Lifeline mar apr 2015

VIRGINIA LIFELINE

MARCH / APRIL 2015

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2014-2015 VAVRS Officers President Rickey Hodge Vice President Kim Craig Secretary Scott Davis Treasurer Steve Grayson Training Officer Cecil Leach Chaplain Mike Smoot Chaplain Emeritus Page Entsminger Historian Dreama Chandler Editor Gary Dalton Legal Advisor S. Craig Lane Parliamentarian J. C. Phillips Immediate Past President Bubby Bish Medical Advisor James R. Dudley, MD, MBA

District 1 V. P. Steve Southworth District 2 V. P. Carolyn White District 3 V. P. Warren Winner District 5 V. P. L. Frank Smith District 6 V. P. Doug Adams District 7 V. P. Coby Fizer District 8 V. P. Steven Reynolds District 9 V. P. Dwayne Stanley District 10 V. P. George Langford Office Manager Frances Brooks Training Coordinator Kathy Eubank Administrative Secretary Shirley Bagby Lobbyist Ed Rhodes

2014-2015 VAVRS Committee Chairs Nominating: Bruce Stratton Membership: Kim Craig By-Laws: Bruce Edwards Lifeline: Gary Dalton Conference: Ford Wirt Camporee: Ronnie Slough Finance: Steve Grayson Scholarship: Carolyn Brand EMS Memorial: Kevin Dillard Grant: Elizabeth Papelino Facility Manager: Lin Matthews Web Page: Gary Dalton Legislative: Dreama Chandler Legislative: Bubby Bish

Rescue College: Rickey Hodge Rescue College: Wayne Myers Human Resources: Kim Craig Life Membership: Ronnie Slough Rescue Hall of Fame: Page Entsminger EMS Advisory Board: Valeta Daniels EMS Advisory Board: Denene Hannon Strategic Planning: Bubby Bish New Course Development: Wayne Myers Recruitment and Retention: Fran Phillips Recruitment and Retention: Bobby Hill Volunteer Management: Page Entsminger EMS Exchange Program: Jane Laverne

2014-2015 VAJVRS Officers President Victoria Gaudin Vice President Elizabeth Pittman Secretary/Treasurer Savannah Hise Historian Cara Beasley Chaplain TBA Official

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Advisor, Chair Alfred Smith Advisor Brandon Baugus Advisor Woody Conner Advisor Micky Grodski

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2014-2015 AVAVRS Officers President - Sharon Campbell Immediate Past President - Fern Puckett Vice President - Harry Householder Midwestern VP - Nancy Linkous Secretary - Dolores Hudson Northeastern VP - Debbie Smallwood Treasurer - Patsy Wingfield Southcentral VP - Clara Craig Chaplain - Ailease Short Southeastern VP - Roger Lynthlin Historian - Linda Berkstresser Southwestern VP - Valarie Becker Parliamentarian - Maxie Skeen Western VP - Janis Slough

For a complete list of the current courses being offered by the VAVRS—go to

2014-2015 AVAVRS Committee Chairs Conference: Vickie Arnold Conference: Sheila Gordon Nominating: Ruth Swicegood Life Membership: Carolyn Brand Emergency Care: Laura Booze Resolutions: Maxie Skeen

Membership: Patsy Wingfield Finance: Harry Householder Roll Call: Donna Porter Roll Call: Valarie Becker Fundraising: Stacey Frame Fundraising: Tracey Frame

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 Editor if you need assistance in writing an article at gdalton@vavrs.com Deadline for future issues as follows: April 1, 2015 for May/June 2015 Issue June 1, 2015 for the July/August 2015 Issue August 1, 2015 for the September/October 2015 Issue September 1, 2015 for the 2015 Conference Issue

THE VIRGINIA LIFELINE ISSN 0279-6023 is the official bimonthly publication of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc. Editorial material should be sent directly to the VAVRS Editor at P O Box 522 Woodstock, VA 22664 (H) 540-459-4849 (W) 540-536-2758 (FAX) 540-459-4925 (C) 540-481-0125 Email-gdalton@vavrs.com Requests for advertising rates, material specifications and deadlines should be directed to the Editor.

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Does your Squad have a Mission Statement?

After you have received enough information and reviewed the statements the committee may be expanded to a larger forum.

Submitted by Fran Phillips, Recruitment & Retention Committee Chair Mission Statements and Core Values are important. They tell what your Rescue Squad stands for and its commitment to the community. They tell your membership what you believe and how they, the members, should conduct themselves within the squad and community.

There are many ways to decide what these statements should encompass. The membership should vote that they want this type of statement and put a designated time when the Mission Statement and/or Core Values should be presented to the membership for acceptance. Six months is a good length of time.

These Mission Statements and/ or Core Values do not have to be a lengthy epistle. If you have a one page top to bottom Mission Statement who [your members or the community] will read the entire statement or remember what it says. My squad [Forest View] had a very lengthy mission statement which was good and stated what we believed as our service to the community and values of the membership. Recently at a Membership Meeting our Chief [Dave Johnston] asked, during his report, did anyone know the points in the Mission Statement? Everyone looked like a “deer in headlights”. No one knew what they were. A committee was formed and new Core Values and Mission Statement was voted on by the

Membership as a part of the Bylaws. These simple but powerful statements are easy to learn. They encourage our members as Professionals as they serve our community and squad with PRIDE. Our Core Values are: Professionalism Respect Integrity Dedication Enthusiasm Our Mission Statement: “PRIDE IN SERVICE TO OTHERS” Once your Values are voted on, you may have them framed or a plaque made. They should be placed on display where all who enter your squad will see what your squad stands for in its Mission, its Values and its Service to the Community.

First form a committee. This committee should be small to begin with. The initial committee should include the President, Chief, Secretary and Parliamentarian. They may start their task by asking other squads, fire departments, hospitals, etc. if they have such a statement and/or core values and if they do ask them to send the committee a copy.

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AVAVRS Chaplain Submitted by Ailease Short

They are: Mary Jane “Mickey” Harden of Millwood Station, formerly Winchester Auxiliary.

Before we know it, Spring Officers Meeting will be here.

It seems to have been a fast year already. Hope everyone has had nice winter and stayed warm.

Mary Senger of Waynesboro Auxiliary Kitty Barrack of Woodstock Auxiliary

In the AVAVRS we have thus far had four deaths that I am aware of.

Gayle Ragland of Bensley Bermuda Auxiliary

If there are more please let me know. For the Auxiliaries listed above, I am asking someone to please send me a 4 X 6 photo, survivors, and any auxiliary and rescue work these ladies were a part of. It would be nice if any of you are coming to Spring Officers to bring me the info and pictures then.

District V.P.’s, if you have another meeting before Spring Officers please bring this up and help spread the word. All of these ladies played an important part in our growth and deserves to be remembered at Conference at the Memorial Service.

There has been much sickness and sympathy throughout our AVAVRS already this year.

Please remember our friends with cards, prayers and calls.

If anyone knows of someone needing card for whatever reason, please let me know.

AVAVRS Life Membership Chair Submitted by Carolyn Brand

Is so, request an application.

Applications must be approved by their District and then sent to the Life Member Chairperson 90 days before the Conference. So don’t wait too long to start this process.

Now is the time to begin the process of submitting someone for Life Member of the AVAVRS. To be voted a Life Member in the AVAVRS is the highest honor one can receive in this organization. Is there someone in your Auxiliary who is deserving and has met the qualifications for this award?

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Thanks for all you do for our association and hope to see some of you at Spring Officers.

To request an application, email or call Carolyn Brand: cbrand@AskWoodfin.com or 804-746-2289. the

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Submitted by Jill Stachowski Hello from Waynesboro. Well in October we had a wonderful movie night at our building, we were all present at Mom Sanger’s funeral. She was our last chapter member, she was 96 years old.

