everyday heroes: maine ems week

Maine Emergency Medical Services:

Available and ready to helpMaine Emergency Medical ServicesDirector: Jay BradshawAddress: 152 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0152Phone: (207) 626-3860Fax: (207) 287-6251Email: [email protected] EMS Medical Director: Matt Sholl, MD, Maine ACEPAssistant State EMS Medical Director: Steve Diaz, MD

Region 1: Southern Maine EMS Online: www.smems.orgAddress: 474 Riverside Industrial Parkway

Portland ME 04103Phone: (207) 741-2790Fax: (207) 741-2158Email: [email protected] Director: Marlene Cormier, MDCoordinator: Donnell Carroll

Region 2: Tri County EMS Online: www.tricountyems.orgAddress: 300 Main Street

Lewiston, ME 04240Phone: (207) 795-2880Fax: (207) 795-2883Email: [email protected] or

[email protected] Director: Rebecca Chagrasulis MDCoordinator: Joanne LeBrun

Region 3: Kennebec Valley EMS Online: www.kvems.orgAddress: 71 Halifax Street

Winslow, ME 04901Phone: (207) 877-0936Fax: (207) 872-2753Email: [email protected] Director: Timothy Pieh MDCoordinator: Rick Petrie

Region 4: Northeastern Maine EMS Online: www.northeastems.orgAddress: 354 Hogan Road

Bangor, ME 04401Phone: (207) 974-4880Fax: (207) 974-4879Email: [email protected] Medical Director: Jonathan Busko MDCoordinator: Rick Petrie

Region 5: Aroostook EMS Online: www.reg5ems.orgAddress: 111 High Street, Suite 1

Caribou, ME 04736Phone: (207) 492-1624Fax: (207) 492-1624Email: [email protected] Director: Dr. Peter GothCoordinator: Steven D. Corbin, EMT-B

Region 6: Mid-Coast EMS Online: www.midcoastems.orgAddress: Thompson Community Center,

P.O. Box 610, Union, ME 04862Phone: (207) 785-5000Fax: (207) 785-5002E-Mail: [email protected] Director: Whitney Randolph DOCoordinator: Bill Zito

May 15 to May 21, 2011From dispatchers to first responders,

firefighters to emergency medical service professionals, Maine’s communities are safer

because neighbors are caring for neighbors.

Large Cover photo: Anne Jordan, former commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, presents the American flag to the family ofAllan Parsons, a paramedic killed in the line of duty on July 5, 2007 (Photo provided by Maine EMS).

This special section was produced for Maine EMS by the following Bangor Daily News staff:Cover Design: Chris Quimby; Advertising sales: Linda Hayes; Editorial and Layout: Debra Bell, Sheila Grant, Bangor Daily News file reportsand HeartSafe Communities; Photography: Debra Bell, Brian Swartz, Bangor Daily News file photos, as well as provided images. If you have anon-profit organization or business with a special message to share, please contact Michael Kearney at the Bangor Daily News, (207) 990-8212.

2 | MAINE EMS: EVERYDAY HEROES | Friday | May 13, 2011

MAINE EMS: EVERYDAY HEROES | Friday | May 13, 2011 | 3

www.penbayhealthcare.org • www.pbmc.org • 596-8000

PEN BAY MEDICAL CENTER 596-8000KNOX CENTER FOR LONG TERM CARE 594-6800

KNO-WAL-LIN HOME CARE AND HOSPICE 594-9561 QUARRY HILL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 230-6116

By Sheila Grant

FOR THE BANGOR DAILY NEWS

The Maine EMS trauma system includes every-one from the dispatcher receiving the 9-1-1 call tothe surgeon at the high-level trauma center whotreats a life-threatening injury.

“That’s the beauty of the trauma system inMaine,” said Rick Petrie, regional director of North-east Maine EMS in Bangor and Kennebec Valley EMSin Waterville. “It’s everybody working together to getthe patient to where they can get the care they need.”

Local non-transporting first responders areoften first on scene, providing stabilizing care whileawaiting an ambulance. Ambulance crews bringmore resources to the scene, and must decide howto treat patients, where to take them, and how totransport them. Depending upon the location ofthe nearest local hospital or trauma center and thecondition of the patient, transport could be viaground ambulance or helicopter.

“Sometimes they don’t have any choices abouthow to go because of weather or location, so theyare all trained to manage and stabilize traumapatients to the best of their ability,” said Petrie. “Wehave very comprehensive pre-hospital traumatraining that dovetails nicely into the overall MaineTrauma System.”

To become certified, first responders must take a

60-hour course. The basic EMT course is 120 hours,and to reach the paramedic level requires more than1,000 hours. There’s also a 16-hour course focusedsolely on trauma care: patient assessment, decision-making, a skills review, and specific treatments for

head or chest injuries and internal bleeding. Toremain certified requires between 24 and 54 contin-uing education credits every three years.

LifeFlight of Maine has been providing health-care by air since the late 1990s. “From the beginning

is has been our goal to change the playing field forthe people of rural Maine, so that if someone isinjured on Main Street, Jackman, to the extent thatwe possibly can, we give them access to the samehealthcare as if they lived on State Street in Bangoror Congress Street in Portland,” said Tom Judge,director of LifeFlight.

LifeFlight is more than a fast ride. In addition tohighly-skilled providers on board, overseen by spe-cialist physicians, LifeFlight helicopters carry blood,hospital-level ventilators, multiple-infusion pumps, aportable laboratory, and “a pharmacy that looks likean ICU.” Soon, ultrasound equipment will be added.

“We have some unique capabilities, but we arejust one part of the trauma system,” said Judge.“From the minute the call goes in to 9-1-1, everyonein that whole chain of survival has to work togeth-er to do the right thing at the right moment. Whenwe do that, we create the best possible chance forthe patient to have a good outcome.”

“Trauma centers are only the last stop,” said PrettBjorn, who chairs the state trauma advisory commit-tee for Maine EMS and is the regional trauma nurseat the Eastern Maine Medical Center trauma center.“You don’t judge the train ride by the destination.You have to look at the whole system.”

Bjorn said much has been done to maximizerelationships between first responders, ambulancepersonnel, local hospitals, LifeFlight and the three

See TRAUMA, Page 4

When minutes count, Maine EMS is on scene to help

BDN FILE PHOTO BY GABOR DEGRECapitol ambulance and Holden rescue personnel attend to the female driver of a motorcy-

cle that crashed at the corner of Fisher Road and Mann Hill Road in Holden.

