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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-08-2002 - 5c ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May8.2002 Action Agen a Item No. _SUBJECT: EMS Wel Recognition of EMS Agencies'Achievements DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: EMS Week Proclamation Kent McKenzie, e#3030 4129/02 Memo from Emergency Medical Services Director TELEPHONE NUMBERS: List of Integral EMS Agencies Hillsborough 7324181 Chapel Hill 9684601 Durham 688.7331 Mebane 336.22T4K131 PURPOSE: To proclaim the week of May 19 through 25,2002 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS)Week in Orange County and also m recognize the achievements of various emergency medical service agencies in Orange County. BACKGROUND: Governor Michael F. Easley will proclaim the week of May l9-25, 2002 as Emergency Medical Services Week in North Carolina, in recognition of the dedicated professionals that provide emergency services to the citizens of this state. The Emergency Medical Services System in Orange County includes Telecommunicatars, First Responders, Law Enforcement Officers, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Nurses, Doctors, Volunteers and Employees of Orange EMS and Rescue Squad, County Staff,the UNC Hospitals Emergency Department, the Carolina Aii-Care program, the Universlry Department of Emergency Medicine, and various private antarpnses. The Orange County Emergency Medical Services responded to more then 9,200 reported emergencies last year, providing medical assessment,treatment, and ambulance transportation when medically necessary. Orange County EMS also provides Injury prevention through a variety of public educagon projects, including the nationally recognized "Welcome to the World" home safety program, a joint in"dive with the Health Department and the Orange County Partnership for Young Children. Representatives from various Orange County emergency medical service agencies will be present at this meeting so the BOCC may recognize and present certificates of appreciation to those organizations. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with approval of the proclamation and recognition of the Emergency Medical Services System agencies. z RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the proclamation designating the week of May 19-25, 2902 as Emergency Medical Services Week In Orange County, In recognition of the many dedicated men and women that daily serve the citizens and visitore of Orange County, and that the Board recognize and honor personnel who are affiliated with the Individual agdncles that collectively operate within the Orange County Emergency Medical Services System. 3 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A PROCLAMATION EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK May 19 through May 25,2002 WHEREAS, Governor Michael F. Easley will proclaim the week of May 19 through May 25, 2002 as Emergency Medical Services Week in North Carolina, and WHEREAS, The Emergency Medical Service in Orange County is a complex system Involving Telecommunicalora, First Responders, Law Enforcement Officers, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Nurses, Doctors,Volunteers and Employees of Orange EMS and Rescue Squad, County Staff,the UNC Hospitals Emergency Department,the UNC AirCare program, and various private enterprises, and WHEREAS, The cinders of Orange County benefit daily from the dedicated efforts, knowledge, and skills of this team of emergency services personnel, and WHEREAS, The cNZens of Orange County support the emergency services and their efforts to improve the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury,and WHEREAS, The Orange County Board of Commissioners publicly acknowledge their support and appreciation to all the members of the Orange County Emergency Medical Services System, NOW. THEREFORE,we the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim the week of May 19 through May 25, 2002, as EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK and encourage all citizens of Orange County to continue to support their EMS system. This the r day of May, 2002 Barry Jambs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners Q MEMORANDUM To: Rod Visser,Assistant County Manager From: Kent McKenzie, Emergency Medical Services Director Date: April 29, 2002 Re: Recognition of EMS Performance Achievements From time to time, personnel in the Orange County Emergency Medical Service System are privileged b have the opportunity,to use their extensive training and equipment m make a real difference in the Ills of a resident or visitor. In many cases, the caring and compassionate work done by personnel in the system is overlooked. In a few rare instances, individual citizens or visitors provide letters or phone calls expressing their gratitude to specific EMS personnel and to the system at large. Sometimes, by design or providence, personnel are able to revive persons who have suffered complete cardiac and respiratory arrest;that is, people who are clinically dead, A letter from the family of one such person, a young man just 19 years aid,was circulated to the BOCC in the recent past. This young man suffered a cane iec arrest just before Christmas of 2000, and Orange County's Emergency Medical Services System was activated. On that chilly December day, telecommunicators,firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians. nurses,and physicians within the system were all involved in caring for this young man and his family. As a result of Me coordinated work of this professional team, his heartbeat was restored and the young man now has Me rest M his life to look forward to It is important to recoi that while the actions of the specific people who revived this young man did save his life,their actions do not make those individual team members more valuable or honorable Man others In the system. All members of the system are capable of providing care that makes a difference in an Individual's life,and it is important to recognize all members of Orange County's Emergency Medical Services System. Media coverage of last Septembers terrorist attacks focused public attention on the specific acts of courage that occurred during responses to those events. Although the publics focus has been on those responders who died doing theirjobs, many other admirable acts of courage by emergency services personnel across the country and around Me word go unwknessed and unrecognized every day. During the annual national Emergency Medical Services week, all citizens are encouraged to remember and thank the many personnel who stand In service around Me world. To specifically recognize some of the many Emergency Medical Services personnel in Orange County at the BOCC's May 8, 2002 meeting, staff from the coul Department of Emergency Management Services will identify personnel from varicus EMS system agencies for recognition and for presentation of certificates of appreciation to the agenues. Integral Emi Medical 5 Caldwell Fire Department Carrbom Fire Department Cedar Grove Fire Department Chapel Hill Fire Department Eno Fire Department Hillsborough/Orange Rural Fire Department Mebane Fire Department New Hope Fire Department North Chatham Fire Department Orange County Emergency Management Communications Division Orange County Emergency Management Emergency Medical Services Division Orange EMS & Rescue Squad, Inc. Orange Grove Fire Department University of North Carolina Hospitals White Cross Fire Department As each agency name is called, members of that department will stand and remain standing while a representative coming forward to receive a certificate of appreciation.