Danny has put up new ceiling tiles in the multipurpose room we also went to the district meeting . We gave the crew and their families a Thanksgiving dinner. The Junior banquet was at Masaki's this year in Staunton. We had our annual vectors Christmas meal, they loved it and we look forward to it every year. We continue to cook for drills on Thursday night and provide Friday morning breakfasts. We also held the crews children's Christmas party with Santa Claus. We bought and donated a new microwave for the ACR group. The crew hosted a blood drive with some auxiliary members participating. We had our annual New Year's Eve party which was wonderful.

The crew gave us our auxiliary banquet with our new 2015 officers. The auxiliary donated $1000 to a crew member, Chris Ott, whom is battling cancer.

We also hosted the Mason’s banquet at our building. The auxiliary voted to buy some new stuff for our kitchen including much needed cutting boards.

We hope everyone is staying warm and can't wait to see everyone at the next district meeting .

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Waynesboro FAC Auxiliary

CSRS Crew Member Ryan Boughal, with the help of Auxiliary Member Barbara Chase, demonstrates the new Stryker Stair Chair to the members of the CSRS Auxiliary during their January meeting.

Representatives from the VAVRS attend the Virginia Legislature in January, 2015 L-R Steve Grayson, Steve Southworth, Rickey Hodge, Bubby Bish, Kim Craig and Victoria Gaudin.

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The 60 Second Parliamentarian Tip Submitted by J.C. Phillips, VAVRS Parliamentarian The following information is true. It shows that a Parliamentarian has no authority when making a ruling.

Only the President and/or the Membership has the authority to accept a ruling or not to.

A squad’s Executive Board took disciplinary action against one of its members. The member decided to appeal the decision of the Executive Board to the General Membership as covered in the squad’s bylaws.

After all of the information was presented to the membership, a motion was made to dismiss the disciplinary action imposed on the member.

The motion failed by one vote of a 2/3 vote as required to override the decision of the Executive Board. The bylaws state that it takes a 2/3 vote to override the decision of the Executive Board when dealing with disciplinary action.

been decided and the decision of the Executive Board still stands. The President stated that the members will vote again since the vote was so close. He instructed a member to go to the dispatching area and tell anyone there to come to the meeting and vote on the motion that he says is still on the floor. The vote was taken again and the motion passed this time by two votes over the 2/3 vote required. The disciplinary action taken by the Executive Board was dismissed.

In conclusion, the Parliamentarian did his job, even if the President and the Membership did not do theirs.

The two sad things about this whole situation was that the President took it upon himself not to follow proper parliamentary procedure and also, not one member said anything about what had happen.

The President stated since the vote was so close, he would call for another vote. The Parliamentarian told the President that this was out of order because the result of the vote has already Official

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Important Upcoming Dates from the AVAVRS President Submitted by Sharon Kartlet Campbell, AVAVRS President As I sit here at my desk looking out at the world, the sun is shining but it is cold, cold, cold. It is hard to believe that the first month of 2015 is just a memory.

Since the first of the year, I have installed the officers of the Auxiliary to the StauntonAugusta Rescue Squad Auxiliary and attended the Southwestern District meeting in Saltville. It is always great traveling around the state visiting with all of my friends We have some important dates coming up and I want to keep you in the loop so hopefully you can make plans to attend. April 11, 2015, we will be holding the Spring Officers’ Workshop in Fredericksburg. You are welcome to attend but I do ask that you let me know you plan to be there so that we will have adequate seating. May 7th through 9th ,are the dates of the VAVRS Camporee in Buena Vista. This is a fun event for the entire family. I have spoken with Ronnie Slough and he would love for members of the Auxiliary to provide desserts for the Saturday night picnic. June 19th and 20th are the dates of the Rescue College Auxiliary Management Class at Virginia Page

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Tech. This is a great time to exchange ideas and learn in a relaxed atmosphere. I am working on the class schedule and I think that you will find that there is something for everyone. The $50.00 fee covers the two day class, a picnic on Friday night and snacks galore. Make your reservations now!

Conference Chair, Vickie Arnold, Conference Co-Chair, Sheila Gordon and I have updated the Conference Brochure which should be available after SOW. Our agenda pretty well stays the same and following is a list of the reports and their due dates. It is very important that you fill out these reports and return them to the appropriate individual by the date due.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP NOMINATIONS THURS, JUNE 25, 2015 AUXILIARY PRESIDEN’T ANNUAL REPORT SAT., JULY 25, 2015 AUXILIARY OF THE YEAR SAT., JULY 25, 2015 AVAVRS CONFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE SAT., AUGUST 1, 2015 AVAVRS CHAPLAIN’S REPORT SAT., AUGUST 1, 2015 AVAVRS OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD NOMINATION MON., AUGUST 24, 2015 AUXILIARY/DISTRICT SCRAPBOOKS MON., AUGUST 24, 2015 AVAVRS EMERGENCY CARE MON., AUGUST 24, 2015 AVAVRS ROLL CALL DELEGATE FORM MON., AUGUST 24, 2015 I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

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National EMS Memorial Service to Transition from Colorado to Virginia Submitted by Sara Hunt Decision enables NEMSMS to better collaborate and consolidate resources for the annual memorial service that honors fallen EMS providers and supports their families Service in 2015 will be held in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Service in 2016 will be held in Virginia January 14, 2015 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), held in Colorado Springs, Colo. since June 2010, will transition its location to Virginia effective with the memorial service in 2016. Prior to 2010, the NEMSMS had been held in Virginia, where it was founded, for over 15 years.

The announcement of the move was made today by the NEMSMS board of directors.

“Each year, the memorial service holds a special place in the hearts of all EMS providers and their families.”

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“The state of Colorado and the city of Colorado Springs, particularly the citizens and volunteers in the EMS community, have been so supportive of the National EMS Memorial Service and we can’t thank them enough for their gracious hospitality, their spirit of cooperation and their compassion for EMS families during the past five years,” continued Williams. “It has been a privilege to hold the NEMSMS in such a breathtaking setting.” Williams noted that the June 2015 service will take place in Colorado Springs.

The National EMS Memorial Service traces its beginnings to the early 1990s in Virginia, when several members of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads (VAVRS) wanted to recognize EMS providers who sacrificed their lives while in service to

According to Jana Williams, president of NEMSMS, the decision was prompted by the board’s desire to unify and consolidate efforts by several groups wanting to honor fallen EMS providers. “After many

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thoughtful and collaborative discussions with our EMS partner organizations, the board voted to move to Virginia,” she said. “This change will enable NEMSMS to strengthen its focus on what we do best, which is planning and executing a meaningful memorial service and supporting the families who lost a loved one in the line of duty.”

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save others. Held in Roanoke, Va., for many years before going to Colorado Springs, the inspirational memorial service includes an Honor Guard, a National Moment of Silence, a special presentation to the families and a tribute video, among other uplifting remembrances, before concluding with a flyover by air medical agencies.

“We support the decision by the National EMS Memorial Service to move to Virginia,” said Steven Sweeney, cofounder and board chair of the Air Medical Memorial in Littleton, Colo. “It allows the NEMSMS to take advantage of significant efforts already underway in that area—a win for everyone. We look forward to attending their impressive ceremony in Virginia in 2016.”

Sweeney noted that Colorado will continue to be the home of the Air Medical Memorial “We are proud that several significant memorial events to honor fallen first responders (Continued on page 15)

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will remain in Colorado,” he said.

“The Virginia Office of EMS has been an ardent supporter of the National EMS Memorial Service since its inception,” said Gary R. Brown, director, Virginia Office of EMS. “We are excited about the decision of the NEMSMS board of directors to return to Virginia and we continue to support its mission to honor EMS providers who have died in the line of duty.”