By Sheila Grant

FOR THE BANGOR DAILY NEWS

Operating behind the scenes when a patient iscritically injured or ill is a statewide system of med-ical response which includes medical first respon-ders, ambulance crews, local hospitals, trauma cen-ters and LifeFlight working together to shorten thetime between incident and high-level treatment.

“We started organizing the trauma system in1992,” said Kevin McGinnis, MPS, EMT-P, the MaineEMS trauma system manager. “The point of creatinga trauma system was that typically, the way a personwith major injuries that would kill them if they werenot treated was handled was that the patient would goto the closest hospital, where he would be assessed,injuries would be diagnosed, and typically the patientwould die unless he was able to be transferred to amajor center with sophisticated surgical capabilities.Most general surgeons at smaller hospitals 20 yearsago did not see a volume of major surgically-treatableinjuries, nor have the facilities or support staff tomanage them effectively. It was not uncommon forthe patient to die en route to a bigger hospital.”

McGinnis said there is a “golden hour,” the timebetween receiving an injury that can kill if not treated

and the time a surgeon intervenes to repair that injury.“That doesn’t always mean 60 minutes,” McGin-

nis said. “What it means is that for a major injury, ifit goes two, three, four hours, you are running into amuch greater chance of the patient dying from iteventually. Chemical imbalance in the body is creat-ed and other major complications will set in and killyou. The goal is to, as quickly as possible from thetime of injury to surgical intervention, fix the prob-lem and straighten out the chemical imbalance in thebody. You don’t have an hour to wait to be discov-ered, in the case of a car crash, for example, and twohours to spend at a small hospital getting all sorts ofdiagnostic, radiological and blood tests. You don’talways have an hour or two for a ground ambulance.”

A system had to be established so that EMS couldrespond quickly with first responders to stop bleed-

ing, position a patient so broken bones aren’t caus-ing further damage, provide oxygen and fluids, andget the patient routed to the nearest hospital. Inturn, this allows EMS to stabilize the patient fortransport and get him on the way to a facility withthe necessary surgical capabilities. Maine has threetrauma centers: Eastern Maine Medical Center inBangor, Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston,and Maine Medical Center in Portland.

“There may be intervention from a local surgeon,but under the trauma system, care at the local hospitalis minimal,” McGinnis said. “They stabilize the patient— open him up and clamp off bleeding in theabdomen or wherever and pack it to do the job fortransport, and get a helicopter in with a sophisticatedcrew and get the patient to a trauma center. That justturned three to five hours into an hour. That’s our goal.”

Trained staff are behind the scenes at emergencies

AP PHOTO/SUN JOURNAL, RUSS DILLINGHAMFirefighter Don Therrien gives oxygen to Kasey,a 10-year-old Lab mix at the scene of a fire inAuburn in February of 2008. Giving comfort is

his owner Rena Wilkins and her daughter Anna.


Acadia Hospital, Bagaduce Ambulance Corps, County Ambulance, Eastern Maine Medical Center, G& H Ambulance, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Lifeflight of Maine, Maine State Police, Memorial Ambulance Corps, Peninsula Ambulance Corps, Spectrum Radiology, and first responders throughout the peninsula.

WE SALUTE OUR TEAMMATES IN

EMERGENCY MEDICINE!

trauma centers: Eastern Maine Medical Center, Cen-tral Maine Medical Center, and Maine Medical Cen-ter so that patients can receive critical care quickly.

Every hospital in Maine voluntarily participates inthe trauma system. The Maine EMS system providestechnical assistance team visits to hospitals to keepthem current on trauma protocols and Maine EMSmembers consult with hospitals about trauma cases.

Telemedicine is playing an increasingly importantrole in trauma treatment, as well. Via cameras, a vir-tual ICU staff or trauma surgeon can be withproviders at local hospitals as critical decisions onpatient care are being made.

“I think of all of us as one huge hospital with real-ly long corridors,” Bjorn said.

Trauma system in actionFor one Maine family, having a trauma system in

place was the difference between life and death. OnMarch 23, Louise Boudreau-Bouchard of Searsport was

driving on Route 1A in Frankfort when she was struckhead on by the vehicle driven by William Hinkle ofFrankfort as he attempted to pass another vehicle. Shewas trapped in her vehicle until first responders arrived.

First responders from the Frankfort Fire Depart-ment, Winterport Fire and Rescue, Hampden Res-cue and the Waldo County Sheriff ’s Office respond-ed to the accident and used the Jaws of Life to rip offthe top of the Subaru to remove her. EMTs and Life-Flight evacuated Boudreau-Bouchard from thescene and worked to stabilize her condition.

Her son David has been keeping friends and familyupdated on her accident and status through a blog.

“I think of the people there to greet her — with-out shock, without reservation, without hesitation;waiting on the helipad to take her to a room wherethey would give her 11 units of blood (the averagebody has 15), and start the repairing,” he writes.“They, the members of a Trauma Team at EMMC,repair bones, fix organs, mend tissue and restore ves-sels. They read charts, use tools and know medicine.They have experience and our faith. And they joinedthe fight to keep Louise breathing, pumping, living.”

Boudreau-Bouchard remains at EMMC as shecontinues to heal from her accident.

TraumaContinued from Page 3

When time is of the essence, Intercept.Mid-Coast Hospital’s Interceptor brings para-

medics to the patient when advanced life supportis needed, or when volunteer EMS departmentsneed assistance. This unique medical service ben-efits residents from Wiscasset to Freeport andincludes assistance to Georgetown, Brunswick,Phippsburg, Orr’s and Bailey Islands, Cundy’sHarbor, and Harpswell neck.

According to Lois Skillings and David Hudson,both from the Mid-Coast Hospital Interceptorprogram, the paramedic interceptor program wasstarted in 1997. MC1 — as it’s known — is essen-tially a “virtual emergency room”. However, nopatients are transported in MC1. Instead it isthere to stabilize patients and provide assistanceto volunteer EMS departments.

There are nine paramedic-level staff mem-bers in the program, Skillings said. Whencalled in, they stabilize the patient and oncethe ambulance arrives, the paramedic rideswith the patient to the hospital of their choice.“When you have a paramedic in the ambu-lance, it turns into an emergency room,”Skillings said. “Our staff provide critical, life-saving care by bringing the equipment to thepatient. That means faster response when sec-onds matter.”

MC1 also benefits the communities it’s avail-able to. “Small communities are not alwaysequipped with enough paramedics,” Hudsonsaid. “We really provide a supplement to theirservices.”

That supplement is even more important todepartments — and residents of those communi-ties —that have volunteer rescue departments.

