweight and portable, the AED uses audible voice prompts to instruct the user on what to do while waiting for local EMS providers to arrive on the scene.”

Straughan noted that CPR training isn’t required to operate an AED, but it’s recommended because it boosts confidence on how to act quickly when time is of the essence. He also extended special thanks to Chris Bergeon, a sales representative for Bound Tree Medical, who volunteered his time to mount the cabinet that houses the new AED at the school.

According to the American Heart Association, AEDs are highly effective in detecting when a heart rhythm should, or should not, be defibrillated. For more information on AEDs and how to operate them, visit www.heart.org. # # # About Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad: Since 1950, Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad has served the Town of Colonial Beach and Westmoreland County. Currently, the organization has over 30 all-volunteer personnel that operate five ambulances covering 240 square miles and a 22-foot rescue boat covering the Virginia waters around the area. For more information, visit CBVRS Rescue Chief Joey Straughan and Assistant Chief Patricia FitzGerald www.cbrescue.com. on the day that they presented the automated external defibrillator (AED) to the school.

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Danville LSC Celebrates 72 Years of Service Submitted by Erin Gusler, DLSC Public Information Officer On September 18, 2017, the Danville Life Saving Crew (DLSC) celebrated 72 years of service to the community. Over 70 volunteers and board members met Monday for a steak dinner to celebrate this tremendous achievement.

At the celebration, Crew members wore anniversary shirts, enjoyed dinner provided by DLSC officers and reflected over the past 72 years. New members and life members came together to tell stories of their dedication to the community. Since 1945, DLSC has provided pre-hospital emergency care and rescue services to the citizens of Danville and parts of Pittsylvania County.

“The Crew has been very fortunate to have dedicated members who were willing to go the extra mile to help build what has been entrusted to us today,” Deputy Chief Keister Whitt said.

Throughout the years, DLSC has expanded its operations to better serve the community.

The Danville Area Training was built in 2003 and remodeled in 2017 to offer more training opportunities to Danville and surrounding areas. In 2006, DLSC’s Northside Station was opened to allow for quicker emergency response times in the northern Officers and staff helped serve a steak section of the city. dinner to Crew members.

“We are grateful to be able to save lives and make a real difference in the community, for 72 years and counting,” DLSC Chief Robbie Woodall said. “We thank everyone for their dedication to the Crew and for helping to make DLSC a success.”

Our oldest life member, Carey Claude, cut the first piece of cake at DLSC’s celebration.

DLSC is continuously growing the services it provides to the community, including a drone program that was instated this summer. Crew members are proud to serve the community and offer professional prehospital emergency care. With the support of community members, DLSC plans to remain an intricate part of Danville’s emergency medical services for years to come.

Active, life and board members came together to celebrate.

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Antivenom Submitted by Richard Szymczyk, SergeantRockbridge 911, LifeCare Medical Transports On June 2, 2017, a hot and humid summer day, I decided to go hiking at the Old Virginia Brick Mill in Big Island, Va. I was accompanied by my girlfriend, Morgan Elkins, and my medic co-worker, Dan Quimby who brought his lab mix, Havoc, along for the adventure. I had been to the area before, and we hiked for nearly an hour looking for ruins of the old brick factory. On our way back to the main road and trail, I felt something sharp and quick. At first I thought I had stepped on some thorns as the grassy area had many thorny bushes, and the pain I felt was merely similar to a bee sting.

As I quickly looked down at my ankle, I saw the egg shaped head of a snake holding on. This snake had a brown head with two black stripes towards the back of its head extending to the body with 2 smaller black symmetrical spots. Its vertical eyes and my eyes met as I realized what had just happened. I shook my foot to try and break the snake’s grip, and it quickly let go and slithered back into the bushes. When the bite occurred, I was merely a couple of feet away from the road. I reached the road and took my shoe and sock off to have a better look at the bite area. As I looked at it I saw two holes that were bleeding roughly an inch apart from each other. Dan and Morgan backtracked and met me at the road. When Dan saw the bite, he brushed it off as a nonpoisonous snake bite. I knew that this tactic was an attempt to keep me calm as anxiety and panic would only worsen the situation. Dan Quimby and I are both career staff medics and officers working for LifeCare Medical Transports. LifeCare is a medical transport and emergency operations company. Between Dan and myself, we had nearly twenty years of emergency medicine experience.

We then started heading to the car. As we walked to the car, I attempted to control my symptoms to include trying to keep from blacking out. Within two minutes of being bitten, the roof of my mouth began to taste like rust. In another five minutes, the roof of my mouth started tingling the way it feels when your hand falls asleep, but with more intensity. Soon after, my hands and feet started tingling as well with the paralysis and tingling extending from my extremities to my core. As each new symptom would occur, I would give Dan and Morgan a verbal rundown so if I could not speak with EMS or the doctors, they would be able to speak for me.