Randy Kuykendall, director, Health Facilities and EMS Division for the State of Colorado, also expressed support for the NEMSMS to return to its roots in Virginia.

“We are proud to have hosted the NEMSMS for the last several years,” he said.

“However, we support the move and applaud the goal to consolidate duplicative efforts

and increase collaboration amongst the many groups that seek to honor our fallen EMS professionals. We are proud that the history of the NEMSMS includes a chapter in Colorado and we will continue to support the efforts in Virginia.”

the service. This builds on the foundation created over 20 years ago to honor our fallen EMS providers,” said Kevin Dillard, founder of NEMSMS. “Each year, the memorial service holds a special place in the hearts of all EMS providers and their families.”

“It is heartening to see the collaborative efforts that have transpired recently to enhance

“For over two decades, the National EMS Memorial Service has offered comfort, created lasting memories and paid honor to families whose loved one made the ultimate sacrifice,” concluded Jana Williams. “Our future memorial ceremonies in Virginia will certainly build on the rich traditions established during our very special stay in Colorado Springs.”

More information about the transition of the NEMSMS to Virginia and about the location of the service in 2016 will be forthcoming at a later date.

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LIFECARE MEDICAL TRANSPORTS SHARES LIFE-SAVING SKILLS Submitted by Thomas McGowan Customer Relations-LIFECARE Medical Transports, Inc. As EMS providers, we can all share in the frustration and sadness of arriving on the scene of a cardiac arrest to find that by-standers have not initiated CPR. Quite often the reason for withholding this life -saving act is the fear that performing CPR incorrectly would either cause further harm to the victim or have legal repercussions. The American Heart Association (AHA) recognized that because bystander CPR is often critical to successful cardiac resuscitations, lay public CPR training needed to be simplified and more easily accessed.

On December 16, 2014, LifeCare Medical Transports

provided more than 30 employee family members and visitors to their corporate office in Fredericksburg with “Friends and Family CPR Kits.”

The kits were distributed through an American Heart Association Community CPR Anytime Program for people residing in the Fredericksburg area. The non-certification CPR training kit comes with not only an instructional DVD, but also an inflatable CPR manikin for hands-on practice of CPR skills.

Recipients of the kits were asked to use the kits to train at least four other people how to do CPR. Many employees who received the kits were appreciative of this new opportunity to teach their nonEMS family members just how important it is for by-standers to initiate CPR, and how easy it

now is to recognize cardiac arrest and perform this potentially life-saving skill.

In 2005, the AHA introduced “Hands-Only” CPR which took the often dreaded breathing step out of CPR. The AHA also began the production of Friends and Family CPR kits that provided simple CPR training that the lay public could use on their own time. By 2010, the AHA created several short, simple, and in some cases entertaining videos, that spread the word through social media that, “It is better to do CPR on someone who doesn’t need it, than to withhold it from someone who does.”

LIFECARE MEDICAL TRANSPORTS HOLDS COMMUNITY CLASSES Submitted by Thomas McGowan Customer Relations-LIFECARE Medical Transports, Inc.

R Us locations to provide new parents with First Aid and CPR Skills.

LifeCare Medical Transports has teamed up with local Babies

This class teaches new parents the importance of knowing

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First Aid kits are a very important item for new parents to have and ready for use. This time is spent talking about the important items that need to be placed in first aid New Parent CPR/First Aid Class kits, along with reminding Babies R Us—Woodbridge, VA parents that items in First Aid Kits expire and that we First Aid skills and CPR along need to be checking these with other important safety items on a regular basis. tips. The class covers the Friends and Family CPR for the Car Seats have been a question adult and child along with that a lot of new parents want choking, each participant to know about as well. What receives a copy of the Friends are the laws concerning having and Family CPR Book. During your child in a Car Seat and the class parents have the how do we know they are opportunity to practice these installed properly. LifeCare has lifesaving skills and ask added a small portion to the questions so that they are presentation that covers the familiar with what should be basics of Car Seat and the laws done in an emergency situation. as well as provide each parent with an informational paper We also discuss the importance that gives them additional of Child Proofing the house. We resources as well as where they cover the dangers of children can go to assure that there Car getting into cabinets, being Seat is installed properly. around water, and stairs.

During this portion of the class we take the opportunity to talk about and show some of the safety items that can be used to protect children from dangerous areas in the house.

We also discuss the importance of placing a Information Sheet on the refrigerator with information such as allergies, phones numbers, and important health information.

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there would be an average of about 10 – 12 people attending.

Class size has continued to grow, on average now there are about 25 – 30 attendees each class. In the past couple of months we have taught over 150 new parents important skills.

LifeCare is pleased with this opportunity that they have to team up with Babies R Us and are continuing to work on other classes that they can bring out to the communities that we serve.

If you would like any additional information on these classes or when there will be another class being held please contact our offices at 540-752-7721 and ask for the Training Department.

LifeCare’s goal is to at the end of each class is to assure that new parents are comfortable and know what they need to do in an emergency situation.

LifeCare Medical Transports has been teaming up with Babies R Us for about 6 months now. Classes are held at least once a month and sometimes twice a month. When we first started offering these class’s

Pictured Above: Sue Connors, Training Coordinator LifeCare Medical Transports and AHA Instructor March

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VAVRS Chaplain Nelson Wayne Brookman Williamson Road LS Crew

Mike Reid Eagle Rock Fire & Rescue

Richard Douglas Brown Buena Vista Rescue Squad

Leo Herschel Rutherford Bristol Life Saving

James Hubert Browning Salem Rescue Squad

Glen Stanley Unroe Cave Spring Rescue

Joseph Carderelli Campbell Co. Rescue Squad

Robert Kehrer Wilcox Lakeside Vol. Rescue Squad/ Southside

David Burton Cronk Cleveland Life Saving Crew

Submitted by Mike Smoot, VAVRS Chaplain

“Friends come into our lives and friends leave our lives. But friends never leave our hearts.

And best friends always get to stay in the best places, in our hearts.” John Simmons Remember our friends that have left us in the past year, they will forever be in our hearts: Luther David Adkins, Wise Rescue Squad Terye Akers Forest View Rescue Squad Katie Barrick Woodstock Auxiliary Karen Aldridge Bornstein Prince George Emer. Crew Paula Thomas Brandt Brunswick Rescue Debbie Brill Millwood-Station Vol. Fire

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Jon Reed Donnelly Manchester Vol. Rescue Squad Mary Ann Fellows Colonial Beach Vol. Rescue Bobbie France Franklin Co. Rescue Squad Kathy George Davis Corner Vol. Rescue John V. Goodall Fieldale-Collinsville Julian B. Griffin Hot Springs Rescue Squad Mary Jane “Mickey” Harden Millwood-Station Auxiliary Donald R. Heironimus Covington Rescue Hazel Jones Madison Co. Rescue Squad

Stanley Wright Strasburg Vol. Rescue Squad Please continue to keep the office and myself informed of anyone needing cards and in the event of the loss of a member.

I will need pictures of your members that have passed and a patch of your squad to be included in the Memorial Service at Conference by August 1st. Please send them in as soon as possible. You may email them to me at msmoot53@hotmail.com or mail them to the state office.

“God Bless Each of You and God Bless our Troops and keep them safe.”

Betty Kidd Northumberland Rescue Paula Lindsay Lakeside VRS Danny L. Parsons St. Charles Vol. Rescue Squad Elmer Randolph Pugh Jr Virginia Beach Rescue Squad

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Appomattox, 1st Place ALS Competition

Danville, 2nd Place ALS Competition

Danville Jrs., 3rd Place, BLS Competition

EVOC Competitors at District 5 Meeting

BLS Call of the Quarter ALS Call of the Quarter Concord

District 5 Photos Submitted by Joan Smoot

Photo to Right 2014 BLS Team of the Year - Danville

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District 5 Report you as a part of our group and look forward to seeing you at future District Meetings.