“We’re able to [work with the local providersto] ensure high quality access to care when it’sneeded most,” Skillings said. “Our services ensure[additional] quality, safety, licensure, and pro-vides a single standard of care within our state.The EMS system over the past 40 years has been acritical part of improving timely access to medicalcare. Local services are key, and we’re there tosupport and supplement them.”

Maine EMS at work:Mid-Coast Interceptor brings paramedics to scene


Crown AmbulanceMaking a Difference Every Day

Celebrating and honoring Crown Ambulance EMTs and paramedics who heroically provide care to those in need, often under difficult circumstances.

Story courtesy Maine HeartSafecommunities

It was March, 2010. Jim Merry started outhis morning much like any other. He went outin the garage with a torch to remove some oldpaint from a piece of equipment, and in theprocess, accidentally started a small fire withsome leaves and a puddle of chemicals thatwere sitting at the base of the machinery.

Jim went to get the fire extinguisher that hekept nearby, but it had already been used up.So he went out to his truck, but couldn’t findanother extinguisher. Meanwhile the fire wasprogressing, and smoke was filling up hisgarage. He opened the door, and started toshovel snow from outside onto the fire.

It turns out that snow doesn’t work well ona chemical fire.

As the smoke got thicker, it got harder forhim to breathe. Merry states “After a fewminutes, I decided to swallow my pride, andcalled the Scarborough Fire Department.“Lucky for me, they are right across theroad, and they arrived very quickly,” he said.He remembers answering some questionsabout how the fire started, but then while hewas talking to one of the firefighters, he lostconsciousness.

His son told him later on that as soon ashe became unconscious, someone hollered“Man Down!” and everyone on the scenewent into another mode, just like that…They had all the equipment they needed tohelp him. They not only brought the firetruck, but a defibrillator, and all of the vari-ous tools they would need to revive himfrom the heart attack that he had just expe-rienced.

Jim doesn’t remember waking up in theambulance, but was later told by the para-medics involved that he woke up wonderingwhere he was and what happened. He wastold that his heart had stopped, he was notbreathing, and he did not have a pulse. Hisheart had been restarted for him with elec-tricity and he had received artificial respira-tions and chest compressions. He askedthose questions several times. Then his

sense of humor started to shine throughwhen he was asked his age. His reply was,“Well, how old do you want me to be?”When asked his last name, his reply was,“Merry, like Merry Christmas, Ho-Ho-Ho!”Once he was in the hospital he continued toimprove and even shook hands and thankedthe EMS personnel when they went in tocheck on him before leaving.

Jim recalls, “I’d been huffing and puffingfor a whole year, and funny thing is, I wassupposed to go in for a stress test the fol-lowing week. Who knows how and whenmy heart attack would have come about ifthe fire hadn’t happened. I might have beenout somewhere alone, fallen down and noone would have found me in time. I askedthe doctor how this was going to affect mylife, and he said, ‘We changed your plumb-ing around, so you’re going to be around foranother 30 years, Jim!’ Someone was look-ing out for me — if I hadn’t called, eventhough it was a small fire to begin with, Iwould have really been in trouble. That iswhy calling 911 fast is so important — thesooner you get emergency services there,the better your chance of survival andrecovery.”

Jim and his wife have been married for50 years, and have eight children. Jim saysthat his wife has had four bypasses over thepast two years, but they are both on themend. They scuba dive every Sunday, andtry to watch their diets closely. Jim shares,“The wife, she’s a nurse, and has been tellingme about my diet for a long time. And nowI listen.

No salt, cut out the fatty foods… It’spretty hard to eat right, but you don’t usu-ally get a second chance. And you are whatyou eat, so I try hard to eat well.”

Jim says that he’s not worried about hisexercise. He’s been moving houses for 60years.

He retired once, for two weeks, but gotbored pretty quickly. Jim laughs and says,“What keeps my mind at 45 is working withmy kids — I have two sons who are engineersand they have it going on upstairs.”

First responders make the difference in patient carewhile the ambulance is on its way. And according to Chiefof Services Jim Allen, Minot Fire Department’s firstresponders make a difference daily.

Minot Fire Department primarily serves the town ofMinot, as well as providing mutual aid to surrounding citiesof Auburn, Poland, Hebron, Turner, and Mechanic Falls.

“As an EMS first responder service, we don’t transportpatients, but we hope to arrive before the ambulanceshows up — depending on where we are in town,” Allensaid. “As first responders, we are called to provide basicresponse and stabilize the patient until transport arrives.”

The 25 firefighters that make up the volunteer squad aretrained and licensed. Allen noted that three-quarters of thesquad also have EMS training.

“These [responders] are our neighbors,” he said. “Dayand night they come out in the worst weather to help theirneighbors. And they don’t ask anything in return for it.”

Allen’s squad also contains many people who are alreadyinvolved in the health-care profession.“For them, it’s an exten-sion of their career,”Allen said.Allen works a day job as a nurse.

“If you want an adventure with rewards, it’s not some-thing you’d normally think about,” he said. “I’ve beendoing this for 35 years and it’s the best hobby in the world.”

By Debra Bell

BANGOR DAILY NEWS

What does it mean to be HeartSafe? In Maine, it means that 57 designated EMS services raise

awareness about the risk factors for cardiovascular disease,provide CPR and automated external defibrillation training,and provide rapid emergency response for cardiovascularevents. Not only do these services support early detectionand care for cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke, but alsoprovide important education and resources to improve thechances of survival associated with these cardiovascularevents in their communities.

And Maine is leading the nation.“Over half of the population of the state is covered by

HeartSafe Communities,” said Danielle Louder, ProjectManager with the Maine CDC/DHHS CardiovascularHealth Program.“In 2005, seven EMS services from all overthe state, stepped up to become the first HeartSafedesignees: Ashland Ambulance, Brooklin Volunteer Fire,Delta Ambulance, Lebanon Rescue Squad, Med-CareAmbulance, Standish Fire-EMS, and the University ofMaine at Orono’s Volunteer Ambulance Corps. And in2009, Region 5 — Aroostook EMS — became the firstHeartSafe Region in the state, with 100 percent of their 11services having achieved HeartSafe designation. They havesome of the highest cardiovascular burden in both the stateand the nation, and collectively they are working to reduceit,” added Louder.

“In the last six years to go from zero HeartSafe commu-

nities to 57 covering 265 communities and one collegecampus [the University of Maine’s Orono VolunteerAmbulance Corps] is spectacular,” said Troy Fullmer, Pro-gram Manager with the Maine CDC/DHHS Cardiovascu-lar Health and Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs.

