LTS EMS AWARD WINNERS - 2008
Lycoming County Dispatcher of the Year (Mike Holdren)
Mike has been employed by the Lycoming County Communications Center for 15 years. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of computer aided dispatch for the Lycoming County 911 Center. During this complicated process, Mike worked as a liaison between township officials, fire chiefs, and our EMS Services to assure a smooth transition to this new system. Because this was a very time-consuming process and at times very frustrating, Mike was patient and responsive to the questions and needs of our field providers as he integrated new responses protocols for ALS into the system. For this accomplishment, the Lycoming County Dispatcher of the year was presented to Mike Holdren.
Lycoming County EMT of the Year (Elizabeth Treese)
The Lycoming County EMT of the Year was presented to an individual who began her career as a volunteer with a number of services within the county, and is now a career EMT with Susquehanna Regional EMS. She was nominated by a number of the prehospital supervisors for her compassion not only towards her patients, but her peers as well. She is a genuine caregiver who in the face of adversity caring for her ailing father who recently passed away, continued to maintain her positive attitude and professionalism as well as pursuing her further education as well.
Lycoming County Paramedic of the Year (Mike Seiler)
The Lycoming County Paramedic of the Year Award was presented to a medic who has been not only active in pursuing advanced training in Paramedicine but has shown great leadership assisting the LTS EMS Strike Team develop standard operating guidelines and policies. Before moving to his current employer, he was the Assistant EMS Chief with the Jersey Shore Area EMS where he was responsible for QA, scheduling and supervising the ALS and BLS staff. He is described as a very important EMS resource and very “techno-savvy” by his supervisors, and has assisted his current employer, the Susquehanna Regional EMS in many projects. In addition to his duties as a staff paramedic, he also serves as a Special Response Paramedic with the Williamsport Police Special Response Team.
Lycoming County Rescue Technician of the Year (Steve Wilson)
The Lycoming County Rescue Technician of the Year award was presented to an individual who entered the system at 14 as a junior member with the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company. At 16 he became an EMT and by the age of 18 was fully qualified as a fire, rescue, and EMS Provider. He served as Captain and Assistant Chief before moving to Montoursville where he currently serves as Assistant Chief as well. Currently he is a Susquehanna Health Paramedic, preceptor, platoon chief and director of operations and non-invasive cardiology supervisor, as well as working part-time as a LifeFlight medic. He is a member of Task Force 80 and is a rescue and medical specialist for PA’s USAR Squad 2. He is a State Fire Academy instructor for vehicle rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, rope and other rescue programs. He possesses his bachelor degree in Applied Health Studies and is currently enrolled in a Masters Program. He is credentialed by the National ProBoards in several disciplines including Firefighter II, Instructor I, Rescue General Requirements and Vehicle Machinery Tech. He actively shares his knowledge by teaching local level classes and through his leadership with his volunteer department.
Lycoming County EMS Instructor of the Year (Brady Breon)
Our EMS Instructor of the Year has served in Emergency Services for over 20 years as an EMT, Street Medic, Flight Medic, Instructor, Fire Chief, EMS Chief, and is now a full-time faculty member for the School of Health Sciences Paramedic Program at Penn College. He has been a long time instructor of basic and advanced cardiac life support, PALS, EMT and Paramedic training, and has just obtained his ITLS instructor credentials. His students have described his instructional style as unique, often acting out scenarios; one in particular was a recent geriatrics practical where he painted his hair white to act out various medical conditions. Our instructor of the Year not only places great importance on education for his students, but himself as well. He has completed his Bachelor of Health Arts, and is now completing the requirements for his Masters of Healthcare Administration.
Lycoming County Volunteer of the Year (Chuck Kiessling)
Each year we receive nominations for so many worthwhile and deserving providers, it is often very difficult to choose the winners, however sometimes there is a nomination for an individual who has contributed so much to their community that they don’t seem to fall solely into one category. In 2008 we are recognizing an individual who has been actively involved in the Lycoming County EMS Council for many years. His commitment to patient care and prevention activities within the entire county are unmatched. He has served as the ambulance captain of his department for over 15 years and was an Emergency Room Nurse for 28 years before accepting a position as a Flight Nurse for Lifeflight. As the Lycoming County Coroner, he initiated a Child Death Review Team to assess and mitigate preventable causes of child deaths and actively participates in the High School SADD programs. He has also coordinated a number of Forensic Programs specifically focused for preparing EMS providers to work with investigative agencies on crime scenes. An EMT for over 30 years and EMS Instructor, the Lycoming County Department of Public Safety wish to presented a special Volunteer of the Year Award to Chuck Kiessling.
Ambulance Service of the Year Awards were presented by EMS Field Coordinator Darla Krotzer
Over the past year, every Ambulance Service in our three county region have spent many countless hours serving you and the public - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Typically the public sees the lights and hear the sirens. What they do not see are the countless hours spent behind the scene with continuing education and training; making certain the documentation for the DOH is complete, accurate and submitted on time; checking and cleaning the equipment and apparatus; recordkeeping; recruiting new EMT’s – only to mention a few of the responsibilities necessary to keep a service compliant and operational. In the short time I have been in my position as EMS Field Coordinator for the Region, I have had the opportunity to visit many of these services I speak so highly of and can tell you, each is a service their communities and personnel can be very proud of.
Each year, every ambulance service is invited to participate in the Ambulance Service of the Year Award. The criteria used to evaluate each service is quite comprehensive of the responsibilities required of the service – evaluation of trained personnel, response times, staffing, equipment, documentation, providing public education and sponsoring continuing education programs.
This year, the Tioga County Ambulance Service of the Year Award was presented to a service that has shown exemplary dedication to the community they service and the personnel they staff. The 2008 Tioga County Award was presented to Valley Community Ambulance Association
This year, the 2008 Lycoming County Ambulance Service of the Year Award was presented to a service that has also shown exemplary dedication to the community they service and the personnel they staff, the Clinton Twp. VFD Ambulance Service.
Not only is there an Ambulance Service of the Year award given to a service in each county, but there is also an award presented to an outstanding service in the LTS region. While the final scoring was very close and any one of the services we inspected this year could easily have won the award, this year the 2008 Ambulance Service Award for the Region was presented to Clinton Twp. VFD Ambulance Service.
Kline A. Dewire Memorial EMS Lifetime Achievement Award - Timothy Shumbat
The recipient of the first Kline A. DeWire Memorial EMS Lifetime Achievement Award was given to an individual who has been an instrumental leader of the Lycoming County EMS Community for much of the last 30 years. From his beginning as an EMT with the Old Lycoming Twp. Volunteer Fire Company, through his nearly 28 years as a Paramedic, his total focus has been on the delivery of quality patient care. This individual’s leadership goes much deeper than his advocacy for high quality EMS care. His inspirational teaching of countless providers in the Region and across the Commonwealth have touched more lives that we can ever know.
Sharing Kline’s philosophy of the importance of education, our recipient has spent thousands of hours throughout his emergency services career training in all aspects of Fire, Rescue, Hazardous Materials, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Emergency Medical Services. He is also one of our most active instructors of EVOC.
In an address that Kline gave a few years ago, he shared what he believed to be the most important qualities of an EMS Provider; a loving heart, a gentle hand, strength of character, compassion, understanding, patience, and a giving nature. Our recipient possesses all of these qualities and more. If Kline were with us today, and he were able to choose the first recipient of this award, he would no doubt, and without hesitation, cast his vote of support for his friend, his co-worker, his fellow volunteer, his mentor, and his partner in so many ways, Tim Shumbat.