Submitted by Joan Smoot, District 5 Historian Greetings from District 5.

Spring is finally coming and District 5 is definitely ready for it. At our November District meeting, hosted by 640 Community Rescue, it was voted to sponsor a State-wide training weekend at our March 13th District Meeting to be held in Danville. Frank Smith, our District VP, hit the road running, planning the event which will have a Grant Writing Class, EVOC Class, ATV Class and Continuing Ed Hours.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided both days for all of the participants at no cost. We hope that you will make plans to attend and update any classes that you may need that are being offered.

We would like to say “Welcome to Renan Volunteer Fire Department” who joined our District. We are glad to have

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In January we met at Altavista EMS for our District meeting.

Special thanks to Rhonda Morgan, Brandi Morgan and Lelia Johnson who pitched in at the last moment to help out and lend a hand with the dinner preparation. The Captain really appreciated their help and the meal was delicious.

Competition is really picking back up in District 5. Junior teams are competing against the Senior squads and are really giving them a run for their money. Keep up the good work.

They are our future and we encourage more of the Junior teams to come and compete.

Teams that competed in January were: ALS Competition 1st Place: Appomattox 2nd Place: Danville BLS Competition 1st Place: Appomattox 2nd Place: Danville 3rd Place: Danville, Jrs. EVOC (13 drivers) 1st Place: Barry VandeVeer – Pamplin 2nd Place: Frank Smith – Appomattox 3rd Place: Doug Wright – 640 4th Place: Mike Johnson – Appomattox

ALS Call of the Quarter Concord BLS Cal of the Quarter Appomattox Rescue Call of the Quarter Appomattox 2014 BLS Team of the Year Danville 2014 ALS Team of the Year Appomattox 2014 EVOC Driver ofthe Year Doug Wright Vice President’s Award Jim Fontaine As you can see, we have a lot going on in the District but we are always looking for more teams to compete at each District Meeting. Get a team together, call Frank or the appropriate coordinator and come on out and compete. You may not win 1st place, but you will have a great time and will certainly find friendly people who will welcome you to District 5 and you will leave knowing that you did the best job that you could have done. Let’s see how many teams we can have for the next District Meeting.

Hope to see you there!

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which will be held at Washington County Life Saving Crew on April 25th.

District 9 News Submitted by Ruth T. Stanley, Glade Spring VLSC The January meeting was held at Saltville Rescue Squad's building on the 17th, Glade Spring Vol. Life Saving Crew cohosted with Saltville Rescue. Vehicle Extrication Competition was held for the first time at a District 9 meeting, while only one team participated we are hoping to have more at the April meeting,

On February 2nd the squads from Washington County lost a long time Dispatcher, Becky Hayter lost her courageous battle with cancer. She had been a dispatcher with the Washington County Sheriff's office for over 40 years when she retired. She was a dedicated professional that will be missed by many.

On February 3rd the squads from Washington County held a farewell dinner for Pokey

Harris, Washington County's Director of Emergency Management. Pokey is leaving the county for a job opportunity in North Carolina.

More District 5 Photos Submitted

by Joan Smoot

2014 ALS Team of the Year Appomattox

Vice President’s Award Jim Fontaine

Photo to Right— 2014 EVOC Driver of the Year Doug Wright 640 Community Rescue Official

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40th Annual VAVRS Rescue College providing a variety of exceptional training programs; from EMT recertification to Operational Medical Director Training to Management programs and Technical Rescue training utilizing the most current training course outlines available.

The VAVRS State Rescue College is held annually to offer basic and instructor level training programs. Rescue College provides training that enables providers to become better qualified in the many phases of basic and specialized rescue services statewide.

Our goal is to increase the level of patient care provided statewide by successfully training candidates who exhibit advanced knowledge and leadership skills in a particular VAVRS course to become qualified instructors. The VAVRS has able to increase the basic and advanced levels of emergency service provided statewide. Specialized education in these areas will assist our members in their effort to become well-rounded and productive members of their rescue organization. The VAVRS is committed to Official

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The 2015 Rescue College Committee wants to help you understand our program since in the past we have had opportunities arise that we hope have been addressed because of your input.

We have divided this year’s program into several sections: EMS Programs for EMT, EMTE, EMTI, & EMTP Management Programs Technical Rescue Programs Youth Rescue Programs Instructor Programs We want you to take as many programs as you wish; however, when registering, please make sure that your courses do not conflict in begin and end dates.

Some programs require special PPE so please look at the beginning of the Technical Programs or within the descriptions to verify the need for those items.

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If there are book fees or specialty fees, we have attempted to provide those within the course description.

Please note with your class acceptance letter from the instructor, we will try to verify the cost of the books since they can change after the printing of this brochure.

Some of the Technical Rescue Programs require that you have other certifications before taking them and we have noted those requirements within the course description. If a course requires you to hold another certification you MUST mail a copy of it with your registration. If it is not submitted with your registration, your registration will be returned as incomplete.

All VAVRS Instructor programs require that you hold either instructor certification with: Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Virginia Office of EMS, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice System, Accredited Instructor Certifications or you will be required to take METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. This course is offered twice a year: at the VAVRS Spring BOG and at the

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annual Rescue College. In the course description you will find the dates of the Spring BOG and the annual Rescue College.

If you currently hold any of the instructor certifications you MUST submit that documentation with your registration. If it is not submitted, your registration will be returned as incomplete.

The VAVRS Instructor programs require that you hold basic certification and take a pretest on which you must score an 80 to successfully qualify for the program. These pretests are available by contacting the VAVRS State Office who will supply you with the contact information for the Course Coordinators and/or Instructor Trainers who will administer them. You will need to make arrangements to take the pretest (s) prior to the deadline of Monday, April 6, 2015. Please note the pretests are good for two Rescue Colleges.

If you have any questions please contact the VAVRS Office at: 800 833 0602 804 749 8191 vavrs@vavrs.com They will be glad to assist you.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2015 Rescue College Discount room rates have been secured at the conference headquarters, The Inn at

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Virginia Tech Skelton Conference Center, for all participants needing housing during college. When making your room reservations, you must state that you are attending the VAVRS Rescue College to receive the discounted room rate. You must CALL the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center direct to make your room reservations. (Sorry - Discount room rate is NOT AVAILABLE with on-line reservations.)

Courtyard Marriott, 105 S. Park Dr., Blacksburg, VA 24060 540-552-5222 (located 1 mile from The Inn)

To make your reservations call the Conference Headquarters:

CANCELLATION DEADLINE

The Inn at Virginia Tech Skelton Conference Center 901 Prices Fork Rd Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 540-231-8000 Special Discounted Room rate is $96.00 + 5% tax per night (Virginia State Sales tax is subject to change without prior notification). Students are responsible for their own housing reservations. You are advised to make your reservations early as rooms will sell out. Affordable breakfast, lunch buffets, dinner specials and entertainment will be available daily at the hotel restaurant and sports lounge.

Reservation cut-off date is Monday May 8, 2015.

Hotel rates/tax comparable to The Inn; early registration is recommended.

Rescue College Deadline Dates: INSTRUCTOR PRETEST DEADLINE MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 REGISTRATION DEADLINE MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015 MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015 Please Note: All participants are required to submit a $50.00 Administrative Fee. You may submit the fee by one of the following: credit card, debit card, money order, or cashier’s check.

Classes Limited: In order to reserve a space in the class or classes you wish to take, register EARLY. Please note you must be a member of the VAVRS or an organization that is a member to attend the VAVRS Rescue College. Contact the VAVRS Office for membership information.