Maine EMS at work:Minot FD volunteers have “best hobby in the world”

Is your community HeartSafe? HeartSafe training savesman during heart attack

See HEARTSAFE, Page 8

6 | Friday | May 13, 2011 | MAINE EMS: EVERYDAY HEROES

Insurance products are: not a deposit; not FDIC insured;not insured by any federal government agency; and, not guaranteed by TD Bank, N.A. or any of its affiliates.Insurance products are offered through TD Insurance, Inc.TD Insurance is a service mark of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. Used with permission.

Maine Emergency Medical Services

PROUD toSUPPORT


Call Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Ifyou are using a cellular phone in Maine you cancall 9-1-1 in an emergency. Never assume thatsomeone else has called already. EMS wouldrather get 10 calls than miss one because every-one on the scene thought someone else called.

Tell the dispatcher about the accident:Where it is (including directions), how manypeople are injured, how badly they appear to behurt, and give the phone number you are call-ing from.

Unless they are in danger from fire or traf-fic, patients should not move or be moved par-ticularly if they are seriously injured.

When the ambulance arrives, give as manydetails about the accident as possible.

First on the sceneA Home Safety Guide

What to expect when you call EMSThink an ambulance might be needed? Don’t guess... call EMS

2.

3.

4.

1.

When you call, you may first be asked the nature of theemergency: police, fire, or medical. Then you will asked specif-ic questions about the problem and where you are located. Theemergency medical dispatcher will guide you through this, soremain as calm as possible and listen to the questions.

If the patient is injured, do not move them unless they arein immediate danger where they lie and encourage them notto move.

Depending on where you live, you may be serviced by a firstresponder service that will treat life-threatening and other prob-lems until the ambulance arrives. The ambulance crew will pro-vide at least basic life support and in many areas, advanced lifesupport. A basic life support service may request an advancedlife support service to meet them while they are enroute to thehospital, and ALS personnel will enter the ambulance to assistduring the remainder of the transport.

In all cases, life-threatening problems are dealt withimmediately. Serious injuries are treated rapidly at thescene, and the patient is transported quickly to the hospital.The patient may be immobilized using a neck brace andbody-length board stretcher to prevent worsening of theinjury. Heart attack and other life-threatening illnesses may

be treated quickly at the scene with oxygen, intravenousmedications, and cardiac monitoring (if advanced life sup-port personnel are available).

When the EMS personnel arrive, pulse, blood pressure,and other vital signs are taken. At the scene or en route tothe hospital, the EMT or paramedic will call the hospitaland confer with the emergency department staff. This is sothe hospital will be ready for the patient and also to obtainorders and advice for certain treatment.

When the patient is ready for transport, they will be car-ried to the ambulance on a stretcher and ride lengthwise inthe ambulance with their head towards the front. The EMScrew can usually sit on either side or at the head of thepatient. Someone accompanying the patient may beallowed to ride up front with the driver at the crew’s discre-tion. Lights and sirens are seldom used en route to the hos-pital usually less than 10 percent of the time.

At the hospital, the staff will know the patients up-to-datecondition and will be ready to take prompt action. In somecases, a patient may be flown by medical helicopter eitherfrom the scene to a hospital, or between two hospitals, forspecialty care.

Heart attack warning signs

• Chest discomfort: Most heart attacks involvediscomfort in the center of the chest that lastsmore than a few minutes, or that goes away andcomes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pres-sure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.• Discomfort in other areas of the upperbody: Symptoms can include pain or dis-comfort in one or both arms, the back, neck,jaw, or stomach.• Shortness of breath: May occur with orwithout chest discomfort.• Other signs: These may include breakingout in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheaded-ness• Act quickly: If you experience any of thesewarning signs, it is imperative you act quickly:Call 9-1-1.

Learn CPR now! To find out how, contact:

• American Heart Association: (800) 242-8721

• American Red Cross: (800) 482-0743

• Or call your local EMS service (see page 2)

Warning signs of a stroke: FAST

The FAST acronym can help you diagnose a stroke.

• FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one

side of their face droop?

• ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms.

Does one arm drift downward?

• SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple

phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

• TIME: If you observe any of these signs,

call 9-1-1 immediately.

Note the time that symptoms first appear. It

matters when treating a stroke patient.

Stroke symptoms include:• SUDDEN numbness or weakness of face, arm

or leg, especially on one side of the body.

• SUDDEN confusion, trouble speaking or

understanding.

• SUDDEN trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

• SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of

balance or coordination.

• SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause.

Keep these instructions handySay your type of emergency:

__ Medical __ Fire __ Police

Say your name: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Say your phone number: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Give directions: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My town:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My street/road/fire road/camp road is: ________________________________________________________________________________________

House/apartment number: __________________________________________________

Nearest road that intersects: __________________________________________________________

Any well-known landmarks nearby: ______________________________________________

Color of building: ____________________________________________________________

Type of building:______________________________________________________________

Know your local EMS!Licensed Provider Levels• First Responder: Patient assessment, oxygen administration, bandaging, simple splinting, CPRadministration, use of an Automatic External Defibrillator.• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): Above plus basic emergency medical treatmentand assisting a patient in self-administration of their own medications.• EMT-Intermediate: Above plus advanced airway management, IV therapy, cardiac monitor-ing/defibrillation, administration of certain medications.• Paramedic: Above plus additional medication administration, chest decompression, advanced air-way maintenance skills.• Scene Response Air Ambulance Service: Flight crew with Paramedic and RN, both withspecialty training in air operations and advanced medical skills.

Heart attack and stroke: Learn the signs

“It is really an opportunity have meaningful part-nerships with these agencies and it’s a two-waystreet. We’re able to support them and help themimprove their outcomes and vice versa.”

According to the Maine Center for Disease Con-trol and Prevention, heart disease and stroke accountfor one in three Maine deaths and are collectively theleading cause of death in Maine. HeartSafe commu-nities provide needed education and opportunitiesfor training. The reason: “Patient delay is the numberone barrier to early treatment,” Louder said. “Manypeople don’t recognize the symptoms, delay gettingcare or deny that they’re having an event.”

Those barriers, coupled with the estimate that 95percent of cardiac arrest victims die before reachingthe hospital, provide striking evidence that earlycare is crucial. According to information providedby the American Heart Association, in places wheredefibrillation is provided within five to seven min-utes, survival from sudden cardiac arrest can be ashigh as 49 percent. For stroke vicitims, early care iscrucial to survival as well; time lost is brain lost.

Maine has already led the way when it comes totraining for professionals in the field of emergencyresponse. In 2007, a law was passed that requiredtraining and licensure for every emergency medicaldispatcher, including protocols for cardiac arrest,

heart attack and stroke. Louder said that this licen-sure is of vital importance, for example, it allowsdispatchers to instruct a caller how to provide CPRto a cardiac arrest victim while emergency respon-ders are en route.

