Thursday, March 28, 2024

Greater Wenatchee EMS Council honors EMS award recipients, encourages everyone to be prepared to save a life

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Wenatchee - On May 26, 2019 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Providers from a variety of EMS agencies gathered in Pybus Market, Wenatchee, WA for the annual EMS awards presentation. Greater Wenatchee EMS Council and Dr. Lance Jobe, EMS Medical Director for Chelan/Douglas Counties presented the awards. Honorable Speaker Clyde Ballard also presented opening remarks that started the awards with EMS history in the region.

• Five EMS providers received clinical excellence awards in recognition of their superior patient care skills, for being an effective advocate for patients and their families, for working with peers to foster a positive work environment, and for demonstrating professionalism in interacting with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.

• Nani Island, a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician with Waterville Ambulance received the Volunteer EMT of the Year Award for clinical excellence who shows  superior patient care, is an effective advocate for patients and their families, works with peers to foster a positive work environment, and demonstrates professionalism in interacting with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.

• Ron Evensen, an Emergency Medical Technician with Ballard Ambulance for 44 years was awarded the EMT of the Year Award for clinical excellence who shows superior patient care, is an effective advocate for patients and their families, works with peers to  foster a positive work environment, and demonstrates professionalism in interacting with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.

• Johnny Rebel, a Paramedic with Lifeline Ambulance, received the Paramedic of the Year Award for clinical excellence who shows superior patient care, is an effective advocate for patients and their families, works with peers to foster a positive work environment, and demonstrates professionalism in interacting with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.

• Ray Eickmeyer, an Paramedic and EMS Director with Lake Chelan Community  Hospital-EMS, was honored with the Administrator of the Year Award for his exemplary  EMS leadership through noteworthy contribution to local, regional, or statewide EMS system with the regions first community paramedicine program, who is an advocate for patients and community, who actively works with other agencies to foster a positive teamwork approach, and is committed to EMS progression to improve patient care and community health received.

• Brian Slater, a Paramedic/MSO with Lifeline Ambulance, received the Darrel C. Kirking EMS Educator of the Year Award. For his efforts in brining high quality education and training to the providers of the Greater Wenatchee area.

EMS Agency awards
were presented to:
• Manson Fire Department (CCFD#5) received the Best BLS Cardiopulmonary  Resuscitation Skills of the Year Award having outperformed all other EMS agencies in Chelan/Douglas Counties during the High-Performance CPR skills testing completed by  the GW EMS Council’s Quality Improvement Officer for both team and individual performance.
• Lifeline Ambulance received the Best ALS Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skills of the Year Award having outperformed all other EMS agencies in Chelan/Douglas Counties during the High-Performance CPR skills testing completed by the GW EMS Council’s Quality Improvement Officer for both team and individual performance.

Special recognition:
• Dr. Lance Jobe received an award for 20 years of continuous service as Medical Program Director (MPD) for Chelan/South Douglas Counties. The longest serving MPD in the history of Chelan/Douglas Counties.

The GWEMS Council also recognized EMS providers from several agencies for their contribution in  saving the life of a patient in 2018 who experienced an out of hospital cardiac arrest. Those receiving a  Lifesaving Award for a successful resuscitation in 2018 include:
Ballard Ambulance
• Mike Battis, Shawn Ballard, Leilani DiPaula, Nick Segalini, Mike Bell, Stan Harrison, Dan Craig, Evan Akland, Mitchell McAuslan, Alex Jimenez, Garrett Stevens, Gage Island, Tyler Nicklos, Natalie Renick, Kyle Beattie, Kylar McPherson, Jason Satterfield, Erin Adams, and John Gallip, with Ballard Ambulance;
Cascade EMS
• Mike Ing-Moody, Ben Bricker, and Zach Robinson with Cascade EMS;
Cashmere Fire Department
• Cy Sousley, Jason Satterfield, Justin Parker, Gavin Burnett, Peter Graf, Tyee Zacher, Jake Sousley, and Jim Newberry, with Cashmere Fire Department.
Chelan County
Fire District #1
• Cary Nue, Jordan Kunz, Andy Davidson, Bryson Waller, Chris Fuentes, Jon Brown, Chris Paul,  Clint Webley, Matt Rise, Lyle Stewart, Kenny Sebeck, Dustin Armitage, Trystan Brender, Rick McBride, Dave Noble, Jerry Lopez, Josh Seal, Stephanie Preheim, Darin Radcliffe, Randy Shull, Gavin Burnett, Kayden Agidius, Eric Rice, Kelly Lindermann, Joe Monahan, Cy Sousley, Blake  Larson, and Austin Flemens with Chelan County Fire District #1;

Chelan County
Fire District #3
• Dan Elderidge, Garrett Collier, and Tim Bowen with Chelan County Fire District #3;
Chelan County
Fire District #6
• Phil Moser, Trish Schmitten, Sam Tall, and Robert Turner with Chelan County Fire District #6;