Additional Lodging: Comfort Suites, 1020 Plantation Rd., Blacksburg, VA 24060 540-552-5636 (located 1/2 block from The Inn) March

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Luray Volunteer Rescue Squad Charter Member Dan Moses (center) was recently recognized for 45 years of active service at their 2014 Awards Banquet held at Historic Mimslyn Inn in Luray, VA on January 18, 2015.

L-R, President Chad Gregg, Life Member Dan Moses and Captain Tony Hitt. Photo submitted by H. Janney

Words cannot express the deepest appreciation Jack and I have for our Rescue Family. The prayers, cards, and phone calls we received during the loss of our only grandson and my brother, helped us during a very trying time. They made it a little bit more bearable.

A simple thank you is not enough but THANK YOU very much. We are Blessed to have each and everyone of you in our lives. Thank You Again,

Jack & Ruth Swicegood Official

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Upcoming Projects—Cave Spring Auxiliary Submitted by Sharon K. Campbell The first part of December was a fairly busy time for the members of the Cave Spring Rescue Squad Auxiliary. On the 6th we dressed up in our finest to attend the Crew/Auxiliary Installation and Banquet. The Auxiliary handles all of the details for the event and provided approximately $2,500.00 to help cover some of the expenses. Crew Life Member, Bill Duff installed the officers of the Auxiliary.

Sharon Campbell continues as President, Vickie Arnold is Vice President, Angela Williams serves as Secretary, Patsy Wingfield is our Treasurer and Laura Clark will serve as Chaplain. Our gift to the crew was a Stryker Stair Chair for the new ambulance that is

scheduled to be in service soon.

On the 8th we were invited to Patsy's house for dinner and a "Dirty Santa" party. This evening proved as usual to be a lot of fun as we chose a gift only to see it taken. In the end, I think everyone was pleased with their gift.

We supplied refreshments to the members from Mason Cove Rescue who provided manpower during our banquet and we also provided goodies to our duty teams that manned the crew hall Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. In January we stocked the crew hall pantry with staples.

With the prediction of a bad winter we wanted the members to be able to fix a meal when needed while they were on call.

Although, we have not had bad weather, we have stayed busy running calls so the food has already come in handy.

In January we presented the crew with 500 pens. We have done this before and find it a great way to leave

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information at a patient's home. The pens have the crew name and address on them and makes note of the fact that we are volunteers.

During the January Auxiliary meeting we fixed Valentine bags for each of the crew members. The bags contain a Valentine card and candy.

These will be passed out during the crew's February business meeting. We also collected soup and crackers for Senior Citizens which we will deliver to LOA for distribution.

At our January 28th meeting we discussed many upcoming projects. In February we will need to get Barbecue Sauce made for our May 2nd Chicken Barbecue and we need to start thinking about Easter Eggs. We are considering a new flavor and I am anxious to give it a try. We also want to do some upgrades to the kitchen but right now that is just in the pricing stage. We are taking on the monthly task of providing healthy snacks to an area elementary school. This school has many kids who complain of tummy aches when what they need is a snack. This is our "Mrs. Edith" project in memory of Edith Kelley. We are also working on plans for a Crew/ Auxiliary Picnic in June.

Let's all think SPRING, I am ready for it.

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Infectious Disease Response Team Submitted by Thomas McGowan Customer Relations at LifeCare Medial Transports LifeCare Medical Transports is proud to announce that we have partnered with FITRESPONDER Public Safety Fitness, Wellness & Injury Prevention.

The FITRESPONDER Program is a comprehensive program of Injury Prevention, Employee Fitness & Wellness, Risk Reduction, Behavior Modification Training, and Physical Abilities Testing.

When talking about these comprehensive components of the FITRESPONDER program, LifeCare is able to provide our employees with several options and or techniques that will help them in assuring that they are properly stretching, lifting, and taking care of themselves to insure a long and injury free career in EMS. When looking into this program, it came to LifeCare’s attention that most injuries within in EMS are Soft Tissue Related and with Patient and Equipment Handling. This program focuses a lot on the proper Soft Tissue Stretching and Equipment Movement to prevent these injuries from happening.

Pictured: Cpl. David Stanley, Kevin Dillard President, FTO Bobbie Zuggner, Tasha Brown, VP, doing the Hamstring Stretch) Official

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LifeCare has begun encouraging our crew members to do daily stretches prior to and during their shifts. When talking about a lot of the soft tissue stretches, these are stretches that can be done at the ambulance and is called Active VAVRS

Pictured Above— FTO Bobbie Zuggner Chest Stretch Stretching. Active Stretching covers areas such as: Hip Flexor Hamstring Calf Chest Lat and Shoulder LifeCare has developed a program call 4 Stretches, 4 Minutes. This is based on each stretch should be for a minute.

We have provided posters in each of our offices reminding out employees of the four stretches, the Calf & Ankle Glid, Hamstring Wave, Hip Flexor Rotation, and the Thoracic Rotation.

LifeCare offices are also providing additional equipment

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such as foam rollers and tennis balls to allow employees to work on some of their Tissue Mobility and Trigger Points.

The FITRESPONDER Program allows crew members to also have an app on their smart phones to help remind them of the different exercises that can be done.

LifeCare is very pleased to be offering this program to their employees, as a Governor’s Award Winner for Health and Safety it is our goal to continue providing our employees with all resources available to make their jobs safer with the moving of patients.

LifeCare Management learning proper stretching

Pictured AboveJ. Howard Photo on right above is of Captain Mike Passera, who received the organization's most prestigious honor, the Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue Member of the Year Award. He is standing with CVFR President Beth Addington. Story can be found on Page 32 (next page). Photo submitted by Sara Hunt.

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Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue Announces New Officers & Award Winners Capt. Mike Passera named CVFR Member of the Year Submitted by Sara Hunt Spotsylvania, Va. (Jan. 5, 2015) At its annual banquet and awards ceremony on Jan. 3, 2015, Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue (CVFR) kicked off the new year with installation of officers and presenting a number of awards to honor several members for their outstanding performance in 2014. The featured speaker was Capt. Jeff Pearce of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, who praised the organization’s members for being superheroes who are dedicated to serving the citizens of Spotsylvania County.

The organization’s most prestigious award, Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue Member of the Year, is presented to the member who embodies the best of Chancellor in the areas of leadership, dedication, service and excellence. This year’s winner, who was selected in a secret ballot vote by the membership, is Capt. Mike Passera. A CVFR member since 2007, Passera was recognized for serving as a positive role model for new firefighters, being active at covering shifts and always motivating his team at the station.

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Other top award winners included:

The newly installed Operational Officers for 2015 are:

Rookie Firefighter of the Year Gerald Calaway

John Richter- Fire Chief Robert Weber- Deputy Fire Chief Tony Dennis- Asst. Fire Chief Sarah Rees- Rescue Chief Mike Passera- Captain 5 Ryan Passera– Lieutenant 5 William Bryce– Lieutenant 5-1 James Butler– Lieutenant 5-2 Jacob Mahoney– Lieutenant 5-3 Meredith Howdyshell– Rescue Captain 5 Janice Tate – Rescue Lt. 5-1 Heather Breeden – Rescue Lt. 5-2 Janna Roland – Rescue Lt. 10-1 Nick Gilbert – Rescue Lt. 10-2

Firefighter of the Year Brandon Murray Oscar Award Fred Payne, Jr. EMS Rookie of the Year Randi Miles EMS Provider of the Year Nick Gilbert EMS Driver of the Year Amber Smith Honor Guard Mbr. of the Year Dustin Wright with 137 hours Administrative Mbr. of the Year Jessica Dziak President’s Award Mary Padgett Chief’s Award Mike Passera Top EMS Hours Runner Nick Gilbert with 922 hrs.