Roughly fifteen minutes after the bite we reached the car. In the car, I had my pulse oximeter which I hooked myself up to immediately. Now my pulse was 164, oxygen saturation was 96 and respiration rate was 16.

During our drive back to the Glasgow Rescue Station, my face stated to feel as though it was being squeezed and my speech became slurred. Dan called the crew on duty. Jollette Williams and Matt Daniels were at the Rescue Station. Dan calmly informed them that I was bitten by a snake, and to mark the unit out of service for a walk-in patient. The Glasgow station is one for which Dan and I both manage career staff operations and have been running 911 calls for nearly two years. Dan spoke to the crew so calmly that when we arrived they were taken aback by how serious my condition truly was.

Stuck behind a truck hauling a trailer with two horses going twenty-two mph, the tingling began moving in waves of intensity throughout my whole body becoming quicker and more intense as the time went on. At this point I was barely able to move my arms. My hands were numb, and I could barely move them as well.

Although my facial swelling continued, my tongue was not affected.

When we arrived at the station, I attempted to step out of the JEEP, and my legs buckled. Matt was able to catch me before I hit the ground. My face felt as though someone had wrapped plastic wrap around it and was pulling it tighter and tighter. I was unable to speak from this point on. While in the ambulance, Dan and Jollette (Continued on page 26)

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established IVs, and I was placed on a 4 lead ECG. This showed Sinus Tachycardia around 164 and SPO2 at 98. The SPO2 was my only way of knowing that I was still adequately breathing. I was alert to everything that was going on around me, but my body felt as though I was chemically paralyzed. It took all I could to say a very slurred, “Zofran” as I felt the vomiting coming. Unfortunately, the Zofran was no match for the snake’s venom.

A landing zone was secured by Matt, and fifteen minutes later a flight crew was at my side. With each new face I was told repeatedly to relax which was difficult as my body was no longer in my control. At this point I felt that it was extremely likely that I would lose my foot or that it would have significant damage. However, I told myself that with the right prosthetic, I could be a medic again. I had overcome a lot to get to where I was, and I was not about to let a snake take my passion away from me.

The only movement that remained was my ability to arc my back and slightly lean to the side when I was vomiting continuously. They attempted a stronger anti-emetic, Phenergan. However, like the Zofran, it did not work. As a medic, I knew the risk of aspiration. I had so little muscle control, and I did all I could to turn my head to vomit. I watched the monitor continuously. My heart rate stayed in the 150-180 range. I tried to think calming thoughts, although I was not panicking as I knew I was in the best hands. The vomiting was extremely intense and painful. I tried to distract myself by thinking about building guitars with my Dad, and paddle boarding with Morgan, but the vomiting was taking its toll on my both my body and mind.

When we arrived at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the muscle fasciculations were increasing in severity with every moment. In the ER, my first doctors were not convinced that I had been bitten by a snake. I could hear their voices as they debated, but I could barely open my eyes as they were now swollen. At one time I had eight doctors present - four attending's and four residents. Each new doctor would ask me questions, however, I was unable to communicate other than lifting my arms merely a couple of inches off the bed.

The doctors debated if the reaction I was having was a snake bite, or if I was even bitten at all. Driving straight from the landing site in Lexington to RMH, Morgan arrived and began telling the doctors that the reaction was from the snake bite. Morgan then called Dan and put him on the phone with the medical staff to try and convince them that this was in fact a snake bite. My foot was not swollen - the reaction was in my whole body. My mother then arrived in the ER. She immediately talked to the doctors trying to figure out what had happened and what their treatment plan would be. I could hear them all, and wished I could comfort her.

The doctors then began talking about not giving the anti-venom thinking my reaction was from the Phenergan (Continued on page 27)

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and not the snake bite. I began lifting my arms and dropping them trying to show them that I wanted the antivenom. I then heard Dr. Haskins, and he stated that he had talked to poison control and had already ordered the anti-venom. After the anti-venom was made ready, I was initially administered 6 vials. The anti-venom drip was set to a slow speed for the first ten minutes to ensure that I would not have an allergic reaction to the medication. My father then walked in, and the room fell quiet for the first time since I had arrived.

Within the first fifteen minutes I could feel the anti-venom working. My tremors stopped, my nausea subsided, and I was finally able to speak again. At this time I was able to identify the snake by a picture and told the doctors that it was a Timber Rattlesnake.

The next morning, I woke up in the Vascular ICU with a swollen and bruised foot. The night before I was given two additional vials of the anti-venom. A black area from the bite area was progressing, and the bite itself remained white.

