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EAST Ambulance kicks off Emergency Medical Services Week

Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
EAST Ambulance executives hosted a celebration to kick off Emergency Medical Services Week Sunday afternoon, serving a cookout lunch as well as offering continuing education classes for EAST employees and EMS professionals from the Leesburg Fire Department.

Based in Leesburg, EAST Ambulance is “a progressive private medical transportation service offering emergency and non-emergency advanced life support,” according to their website. The company’s services include advanced life support, basic life support, paramedic intercepts and bariatric services, along with pediatric advanced life support (PALS), advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS), vent transports and BiPAP.

Leesburg mayor Freddie Snyder and Highland County Chamber of Commerce board chair Lynn Stevens, as well as EAST Ambulance leaders and employees, were on hand as Snyder proclaimed May 15-21 as Emergency Medical Services Week Sunday afternoon.

The proclamation read: “Whereas, emergency medical services is a vital public service; and whereas, the members of emergency medical services teams are ready to provide lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and whereas, access to quality emergency care dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury; and whereas, the emergency medical services system consists of first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, educators, administrators, emergency nurses, emergency physicians and others; and whereas, the members of emergency medical services teams, whether career or volunteer, engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their lifesaving skills; whereas, it is appropriate to recognize the value and the accomplishments of emergency medical services providers by designating Emergency Medical Services Week.

“Therefore, I, Freddie Snyder, Mayor of the Village of Leesburg, Ohio, in recognition of this event do hereby proclaim the week of May 15-21, 2016 as Emergency Medical Services Week. With the theme, ‘Called to Care,’ I encourage the community to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.”

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Members of EAST’s executive leadership team in attendance included CEO Dave Haines and his wife, Carolyn; executive vice president Bruce Stewart; vice president of sales and marketing Jodi Jackson; director of operations Michael Norman; and ALS coordinator Nicole Lehrman. Medical director Dr. David Hill was also present for the celebration.

Despite the chilly weather, many employees and guests enjoyed the festivities, including a cookout and games, such as volleyball, corn hole and ring toss.

“We want to do this every year,” Norman said. “We are also celebrating all week long, with cookouts throughout the week for our employees.”

In addition to recreation, continuing education classes were offered for EAST employees and other EMS professionals in attendance.

Norman said that the continuing education courses included skill challenge stations for EMS, trauma assessments and medical assessments, for which EMS professionals could receive State of Ohio continuing education credits.

For young ones curious about emergency medical services, children were invited to attend first aid and CPR demonstrations.

“This event was to thank our staff and all EMS professionals,” Jackson said. “We will be honoring them all week to show our appreciation.”

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