Top Fire Hours Runner Patrick Edwards with 1,721 hrs.

The newly-installed Administrative Officers for 2015 are: Beth Addington- President Phillip Gouldman- Vice President A.P. Bullock- Secretary Hollie Williams- Treasurer Steven Dove- Board of Directors and Member at Large Connie Reynolds- Board of Directors and Member at Large Kevin Dillard- Administrative Chief VAVRS

“We congratulate Capt. Passera and all of the award winners who were recognized for their dedicated service and achievements over the past 12 months,” said Kevin Dillard, Administrative Chief of Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue. “Thanks to their exemplary efforts, CVFR had a great year in 2014.”

Chief Dillard noted that construction on a new fire station will continue in 2015 and the organization also will look forward to getting some new breathing apparatus and a new radio system this year.

“There are lots of exciting changes coming to Chancellor over the next 12-18 months,” he said.

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EMS Strong is presented by ACEP in partnership with NAEMT

What Is EMS Strong?

What matters more – the stuff on the outside of a uniform, or the stuff on the inside?

Next time you’re getting dressed for work, take an extra moment for a good look in the mirror. What — and whom — do you see looking back at you? Look that person in the eye, take a deep breath, and ask some tough questions: What if today’s shift brings me faceto-face with a mother whose teenage son has hanged himself in the basement? This is a moment she’s going to remember forever.

The way I break the news, the look on my face, my body language – those all matter as much as my words. Am I ready for that?

What if today I find myself with a partner who cuts corners, who drives irresponsibly, whose personal triage system involves treating people differently based on the color of their skin, the shade of their religion, the hue of their sexual orientation? Am I prepared to do what I know is right?

What if today’s shift brings nothing but mundane, routine calls that don’t use my skills or challenge me? Will I be professional and courteous, but nothing more? Or will I find or make opportunities to be the best part of someone’s day?

What if today is the worst shift of my career? What if I find myself utterly exhausted, annoyed, sore, uncertain, discouraged or afraid?

Where will I look for strength when mine is used up?

Now, are you ready for a shock?

The answers to these questions don’t really matter. What matters is that you’re willing to ask them honestly and reflect on what they mean. What matters is acknowledging that sometimes you’re going to come up short, sometimes you’re going to be unsure of yourself, and sometimes Page

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Submit your “EMS Strong” Photo to gdalton@vavrs.com and make plans for 2015 EMS Week Today! even your best isn’t going to be enough, and you’re going to fail. In fact, if you answered those questions easily and with confidence, you’re probably fooling yourself.

What matters is acknowledging that the stuff on the inside of the uniform will never live up to the stuff on the outside. The stuff on the outside is a legend, a myth, a façade. The stuff on the inside is human.

What matters is how you face that realization, and how you balance the human you are with the superhuman the rest of the world expects you to be.

And where the two come together, you’ll find EMS Strong.

EMS Strong is what draws a special few together to do incredibly important work, often under difficult circumstances, and many times with little thanks.

EMS Strong is the bond you share with fellow first responders.

Sometimes that bond is expressed in a silent nod of recognition, and other times it takes the form of war stories shared for the umpteenth time. But it’s always there.

EMS Strong is the knowledge that you’re part of something very special. It’s the belief in something bigger than yourself—bigger than your level of certification, bigger than the color of the patch on your

shoulder or the union card in your wallet.

EMS Strong is the well from which you draw the fortitude to maintain your composure when the going gets tougher than most people can imagine.

EMS Strong is the willingness to keep learning and growing, as an individual and as part of a profession that’s evolving into a true partner in the healthcare continuum.

EMS Strong is what allows people to trust you with their secrets, with their nakedness, with their safety, with their very lives or the lives of their loved ones. It’s also what makes you able to accept the burden of that trust.

EMS Strong is what draws you to help, what empowers you to face danger when others are running away. It’s there in those moments, big and little, when you find out what you’re made of. It’s what makes you proud. It’s what keeps you humble.

EMS Strong is precious, but it doesn’t belong to you. It’s on loan to you, and you need to pay it back with interest for future generations.

EMS Strong is us.

EMS Strong is you.

Now, stop talking to yourself in the mirror. It’s time to get to work. http://www.emsstrong.org/what-is -emsstrong/ March

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VAVRS Vehicle Rescue Awareness and Operations Course January 2015 Submitted by Greg Burton, EMT-E , VAVRS District 1 Asst. VP & Covington RS On January 3rd and 4th, to start the New Year, the Vinton First Aid Crew in Roanoke County hosted a Vehicle Rescue Awareness and Operations class. The lead instructor for the class was Chris Sayre, a

Vinton FAC member who coordinated this as his first class since becoming an instructor at Rescue College in 2014. Assistant instructors were Greg Burton (Covington RS), Kate Burton (Covington RS), and Matthew Hauschildt (Christiansburg RS).

There were 18 students in the class who took part in a lecture session on Saturday morning

L-R Kate Burton, Chris Sayre, Matthew Hauschildt and Greg Burton Official

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and then, after a break for lunch, proceeded to the field where they utilized some of the skills discussed in the power point presentation.

Hydraulic tools, power tools, and hand tools were put to use as students had to stabilize a vehicle on its wheels and then perform maneuvers that may be necessary to gain access to and disentangle a trapped patient. Skills included using wooden cribbing to build 4point stabilization, breaking glass with various hand tools, and making sure the battery was located and disconnected.

Next was what many referred to as the “fun” part of the class; students were able to see and use the hydraulic tools, i.e. the “Jaws of Life” spreader and the O-Cutter, to remove doors and the roof, and to displace the dash. After a hard afternoon of “working” in a cold drizzle, the students were dismissed.

Sunday morning proved to be a breath of fresh air. When (Continued on page 35)

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students arrived at 8:00 am, the early morning temp was already in the middle 40’s with no rain in sight. After being split into teams, and having the same equipment to work with, there would be a new challenge on this day: students now faced the task of doing the same maneuvers as they did on Saturday, but the first vehicle they encountered was found turned up on its side. The students learned how to stabilize a vehicle in this position by using rescue jacks and cribbing. After stabilization was accomplished, the goal was once again to gain access to a trapped patient via door removal, roof removal, etc. The second half of Sunday was more of the same Page

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techniques, only this time, it involved a vehicle resting on its roof. In this scenario, rescuers were introduced to air bags for lifting purposes, as well as being able to use all of the other equipment they had (Continued on page 36)

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thorough cleanup of the equipment used, students were gathered together with instructors to discuss the events of the past two days.

Lessons learned were reviewed,

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already been exposed to, in order to perform a roof removal.

At the end of day, after a

any questions that students had were answered, and a critique of the instructors was conducted. Thanks to VAVRS for providing a trailer full of (Continued on page 37)

Photos submitted by VAVRS Instructor Greg Burton

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tools and equipment; without this equipment, trucks would have to be taken out of service, possibly causing a delay in response to a live call.

Students were urged to attend other VAVRS classes and continue the basic extrication skills learned at their own agencies. Thanks for a great weekend!

Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad is looking to dispose of 2001 16ft Mark VII Zodiac Rescue Boat with center console steering. The boat has a 2001 Tohatsu 50hp Motor Needs repair and motor work.

Send all request for info to rcheif13@loundoun.gov

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Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad's Top Call Runners posed at the squad's annual banquet on Jan. 3, 2015.

Front row, left to right, are Luis Bermudez and Patricia FitzGerald (Top Call Runner); Standing, left to right, are Kaila Worrell, Jamie Little, Chris Kerns, Denise Weaver, Alex Nance, Wesley Melson and Danny Stinson. Not pictured, Charles Bowie.