Chelan County
Fire District #7
• Shawn Sherman, Joe Cox, Judy Johnson, James Park, Eric Sanderson, Steve Saugen, Tyee Zacher, Troy Keene, Brandon Asher, Sam Belsky, Adam Jones, Taylor Rains, Austin Yancey,  and Mark Donnell with Chelan County Fire District #7;

Chelan County
Fire District #8;
• Brandon Asher, Brian Asher, Mike Bell, Doug Eisenhard, Adam Jones, Chuck Westcott, Tyler Westcott, Blake Pipkin, Stacey Barker, Kevin Cox, Mark Ward, Lee Jones, and Jody Casey with Chelan County Fire District #8;
Douglas County Fire District #1
• Dale Jordan, Jesses Keith, James Long, Jeffery Rock, Jacob Stibal, and Gary Mullendore with  Douglas County Fire District #1;

Douglas County Fire District #2
• Herb King, Carter Welch, Kyle Bowles, Colton Sackman, Carter Welch, Billy Turner, Josh Barns, JP Sokolowski, Jacob Toevs, Brent Kiggins, Rafael Martinez, Seth Ellis, Mitchell Williams, Nathaniel Betancourt, Josh Bollinger, Lauren Baltrusch, Shane Flatness, and Anthony Stone, with Douglas County Fire District #2;

Douglas County
Fire District #4
• Scott Carter and Isidro Sanchez with Douglas County Fire District #4;
Lake Chelan Community Hospital EMS
• Kurt Middleton, James Ashmore, Tom Smith, Brandon Fogelson, Mistaya Johnston, Dane Becker, Cendie Dietrich, and John Steiner with Lake Chelan Community Hospital EMS;
LifeLine Ambulance
• Brian Slater, Matt Canny, Raymond Salazar, Julia Anderson, Scott McBride, Johnny Rebel, Scout Kutschara, Taylor Morrow, Aaron Jacobs, and Tanner Long, from LifeLine Ambulance;
Waterville Ambulanc
• Nani Island and Ann Lewis, from Waterville Ambulance.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) stats

During the awards ceremony, Dr. Jobe and Ray Eickmeyer also presented statistical information regarding the outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Chelan/Douglas as compared to state and national outcomes and discussed opportunities for improvement.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 300,000 OHCA events occur each  year in the United States. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating, and death quickly follows if a normal heart beat is not started again within minutes.

In the first few minutes following OHCA, swift implementation of five critical actions, known as the "chain of survival", can substantially increase the chances of survival.

1) Early or rapid activation of EMS by calling 911,
2) Early initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),
3) Early defibrillation or application and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED),
4) Early access to advanced life support by EMS providers, and
5) Early post-resuscitative care.

The first two can be initiated by anyone, and the 3rd if an AED is available.

Survival rates vary widely across the United States. The likelihood of surviving an OHCA is about 10% according to America Heart Association. In 2011, EMS agencies throughout Chelan and most of Douglas counties, instituted a new approach to resuscitation, which utilizes a precisely choreographed approach to minimize interruptions in compressions while emphasizing the importance of the basic concepts of chest compressions. We believe this has significantly improved survival from OHCA in Chelan and Douglas Counties. This approach is most effective when at least 6-10 EMT’s are able to respond to the 911 call.

In 2018, in Chelan/Douglas Counties, the survival rate for persons with a witnessed arrest and shockable  rhythm was 53.8%, this was one of the highest survival rate in all of Washington State. For all cardiac arrests in Chelan/Douglas counties in 2018, the survival to discharge from the hospital was 22%, significantly better than the national rate of 10%. The second link in the chain of survival is early CPR.

In 2018, citizens initiated CPR in Chelan/Douglas Counties 58.6% of the time. Citizens play an important role in survival of early CPR.

Learn how to perform CPR

To improve the survival for patients suffering an OHCA in Chelan/Douglas Counties, the GWEMS Council is encouraging everyone living or working in Chelan/Douglas Counties to learn how to perform CPR by the end of the year. This can be accomplished by taking a formal CPR class or watching a video on the reliable website like the American Heart Association (www.heart.org).
During recent years, changes in the CPR guidelines, including the adoption of hand-only CPR has been proven effective and important. Anyone who hasn’t taken a class recently is encouraged to take another class.

Early defibrillation provided by the application and use of an AED is another critical link in the chain of survival. Therefore, the GWEMS Council is encouraging larger businesses to consider purchasing an AED that could be used to help save the life of someone suffering an OHCA. Businesses who own or purchase an AED are required, under RCW 70.54, to notify the local EMS system of the existence of the AED and its location.

For more information about the Public Access Defibrillation program, including how to register or obtain medical oversight of an AED, contact The Greater Wenatchee EMS Council at  gwemscouncil@gmail.com.
 

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