Education empowers the community as well,Louder said. “Community CPR and AED training[is crucial],” she noted. “We know that our EMS[professionals] have training, but if there’s traffic inPortland or you’re 50 minutes out in Allagash, it isimpossible for even the quickest of EMS services toarrive within 3-5 minutes, which is the short time-frame we have to begin CPR and defibrillation forthe best chances for survival and recovery. By

increasing the number of lay people who can doCPR and [use a] defibrillator, we’re significantlyincreasing the number of folks who may survivefrom cardiac events.”

HeartSafe Community distinction also helpscreate a bond between the community and the EMSresponders.

“Having worked with EMS providers all over thestate for the past six years, both locally and region-ally, I can’t say enough about their dedication tosaving and improving the lives of those in the com-munities they serve,” Louder said. “They do thisquietly however, and are often under recognized forwhat they do for the community and the state.These people are on call 24/7 and go into dangerousand difficult situations on a regular basis. HeartSafe

recognition gives us an opportunity to highlightthat dedication to Maine residents and the influx ofvisitors that these services also care for duringMaine’s year-round tourist and recreational sea-sons, especially for cardiovascular events that aretime sensitive.”

What does a community have to do to bedesignated HeartSafe?

To be designated as a Maine HeartSafe Commu-nity, an EMS service and community partners mustmeet the following criteria:

• Offer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)training to the community

• Offer cardiovascular-related education and/orawareness activities in the community, such assymptom recognition and the importance of calling911 immediately for cardiovascular events

• Equip at least one emergency response desig-nated vehicle with an Automated External Defibril-lator

• Place at least one permanent AED with AED-trained personnel in public or private areas wheremany people are likely to congregate or be at high-er risk for cardiac arrest

• Provide advanced cardiac life support to all pri-ority medical emergencies, as primary responders, oras ALS backup on-scene, en-route, or at the hospital

• Have an ongoing process to evaluate andimprove the “Chain of Survival” in the community

For more information, including program contacts,visit www.mainehearthealth.org and click on “Heart-Safe Communities”

HeartSafeContinued from Page 5

8 | Friday | May 13, 2011 | MAINE EMS: EVERYDAY HEROES

Story Courtesy Maine HeartSafeCommunities; BDN Photo by Debra Bell

In March of 2009, Christine Burke Worthen gavebirth to her second child, Zachary. Despite sufferingsome nagging headaches, the 36-year-old left thehospital looking forward to resuming her life as amother and attorney.

Over the course of the next week, the headachesbecame worse, so Christine called her doctor foradvice. The doctor thought that spinal anesthesiagiven during her labor might be the cause. She wastold to drink more caffeine and lie down. She fol-lowed the instructions, but the headaches continued.

Eventually the pain became so bad it made hercry. On the morning of April 2, 2009, she went tothe emergency room. Her doctors intended to treather for leaking fluid in her spine, which theybelieved to be the cause of her headaches.

While in the examining room, Christine sudden-ly lost function of the right side of her body. Herspeech was slurred and she had trouble communi-cating. She did not understand what was happen-ing, nor did her doctors. She was sent to anotherpart of the hospital for further diagnosis. Althoughshe exhibited classic stroke symptoms, no onethought she was having a stroke. The ER doctorencouraged her to stay the night for a brain scan inthe morning. The next day, tests confirmed theunthinkable: She had suffered a stroke.

She cried at the news, thinking that her 4-year-old and newborn might lose their mother.

Although doctors could not pinpoint the causeof the stroke, they believed it was related to thechildbirth. As a result, she can have no more chil-

dren. Over time, however, her life returned to nor-mal. She regained use of her right arm. An avid run-ner, she has started to run again. She still feels someresidual weakness, and sometimes slurs her speech,but says, “Those are small prices to pay for a secondchance at life.”

Thinking about her experience, Christine says,“It’s important for folks to understand the signs ofstroke since time is so precious: prompt medicalattention is a must.”

Fire-based EMS transport is the use of an estab-lished fire department to respond to emergenciesand transport patients to medical facilities. Accord-ing to Fire and Rescue Chief Rick Cody of the Gar-diner Fire Department, this type of emergencymedical service can do a lot to keep a bad situationfrom getting worse. The Gardiner Fire Departmentis a community-based department with a homebase in downtown Gardiner. His staff consists offirefighters and paramedics.

“As firefighters, there isn’t much that we don’tdo,” Cody said. According to Cody, his staff isready to do everything from gaining access topatients in difficult places to transporting themin our ambulance.”

The Fire Department is part of the GardinerPublic Safety Department that provides ambulance

service and mutual fire aid to the communities ofGardiner, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Litchfield, Pittston,Randolph and West Gardiner — an area of about240 square miles and serves over 24,000 people.

Part of the benefit to a Public Safety Departmentis the level of assistance that can be provided.“Whensomeone reaches for the phone and has a problem,we can usually provide everything they need.”

“A firefighter/paramedic is a special breed [ofEMS professional],” Cody said. “They’re knowl-edgeable in both roles.”

Cody estimates that last year his departmentresponded to about 2,300 fire and EMS calls.And, he said, it gives the community comfortknowing that no matter what their issue is —safety-, medical-, or fire-related — that Cody’sdepartment will be able to help.

HeartSafe Community ensuressurvival for stroke victim

Maine EMS at work:Gardiner’s Fire-based EMS benefits community

PHOTO COURTESY OF BARBYPRENTISS

Four Bangor firefighters whoon Sunday saved the life of

their friend and co-worker,Capt. John Prentiss (cen-

ter), stopped by his houseon Wednesday to see howhe is doing. Pictured (from

left) are Joe Wellman,firefighter-paramedic; Melin-da Caldwell, firefighter-para-medic; Bruce Johnson, fire-

fighter-intermediate; andNate Snyder, firefighter-para-

medic.


Training Opportunities with North East Mobile Health Services

TRAINING CENTER

ACLS PEPP PHTLS AMLS

For more information on training call

207-510-0073North East Mobile Health Services 24 Washington Ave Scarborough, ME 04074

PROUD TO SUPPORT

EMS WEEK

By Debra Bell

BANGOR DAILY NEWS

Potential tragedy turned into passion for oneEMS professional.

Oakland resident Allyson Moore was helping herneighbor clear an obstruction from a snowbloweron March 2, 2007. Her hands were covered withthick snowmobiling gloves and she went to swipeice out of the snowblower’s chute.

And then her hand got stuck.Her neighbor called Oakland Fire and Rescue —

conveniently located across the street — and EMSresponder David Groder was first on the scene.