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Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad Announces Award Winners, Installs Officers for 2015 Pat FitzGerald Named Squad Member of the Year and Top Call Runner Submitted by Sara Hunt Colonial Beach, VA (Jan. 8, 2015) – At its annual banquet on Jan. 3, 2015, Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad kicked off the new year with installation of officers and presenting a number of awards to honor several members for their outstanding performance in 2014. The featured guest speaker was Deputy Chief Ricky Matiak from Caroline County Fire & Rescue.

The squad’s most prestigious award, Squad Member of the Year, went to CBVRS Assistant Chief Patricia “Pat” FitzGerald, who was also the squad’s top call runner in 2014. FitzGerald also won both of these awards at last year’s banquet.

Other top award winners included: Chief’s Service Award Alex Nance Officer of the Year Danny Stinton Stinson Eugenia Urbank Award Artemio and Beatrice Mendez and Atouria Stephens Junior Member of the Year Mackenzie Melson

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Support Team Members of the Year Elta Melson and Kim Melson Hudson-Costenbader Award for Outstanding Support Valerie Ivanyshyn

The Operational Officers for 2015 are: Wesley Melson – Chief Patricia FitzGerald – Asst. Chief Lieutenants: Alex Nance, Danny Stinson, Chris Kerns, Robert Rivenbark

The Administrative Officers for 2015 are: Robert Rivenbark– President Danny Stinton– Vice President Patricia FitzGerald– Treasurer Shelia Monroe– Secretary Carlton Hudson– Member-at-Large Lewis Bowen, Sr.– Member-atLarge Patricia FitzGerald– Member-atLarge

Colonial Beach United Methodist Church Colonial Beach Baptist Church Colonial Beach Police Department Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Department Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department King George Termite and Pest Control

“We congratulate Pat FitzGerald and the other award winners on their outstanding achievements throughout 2014,” said CBVRS Rescue Chief Wesley Melson. “Our squad had a great year in 2014 and we’re anticipating that 2015 will be even better. There are lots of events and activities already planned in the community for 2015.”

The Support Team Officers for 2015 are: Kim Melson– Co-Leader Elta Melson– Co-Leader Patricia FitzGerald– Treasurer Debra Guest- Secretary

Certificates of Appreciation for Outstanding Support and Service were presented to:

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A Look at the 80 Year History of VARS / VAVRS Submitted by Karen D. Wagner In 1935, when Julian Stanley Wise started the Virginia Association of Rescue Squads, one has to wonder what he believed the future of the organization would be. Did he think the VARS would last for a DECADE much less 8 DECADES? If he had to place a bet, would he have risked taking the overwhelming TENTO-ONE odds that faced being a successful business in an unknown environment of emergency medical care?

Welcome to the 80th Annual Conference of the VAVRS. On the next few pages we are going to take you on a journey….a journey back through the DECADES of conventions and notable or not so notable events of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads. We Official

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are taking the odds that TENTO-ONE you will find this journey amazing, amusing, informative and hopefully entertaining. So come along for the ride and enjoy this brief journey….Back to Our Future………

II, no Convention was held in 1945, but the Board of Governors did meet on September 25, 1945 at Virginia Bridge Company to conduct business and elect officers.

The subsequent minutes referred to the 1946 Convention as #11 and not #12.

This numbering system that skipped 1945 continued until the 1980’s when the 1945 meeting was again counted as a Convention. In any event, 2009 marked the 75th meeting of the Board of Governors of the Association, thus in 2014….we celebrate our 80th anniversary.

Before we start…here’s a little history on our annual convention. One of the most interesting facts about the convention history has to do with the numbering of the Conventions. Due to World War

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So buckle your seat belt for Our 1st Decade….. Doc, set the time machine to Sept 29-30, 1944 To all the members of the Virginia Association of Rescue Squads—the 1944 Convention is on! To you, your wives, & sweethearts, we extend a most cordial invitation to attend the 10th Annual Convention of the Virginia Association of Rescue Squads to be held at the George Mason Hotel in Alexandria VA. Please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible: Room with double bed, lavatory, toilet but no bath—$5 per day Room with double bed, toilet and private bath—$6 per day Room with twin beds, toilet and private bath—$8 per day Seven teams registered to complete in the First Aid Contest. Prizes were $50 cash for first place; $25 cash for second place and $15 cash for third.

The Board of Governors meeting began at 8:00pm on Friday night; the entire Association met on Saturday morning starting at 9:00 a.m.

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Don’t miss the viewing of the sound movie “Before the Doctor Comes” which will take place in the auditorium starting at 1100 am on Saturday.

Make sure to attend the new equipment demonstration of the Iron Lung and Life Line throwing apparatus presented by the Jefferson Rescue Squad.

was not occupied by any of the convention attendees.

Nobody wanted to stay in that suite.

The parade was held on Saturday afternoon followed by a social where ladies were required to be escorted or not attend.

The first aid contest was held at 3:00 PM on Saturday.

And finally, get your tickets early for the Convention Dinner and Dance (cost $1.25 per person).

Our 2nd Decade…..Doc, Set the time machine to Sept 23-25, 1954 The 20th Annual Convention was held in Abingdon at the Martha Washington Inn Room cost for the conference was $22.00 per night- today packages at the resort hotel start at $465.00 per night Room 217- believed to be haunted by the Yankee Sweetheart- was reserved for dignitaries, however, it

BOG Meeting held a long discussion on a volunteer rescue squads being formed at town firehouses, one even had an ambulance and 15 volunteers.

Our Silver Anniversary…..Doc, set the time machine to Sept 25, 1959 Welcome to the 25th Anniversary VARS Convention held at General Shelby Hotel in Bristol VA-described as “Bristol’s newest and only fireproof hotel” There were 37 squads present and voting The main point of business was the approval of the (Continued on page 42)

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The 32 parade entries were to “line up at Sears and Roebuck at 6:15 pm.

Participants were invited to attend an informal party following the parade at the Lee Jackson Hotel here parade awards were given out with music and plenty of beer on tap” The most coveted award was the VA Highway Users Association First Aid Awardawarded to Bristol with “a near perfect score”.

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VARS logo (state emblem) was presented and accepted with the cross to be GREEN. (Legend has it this is where “the GREEN coat” was established as the official officer color).

Our 3rd Decade…..Doc, set the time machine for

On Saturday, from noon to 6:00 pm attendees were encouraged to have “lunch on your own, visit the exhibits, visit the historic spots around Winchester, go shopping, visit with a friend, or just relax if you can’t find anything else to do”.

The following treasurers’ report was accepted…..

Our 4th Decade…..Doc, set the

Sept 25-27, 1964

time machine for

The 30th Annual Convention was held at the George Washington Hotel in Winchester VA-and was opened by the Mayor of Winchester giving the Key to the City to VARS president, Kimball Glass.

Sept 5-7, 1974

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The 40th Annual VAVRS Convention was held in Roanoke.

The registration desk welcomed 1411 attendees to the conference.

A resolution was passed to build a state office for the VAVRS and “hire a secretary who could help the president maintain the day to day correspondences” of the VAVRS

VAVRS.

The pouring rain canceled the Friday night parade…”however we would like to thank all the great groups that served the “beer” at our Friday night affair.

A motion was made and tabled for a later date to establish a membership status for associate members. More information was needed to find out why they wanted to join if they were not actually answering calls.

The VAVRS state Chaplain Bennie T. Rice passed away suddenly one week after this convention….at convention he spoke of his faith in God and the dedication of his family to the Christian way of life….”I am on my way to a greater life because I have a greater love and the rest of my life will be the best of my life because the test of my life Is God’s love”.

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Death Benefit Plan.

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Our 5th Decade and Gold Anniversary….Doc, set the time

A lengthy discussion was held on the future plans for the state training center which was to be located in Lynchburg. This project was abandoned several years later due to conflicts among ownership.