On the second day I was moved to the Vascular PCU. My blood work showed that my platelets, which had fallen to16, were now back up to 156. Showing the doctors that I was able to walk on my own, I was discharged on Sunday, June 8th. Walking on my injured foot was extremely painful as the venom had paralyzed the veins, and my dependent venous return had not yet returned. When placed on the ground, my foot would almost immediately turn red and emit shooting pain. This pain remained for five days after I was released from the hospital.

Two days after my discharged my platelets fell to 26, and then to 10 two days after that. The Toxicologist with Poison Control in Charlottesville, Dr. Riser, advised each of my doctors that the drop in platelets was to be expected with rattlesnake bites. It would take two weeks until my platelets would rise again out of critically dangerous values. I suffered no tissue damage to my foot. The bite area today is about a dime size red spot.

Two weeks after the incident I was able to return to work. I was extremely lucky and was thankfully surrounded by smart, well-trained individuals who knew how to handle the emergency. I was flown to a hospital that had enough anti-venom, and the EMS crew remained calm and handled the situation with amazingly.

We made the right decision to move directly to the car and rescue station when the incident occurred.

Morgan stepped up and ensured that the doctors knew it was a snake bite - even having to get Dan on the phone to make sure they understood. Dr. Riser and Poison Control closely monitored my case day by day, and even called me asking if I had any questions. Rattlesnake bites are not common in the area, and many of the doctors had never seen one before. Dr. Horton, my primary care physician, consulted Dr. Riser to make sure my recovery was going as expected.

I learned later that last year, out of the 200 reported snake bites, only four were from Timber Rattlesnakes.

The only treatment that could have been beneficial would have been Benadryl if it had been given in the early stages. The major difference with my case and other Timber Rattlesnake victims is that I did not have any tissue damage. Today I am completely healthy with no lasting injury. While my symptoms were painful and intense, they were short lived. I now carry an EpiPen ÂŽ in the event I am bitten again.

While the events that occurred were life-threatening, I do plan on hiking again. Living in fear would be choosing not to live at all. Abstaining from hiking or adventures would be taking away who I am as a person.

As a medic, I treat people each day and know that these events can happen anywhere and at any time.

Throughout this experience, I have seen how efficient emergency medicine and medical care can give patients every chance possible. I look forward to each day knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life and pay forward the chance I was given by the great EMS and medical staff that cared for me during my time of need.

Note from Kevin Dillard, President LifeCare Medical Transport: The person that wrote this article is our Sergeant at our Rockbridge County office. He was hiking with his girlfriend and his Lieutenant from LifeCare when he was bitten by a snake. The EMS System worked as it was supposed to and he is now back to work and doing well.

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LifeCare - A “Patriotic Employer” Submitted by Sue Willis Connors, Director of Marketing & Business Development LifeCare Medical Transports and LifeCare Sergeant Karen Bergdoll were recently recognized as a Patriotic Employer by the Office of the Secretary of Defense – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Program. Sergeant Bergdoll worked with her military reservist providers on staff to ensure that they were able to work for LifeCare while also remaining committed to their military obligations – a practice followed throughout the organization. From the beginning, LifeCare has remained a strong supporter of our military, and has many veterans, military spouses, and reservists on staff. Additional efforts over the past year have demonstrated this commitment.

LifeCare is in the process of becoming a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) business. This designation serves to alert veterans and organizations that help place veterans in civilian employment that these businesses not only hires veterans, but also recognize the value of knowledge gained while serving in the military. Veterans and reservists understand the importance of discipline and professionalism, and are able to transfer those skills seamlessly into their civilian work. LifeCare is committed to working with the schedules of reservists so that they can balance their work lives with their military commitments.

On July 15th, the Stafford County Armed Services Memorial was dedicated, and LifeCare, to honor all of LifeCare’s veteran employees, families and friends, and in particular, Jimmy Dillard, a veteran of the Korean War and father of President Kevin Dillard, sponsored the Korean War wall of the memorial. The Memorial was built to honor the region’s war veterans, and has tiers of engraved marble slabs that list the wars in which our nation has been involved.

Additionally this past summer, LifeCare partnered with the Potomac Nationals minor league baseball team to recruit veterans and reservists at their military appreciation games. At four of these specially designated games, LifeCare provided information about the benefits of employment at LifeCare. Interested veterans and reservists could apply immediately via smart phones by following a QR code that took them to an online employment application. A display at the recruitment booth read, “If you’ve worn one of THESE [pictures of military hats and helmets], we would be honored to have you wear one of THESE [a LifeCare hat].