“We got my hand out using a crowbar,” she said.“We took the glove off to look at my hand. The out-side looked fine, but the [palm side] looked like ham-burger.” Groder continued to care for Moore whilerescue was dispatched, including Delta Ambulance.

“During the ride to the hospital, Dave had holdof one of my hands and the paramedic had theother hand,” Moore said. “At that moment, I decid-ed that [emergency medical care] was really cool.”

Moore received 35 stiches and had five brokenfinger bones. Her thick gloves protected the tendonsand nerves in her hand. The accident happened ona Friday night and she had to wait until Monday toundergo surgery on her right hand.

Moore, the mother of two sons, was working atThomas College as the assistant director for finance.But her EMS experience left an impact.

Two months later, Moore decided to sign up totake an EMT class at Kennebec Valley Communi-ty College. “I still had bandages on at my firstclass,” she said. “I took the class, got my basiclicense and decided that I wanted to work forDelta Ambulance.”

In the meantime, after gentle prodding fromOakland’s fire chief, Moore took a firefighter train-ing block and became certified as a firefighter 1 and2 for the town of Oakland.

“I wanted to do more as far as patient care goes,”she said. “I went and got my intermediate licensewhich allows me to do IVs, intubation, and admin-ister medications.” She now works per diem withDelta Ambulance working one 12-hour shift perweek, and on call for for additional shifts. She’s also

currently working on a nursing degree from Ken-nebec Valley Community College.

“I started this whole thing at age 35,” she said. “Iknew that I would eventually go into nursing, but Iabsolutely fell in love with EMS. When you go andhelp a patient, when you walk into their house andthey see you — especially if it’s a patient you fre-quent a lot, you can look in their eyes and see thatthey are so grateful. Just holding their hand can helpthem get through the situation.”

And Moore isn’t new to the EMS world. “I have alot of family in EMS,” she said. “There’s somethingabout the EMS world; It’s as close to the Army asI’m going to get. I love my guys at the fire depart-ment. We all take care of each other.”

Today, Moore never thought that her bizarreaccident would bring her into the world of EMS,but in a way, she’s glad it did. It’s given her anopportunity to give back to her community whenthey need help most.

First response emergency services are critical toensuring good patient outcomes. And at the HoldenPublic Safety and Eddington Public Safety depart-ments, the 31 licensed first responders make a dif-ference in the life of their neighbors.

“Our role as first responders is to respond andprovide emergency medical care and stabilization ifwe can until ambulance gets there,” said Public Safe-ty Director James Ellis. “Our on-scene time withpatients is between four minutes and 30 minutesand the first few minutes of a medical emergencycan be very critical.”

Ellis said that the Holden and Eddington depart-ments have an in-house response time goal of sixminutes between being dispatched and being at thepatient’s side. These departments serve the people ofEddington, Holden, and Clifton and provide mutu-al aid to Dedham, Orrington, Mariaville, Brewer,Bradley, Amherst, Hampden, Bangor, and Veazie.

In 2010, the Holden Fire Department respondedto a total of 456 fire and EMS calls while the Edding-ton Fire Department responded to 317 fire and EMS

calls. The geography of the towns the fire depart-ments serve can pose challenges, but Ellis said theystrive to be at the sides of those in need quickly.While the firefighters and EMS professionals workto stabilize and treat people, they also provide com-fort while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

“An ambulance arrival can exceed 10-20 minutes,so we rely heavily on our on-call volunteers,” Ellissaid. These people join the fire department, usually,to make a difference. And because of their commit-ment, the departments rely heavily on them.

“When joining fire department it’s a 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week commitment; it’s a huge com-mitment,” he said. “One the neat things with a smalltown is it’s often your neighbor who is coming tohelp. There’s a connection. It’s rewarding and mov-ing too.”

The type of person who would join Ellis’ depart-ments is someone looking to make a difference.“Anybody who has sense community and wants todonate time [will be rewarded by] a great opportu-nity,” he said.

In Aroostook County, Crown Ambulance serv-ice has 49 staff members as well as four criticalcare staffers. Those professionals provide ambula-tory care to 16 communities including: Caswell,Limestone, Fort Fairfield, Easton, Presque Isle,Mapleton, Castle Hill, Mars Hill, Westfield, E Plan-tation, Bridgewater, Monticello, Washburn, Wade,Blaine, and Chapman.

“Being in Aroostook County — a super ruralcommunity — is challenging,” said Crown Ambu-lance Manager Perry Jackson. “The nearest traumacenter is 160 miles away so we have to providereally great care, which we do.”

As a testament to the care they provide, CrownAmbulance received the EMS Service of the Yearaward from Mid-Coast EMS in 2008. “It’s a chal-lenge, but 99 percent of our staff are from here,”Jackson said. “We’re very accustomed to living andworking in Aroostook County. Our bases arespread out in four offices.”

While their bases may be spread out, Jack-son said, the network of first responding agen-cies is expansive. “Our response time to the

scene can be 20-30 minutes, so it’s importantto establish a first response network,” Jacksonsaid. “Typically volunteer firefighters respondto the scene ahead of us. They have AEDs[automated external defibrillators] and basicfirst aid skills.”

Crown Ambulance also has a flight program tohelp facilitate quick extractions. The program usesa fixed-wing aircraft that is staffed with criticalcare paramedics and critical care nurses to trans-port patients to Eastern Maine Medical Center aswell as to Boston hospitals.

The flight program has a staff of 13 critical careparamedics and four critical care nurses. Accord-ing to Jackson, they fly about 150 missions a year.In contrast, Crown Ambulance answers about4,000 ambulance calls per year.

“Just because we make the choice to live in aremote area, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’tbe afforded the best care available,” Jackson said.“It’s a comfort to me to know that my family andfriends in the community receive the absolute bestin care if they need it. It’s peace of mind.”

Oakland woman gets into EMS after her own emergencyBDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Ally Moore was inspired to go into EMS aftera snowblower accident injured her hand.

Maine EMS at work:First response services in Holden and Eddington

Maine EMS at work:Crown Ambulance service helps County residents


We’re Now Posting Wait Times Online!

144 State Street • Portland • www.mercyhospital.org

At Mercy, we understand that a long wait is the last thingyou need when you’re injured or ill. So we take pride in seeing ouremergency patients as quickly as possible. Just go to our website

mercyhospital.org to see our average wait time.

Not only will we take care of you as quickly as possible, you will betreated by physicians who are board certified specialists and also

steeped in Mercy’s values of compassion and excellence.

How fast can Mercytake care of your

emergency today?Just one click tells you how quick: mercyhospital.org

We’re Proud and Ready to be a Part of the Team...