Our 7th Decade…..Doc, set the

The Friday night parade lasted 1.5 hours followed by the social and dance, where it was reported that water from the men’s restroom spilled over into the dance floor….No one saw anything happen.

The 70th Annual was held at the VA Beach Hotel and Conference Center in VA Beach. “A little over 1950 persons attended the convention”.

machine for Sept 27-29, 1984 The 50th Anniversary Convention of the VAVRS was held at the Hotel Roanoke, in Roanoke VA. Full registration (included banquet tickets) for the convention was $25.00 per person, Partial registration was $15.00 per person.

There were so many teams signed up the EMT competitions were held at the Roanoke Civic Center There was a total of 141 awards given out 2400 registrants attended the event….with 138 squad delegates voting Motion was passed to issue 2 association flags to each District VP so they could be given to family of deceased members of the VAVRS

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The past presidents dinner became an annual event to be held at each convention thereafter.

Our 6th Decade…..Doc, set the time machine for Sept 28- Oct 1, 1994 The 60th Annual Convention of the VAVRS was held at the VA Beach.

2391 persons attended the convention After a lengthy discussion the BOG’s voted to support the continuance of the To the Rescue Exhibit. The contract with the Roanoke History/Transportation Museum was extended to May 31, 1995 to allow the JS Wise foundation to locate a new facility to house the exhibit. The exhibit was moved to a store front in a shopping mall.

time machine for Sept 22-25, 2004

18 hours of Cat 1 CE seminars were added to the selection of activities convention participants could attend The Rescue Ranger made his first official public appearance flanked by the “Hooters Girls” in the Friday Night Parade As a result of a vote held at the Spring BOG, the Friday night social was abandoned and no longer held at convention to help reduce expenses and prevent an increase in the registration fee It was reported that 426 certifications were issued at the 2004 Rescue College It was reported that as a result of the BOG action at Spring BOG meeting, the VAVRS State Office and Training Center was (Continued on page 44)

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updated with the addition of new AV equipment in the downstairs training room.

We’ve come a long way through some of the history over the past 80 years of the VAVRS, but now it’s time to go back, BACK TO OUR FUTURE IN 2014……

In 1953 Colonial Beach Rescue Squad was the first squad in the state to allow women to run as full members….. In 2014 it is estimated that 55.4% of Virginia’s EMS workforce are female.

In 1969 the BOG’s voted to expel a squad from membership because they had paid members…..in 2014 it is estimated that over 78% of our current membership has or utilizes paid staff to meet their service needs.

In 1972 the VAVRS lobbied the General Assembly to approve “RS” license tags for squad member vehicles; in 2014 JC Phillips still has the honor of owning the tag “RS 1” and it is displayed on his car to this date.

In 1975 a resolution was approved to divide District 4 into 2 districts making a new District 10….effective Official

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Sept 2014, the BOG’s voted to dissolve District 4 and merge it into District 10 In 1984, the association voted not to support a bill in the general assembly that would allow agencies to turn in expenses incurred from answering calls for vehicle crashes to insurance companies for reimbursement….in 2014 the VAVRS provides training and support to help member agencies develop fee for service/revenue recovery programs as a smart business practice and method to reach financial stability Well here it is 2014 and as a result of the vision and leadership of JS Wise, and the continued professionalism that has been carried on by each of the Presidents of our unique service organization, today we celebrate 8 DECADES of unification, 80 years against all odds. Through our nations’ war, changes in leadership, changes of our name, the development of the Office of EMS, the addition of paid providers, and billing for services we are proudly standing tall because through it all the VAVRS continued to focus on being….

THE VOICE OF EMS…. the advocate for Virginia’s EMS agencies and providers. We link members and agencies VAVRS

for the purpose of sharing ideas; we give them 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 can come to the VAVRS. When our members need assistance from leadership to planning budgets they come to the VAVRS. We help the rescue squads throughout the Commonwealth thrive and succeed so that they can provide prompt, effective patient care to the communities that they serve.

So what will the future hold?

What impact will VAVRS make on the EMS system in the next 80 years? Whatever the future embraces, one thing for certain, we will do it together.

Like Marty McFly stated….”I guess you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it”……Thanks Julian Wise for having the vision, accepting the odds, and setting the path for the VAVRS to be the key that unlocks the doors of EMS service.

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Infectious Disease Response Team Submitted by Thomas McGowan Customer Relations at LifeCare Medial Transports As the threat of the Ebola virus rocked the US and Countries abroad, LifeCare instituted a number of practices and protocols to combat the threat head on.

While preparing our own employees to properly manage

the threat of Ebola and other infectious diseases, LifeCare stood ready to assist other jurisdictions and EMS agencies, should the need arise to transport a patient diagnosed or suspected of having Ebola.

LifeCare employed a comprehensive approach to managing the Ebola crisis. This included modifying call-taking procedures for dispatch and call-center staff as well as modifying protocols for field operations.

Infectious Disease Response team practicing how to properly suit up.

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One of the most significant accomplishments of LifeCare’s plans included the creation and implementation of an Infectious Disease Response Team training in donning and doffing personal protective equipment, training in infectious disease transmission, and were fit-tested for a NIOSH approved N95 mask.

Team members are made up of providers from various regions of the state and include both basic (BLS) and advanced (ALS) life support providers. Team members

are on-call and available to respond to various parts of the state when requested.

LifeCare has worked with regional partners, EMS agencies, and hospitals to coordinate an effective, efficient and methodical approach to appropriately handle patients diagnosed with or suspected of carrying the Ebola virus.

As a regional and state award winner for Health & Safety in EMS, LifeCare is committed to mitigating the threat of infectious diseases through concentrated efforts, forward thinking, and a strong drive to enhance to the emergency medical services industry.

March

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April

2015

Dear Rescue Ranger Dear Rescue Ranger, The other night we ran a call and during my patient assessment I was listening to lung sounds and heard a “swooshing or a swimming” sound in the right lung. I reported it to Medical Control and after dropping off the patient I called back to the ER and they shared with me that the patient had aspirated a small orange fish into their right lung and they were able to remove it surgically. Pretty unusual don’t you think?

K D W Dear Karen, Not that unusual. Medically it is called Nemo-Thorax.

her purse out, removed a coin and started tossing the coin in the air and marking the answer sheet: true for heads and false for tails. Within ten minutes she is all done, whereas the rest of the class is still working furiously. During the last few minutes, I saw her desperately throwing the coin, swearing and sweating. I was alarmed, approached her and asked what was happening. She said, "I finished the exam in a half hour, and since I had more time left, I'm rechecking my answers."

Dear Rescue Ranger, Where has Bubby been lately?

We have not seen him and you have not talked about him.

Big Maggie Dear Maggie, He is in Rehab. It is not what you think. He dislocated his shoulder when he tripped over a cordless phone!

Dear Rescue Ranger, How is your EMT class going?

Sam Dear S. Meade, I thought it was OK until the other night I gave a test. All the questions were true or false and one of the students took her seat in the classroom, stared at the question paper for five minutes, and then in a evidently fit of inspiration took Official

Publication

of

the

obtain: A water proof towel A solar-powered flashlight Submarine screen door A book on how to read An inflatable dart board A dictionary index An ejector seat for a helicopter Powdered water A pedal powered wheel chair Waterproof tea bags

Dear Rescue Ranger, Several of the squad members were attending an EVOC class that Bubby taught. To be honest he did a pretty good job. But I think I caught him in a lie. He claims he invented the highway traffic cone. Is that true?

Doug Dear Mr. Eberhardt You are correct. That is a lie.

Bubby did not invent the highway traffic cone but he has destroyed a few. He is an inventor of sorts but none of them worked out. Here is the list of patents he tried to VAVRS

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January

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February

2015

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 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 80th Anniversary