LifeCare Driver Ronald Duran, Sgt. Karen Bergdoll, VP Joey King Page

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Image One: Dottie Dillard, President Kevin Dillard, Congressman Rob Wittman, Jimmy Dillard. Image Two: American Soldier, Jimmy Dillard at Korean War Memorial 4th

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Media inquiries and interview requests, contact: Tammy Chatman, Public Affairs 414-791-6655 tammy.chatman@national-ems-memorial.org

Announcement of 2018 National EMS Weekend of Honor Dates and Location Washington, D.C. (October 1, 2017) – The National EMS Memorial Service, the National EMS Memorial Foundation and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride will pay tribute to the EMS and air medical fallen during the 2018 National EMS Weekend of Honor, scheduled May 18-20 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at 201Waterfront Street, Oxon Hill, MD 20745.

There will be many activities during the three-days including two events that the public and media are invited and encouraged to attend as a show of support for the selfless service and sacrifice of the 2018 honorees. On Friday afternoon, May 18, 2018 the arrival and tribute ceremony the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) will occur. Then on Saturday evening, May 19, 2018 the National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), a formal ceremony to honor fallen EMS and air medical professionals, will be held. Both events will located at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

It was in August 2015 that the three above named EMS organizations agreed to collaborate on a shared vision and strategic plan to honor EMS heroes who have died in the line of duty.

They continue to move forward with efforts to establish a permanent National EMS Memorial in the greater Washington, D.C. area, an effort being led by the National EMS Memorial Foundation. More updates on these efforts will be forthcoming.

“The National EMS Weekend of Honor coincides with the beginning of National EMS Week, which will be May 20-26,” said Jana Williams, president of the National EMS Memorial Service. “Our nation’s capital area in Maryland is a fitting location for these annual memorial events that commemorate our country’s brave men and women in the field of emergency medical services.”

The Weekend of Honor is organized and hosted by the following volunteer-staffed organizations: National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, National EMS Memorial Service, and the National EMS Memorial Foundation. See www.national-ems-memorial.org for more information on the specific event times and locations. # # # Official

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Dear Rescue Ranger Dear Rescue Ranger, I am looking for a companion and was hoping you have some advice.

I want a companion that is small and cute, loves waters sports, and enjoys group activities.

Any suggestions?

J. L. Dear Jane, Marry a penguin.

man's pulse and prepared to administer artificial respiration. At this point she tapped me on the shoulder and said, "When you get to the part about calling a doctor, I'm already here."

Dear Rescue Ranger, Have you ever been embarrassed by a doctor on an emergency scene?

C. B. Dear Cindy, Only once, but it was a longtime ago. It was a stifling hot day and a man fainted in the middle of a busy intersection. Traffic quickly piled up in all directions, so a woman rushed to help him and someone called 911. About the same time she knelt down to loosen his collar, I emerged from the crowd, pushed her aside, and said, "It's all right honey, I've had a course in first aid." The woman stood up and watched as I took the ill

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Dear Rescue Ranger, I know you are gifted EMS Educator. Do you have any advice for a newly credentialed instructor?

C. V. Dear Chris, Yes, be very careful how you word your questions to students. For example, while covering the orthopedic chapters in an EMT class I was describing a patient that had a deformity to his left lower leg and walked with a pronounced limp due to his

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left fibula and tibia are radically arched. I turned to one of my students and asked, “What would you do in a case like this?” “Well,” ponders the student, “I suppose I’d limp, too.”

Dear Rescue Ranger, I know I can trust you and if I tell you something you will not reveal my identity. So, my secret is I think I am a kleptomaniac. I can’t stop stealing things. I can’t go to a store without shoplifting. I need help. Can you give me a quick fix?

B Dear Bubby, Every time you go to Walmart, as soon as you enter the door start clapping your hands. That way you can’t pick up anything. If that doesn’t work, I sure could use a flat screen TV.

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PO Box 279 2535 Turkey Creek Road Oilville, VA 23129 ISSN 0279-6023

NON-PROFIT ORGAN..

U.S.POSTAGE PAID WOODSTOCK, VA PERMIT NO. 82

Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc.

Phone: 804-749-8191 Phone: 800-833-0602 Fax: 804-749-8910 E-mail: vavrs@vavrs.com

"Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends."

John 15:13

Need A Specific Training Class go to WWW.VAVRS.COM...click on TRAINING

Register on line...Sign up today Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc. PO Box 279 2535 Turkey Creek Road Oilville, VA 23129 (800)833-0602

(804)749-8191

Website: www.vavrs.com Email: vavrs@vavrs.com

HAVING AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR NEEDS AND GOALS IS THE WAY WE SERVE YOU The Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads is THE voice of EMS…. the advocate for our members, Virginia’s EMS agencies and providers. We link members and agencies for the purpose of sharing ideas, giving you a voice at the General Assembly, on state advisory boards, as well as on state and local committees.

When our members have training issues or needs, they come to the VAVRS. When our members need assistance from leadership to budgets they come to the VAVRS. We help rescue squads throughout the Commonwealth thrive and succeed so they can provide prompt, effective patient care 24/7 in the communities they serve.

Celebrating our 84th Year of Leadership