At St. Joseph Hospital’s Emergency Department, we salute our region’s

Emergency Medical Technicians. The Emergency medical staff at

St. Joseph Hospital would like to say “Thank you” for your hard work,

dedication and extraordinary service to our patients and our communities.

We are proud to be part of the extended team of emergency providers.

...And Prepared for Life’s Little Emergencies, TooIn most non life-threatening cases, all patients are greeted promptly in our

Emergency Department. Nurses and providers work quickly to evaluate

the needs of each patient. In most instances the initial evaluation is within

fifteen minutes. Our goal is to provide quality, efficient and comfortable care.

Did You Know...

Charles F. Pattavina MD, FACEPMedical Director St. JosephHealthcare

St. Joseph Hospital

In the Spirit of HealingSponsored by Covenant Health Systems

Founded by the Felician Sisters

Your Doctors l Your Technology l Your Choice

360 Broadway l Bangor, Maine l www.stjoeshealing.org

By Debra Bell

BANGOR DAILY NEWS

The moment 9-1-1 is dialed, a Maineemergency dispatcher is on the otherend of the line, ready to help.

According to Jim Ryan, communica-tions center director for Penobscot Region-al Communications Center, that role is partcomfort, part education, and part emer-gency response. And it’s the people on theother end of the line, who benefit.

In 2010, PRCC responded to 38,368 9-1-1 calls, 23,513 EMS calls, 6,034 fire calls,and 69,487 law enforcement calls. Butaccording to Ryan, PRCC handlesapproximately 648 calls per day, Emer-gency Medical Dispatched 11,955 calls for2010 (996 a month) and is responsible for4,000 warrants in Penobscot County.PRCC dispatchers work shift work, aswell as on weekends and holidays and arethe first line of assistance when there is adisaster or an emergency. Currently Ryanhas 30 employees working at PRCC.

“In Penobscot County we do the dis-patching for all the fire, EMS and lawenforcement calls, except for the City of

Bangor and the University of Maine. Wealso do the fire emergency dispatching forPenobscot Nation, Old Town” Ryan said.

But, according to Ryan, it’s morethan just answering the phone. Hishighly trained dispatchers utilize a

computer system that runs a programcalled ProQA used for Emergency Med-ical Dispatching. This program guidesthe dispatchers through the potentialmedical emergency by prompting themwith questions to ask and in what order.The software enables the dispatchersprovide pre arrival medical instructionto the caller until — fire, police, or EMSarrive.

“They can do an [emergency medicaldispatch] for everything from ‘I cut myfinger’ to ‘someone’s not breathing’ and[guide the caller on] how to do CPR tochildbirth,” Ryan said. “There’s just awhole gamut of things they do.”

PRCC dispatchers undergo trainingon the computer software system as well

as annual training on CPR, first aid andtelecommunications in order to renewtheir certification every two years. Inaddition, there is in-house quality con-trol on the calls dispatchers respond to.Each dispatcher has one EMD, Fire andLaw call QA’d each week by a supervisor.The calls are then reviewed by the oper-ator and their supervisor. New employ-ees are required to go through a moni-tored in-house orientation trainingwhich lasts about 20 weeks.

“It’s not [quality assurance on thecalls] so much to see if the dispatcherdid good or bad,” Ryan said. “The bigreason is that 99 times out of 100 theydid a great job, we want to reassure them

Dispatchers are first line of defense in emergencies

See DISPATCH, Page 11

BDN FILE PHOTO BY JOHN CLARKE RUSSCommunications specialist Will Lovejoy (standing) of Dexter and seniorsupervisor Tracy Hall of Hermon pull up radio logs on the center's com-

puter system at the Penobscot Regional Communications Center.

“People [here are] doing it because of the love of the job, the challenge, the fast pace

and dealing with people. They truly are the ‘unsung heroes’ of public safety.”

JIM RYAN, PENOBSCOT REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER


By Christopher Cousins

BDN STAFF

Four times Sheila Davis and JamesFarnham, went to Eastern Maine Med-ical Center in Bangor to have a baby, andfour times Sheila’s contractions faded,and they went home.

Tired of false alarms, Sheila wasunsure what to think when she began tofeel contractions again on the morningof Jan. 26. “We were tired of being senthome from the hospital,” she said. “Iwanted to be sure.”

Then she felt a sharp pain, so she layon her living room floor and rockedback and forth to relieve the pressure.

“It’s time,” she told Farnham, whobusied himself packing up two of theirother children for the trip to Bangor.

“With the other [babies, the doctors]had to break my water for me,” said Davis.“My water hadn’t broken yet so I thought Iwas OK.” But a flurry of nausea came andwent — a familiar sign for this mother of

five — and Davis knew her unborn daugh-ter wouldn’t wait for the trip to Bangor.

“I told [him] to call 911,” she said.About the time Penobscot County

dispatcher David King asked Farnhamwhether Davis’ water had broken, herwater broke. She moved to the linoleumkitchen floor and, with Farnham’s help,prepared to give birth.

“I just started pushing,” she said,“because I knew she was coming regard-less of whether I pushed or not.” Farn-ham, still on the phone with the dis-patcher, found himself being talkedthrough delivering a baby.

It took three Newport Fire Depart-ment personnel — Emergency MedicalTechnician Amanda Chretien, Lt. AdamNoyes and Lt. Tom Snowman — sevenminutes to reach the home. The emer-gency call came in as Farnham suspectedDavis was going into labor, but justseven minutes later little Kylee Laurenwas making her debut in the world.

Chretien, the department’s emergencymedical services director, took over with

Noyes and Snowman backing her up.“I started yelling to Adam to get me

this and get me that,” said Chretien, her-self a mother of two sons. “It was a greatteam effort.”

The first priority was clearing thebaby’s breathing passage and wrappingher in warm towels. With her mouth andnose cleared, Kylee started screaming —a welcome sound that told Chretien thebaby was breathing. Chretien handedKylee over to Davis.

With mother and baby doing well, thebeauty of what just happened floodedChretien and she couldn’t stop tears of joy.

“It was just so beautiful,” she said.“It’snot every day you get to bring life intothe world.”

Others in the department also werestruck with emotion, said AssistantChief Rick Turner.

“We’re all just doing our job, butsomething like this is just a good thingfor all of us,” said Turner. “I think we’llkind of adopt this one.”

Snowman, Noyes and Chretien

returned to Davis and Farnham’s homeThursday toting gifts for Kylee.

“We’re planning on this being our lastchild, and I think she wanted to makesure she was memorable,” said Davis, a

medical aide who works in Ellsworth.“She sure accomplished that.”

Note: this article originally appeared in theBangor Daily News on February 6, 2010

that they did everything they could do.They may take a call on a critical inci-dent where there is a death involved andthe moment they hang up they’ll beright into another call.”

Dispatchers are important in theEMS process, Ryan said, and many of hisdispatchers are also involved in EMSwhen not on the job. In fact, he said,many dispatchers are department chiefsor members of their local public safetydepartments. That provides the dis-patcher with insight into what might behappening on the scene.

“They are the first ones to have con-tact with anyone about anything andthey set the tone,” he said. “If the dis-patcher is curt or winds the caller up, it’sthe responder — whether they are aparamedic, a firefighter, or a lawenforcement officer —who are the onesto bear the brunt on the scene. The waya dispatcher deescalates the situation isextremely important.”

PRCC also handles the 9-1-1 landlinecall taking for Aroostook County. Thatmeans they’ll answer the phones whenthere’s an emergency in northern Maine,but local EMS will be dispatched basedon the needs of the caller.

“People [here are] doing it because ofthe love of the job, the challenge, the fastpace and dealing with people,” Ryansaid. “They truly are the ‘unsung heroes’of public safety. They take calls frompeople who are intoxicated; from peoplewho don’t like police; and then they takecalls from people who are having verytraumatic events in life. They’re verygood at what do and they are saving livesevery day.”

DispatchContinued from

Maine EMS at work:Dispatchers talk Newport mom through childbirth

BDN FILE PHOTO BY BRIDGET BROWNNewport Emergency Medical Technician Amanda Chretien (above, right)

greets Kylee Farnham with a kiss as the baby's mother, Sheila Davis,holds her at their Newport home.

When you live on an island, you accept that thingswill be done a little differently. When it comes toresponding to an emergency, island life can pose somecomplex logistical challenges.

According to Service Director of VinalhavenAmbulance Burke Lynch, responding to emergencieson the island takes strategy and timing.

“We’re responsible for providing coverage for every-thing from first aid to life threatening emergencies.,”Lynchsaid. “We work closely with our medical professionals totreat, stabilize, and transport the patient. We evacuateabout 30 percent of our patients to the mainland”

Patients who do not need to be evacuated are usuallyseen at the Islands Community Medical Center in addi-

tion to receiving on-site care. For those patients requir-ing hospitalization, there are multiple transport options.

The Vinalhaven Ferry, operated by the Maine StateFerry Service, can take an ambulance on board if theneed coincides with a regularly scheduled ferry run.Nighttime emergency ferry transports are utilizedwhen air transport is not available. The weather candictate the evacuation mode. Weather permitting,Penobscot Island Air’s fixed-wing aircraft is an idealoption, as is the LifeFlight helicopter.

“Logistically, it can be severely challenging,” Lynchsaid. “The length of time that we spend with a patientfar exceeds the norm.”

Remote locations on the island also pose challenges

for Lynch’s 14-member EMS team. The team containsIntermediate Emergency Medical Technicians, BasicEMTs, and drivers — all volunteers. The volunteersare compensated when they take on calls and receiveon-going training to stay current and licensed.

“We provide the full spectrum of care,” Lynch said.And that spectrum of care relies heavily on assets out-side the EMS structure.

“It’s like psychological first aid,” he said. “In remotecommunities especially, when you’re ill it’s a psycho-logically traumatic event to go to the mainland. To beescorted off the island by someone who lives thereprovides some degree of comfort. We’re proud that wecan be a source of comfort.”

Maine EMS at work:Island EMS services provide full spectrum of care and comfort

Maine EMS in the communityDid you know that Maine EMS professionals can:

• Provide child passenger safety seat checks

• Properly fit a bike helmet to your child’s head

• Oversee bike rodeos and outreach events

• Provide tours and educational talks to scout groups and schools

• Provide training to the public on first aid and CPR


Contact your Physio-Control representative:Peter Landry1 800 442 1142, x72166, direct 425 867 [email protected]

Learn more at www.physio-control.com

©2011 Physio-Control, Inc. Redmond, WA 98052 USA. All rights reserved.

The new standardin emergency response

—again.

RFGH Celebrates EMS Week!

• RFGH EMS providesa Paramedic on everyemergency call.

• 16 Paramedics;10 EMTs on staff

• 3 Ambulances

• Coverage provided forA t h e n s , B r i g h t o n ,C a n a a n , C o r n v i l l e ,Mercer, Norridgewock,Skowhegan and Solon.

Thank you to the RFGH EMS Team for providing life-saving care, 24

hours a day, seven days a week.

Caring for the Community!

REDINGTON FAIRVIEW

GENERAL HOSPITAL(207)474-5121 / www.rfgh.net

Call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

By Debra Bell

SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

When minutes count, members of the MaineEMS community are there.

And, if organizers have their way, Maine’sresponders will get the recognition they’re due —and that they never ask for. It’ll come in the form ofa memorial celebrating the people who keep theirneighbors — and complete strangers — safe.

According to Rick Petrie, a regional coordinatorfor Maine EMS, this memorial really isn’t a “memo-rial”; instead, it’s a tangible testimonial to MaineEMS professionals.

“An overwhelming majority of the [EMS profes-sionals in Maine are] volunteers,” Petrie said. “It’sthe nature of our state. This memorial will highlightthe fact that there are full-time firefighters, EMTsand that there are also volunteers who carry a pagerseven days a week. These volunteers feel a responsi-bility to take care of their neighbors.”

The memorial, dedicated to Maine’s emergencymedical service providers, would create a trifecta ofmemorials celebrating Maine first responders.Petrie said the memorial has been proposed to fillthe space between the firefighters memorial and thelaw enforcement memorial.

“This monument will remind us to rememberevery sacrifice, honor every contribution, and show

that everyone plays a major role,” Petrie said. “Thisisn’t just a tribute to those who died in the line ofduty — it’s for every [EMS responder].”

Saco-based Richardson & Associates, a landscapearchitectural firm designed the memorial withinput from Maine EMS Memorial Committee chairKevin McGinnis and Petrie. The “monument” willbe far from a granite marker honoring those whohave passed. Instead, it’ll be interactive.

The memorial, McGinnis said, will be an educa-tional site as well.

“When you think ‘memorial’ you think of a granitecommemorative site that lists all the folks who gavetheir lives in the line duty,” McGinnis said.“That’s partof this. But the bigger thing that we want to do withthis is to tell the public the story of EMS in Maine.Who does it, where it’s done, and how it’s done.”

The design of the memorial incorporates a glass

wall with a description about the EMS system as wellas a toll-free phone number for the visitor to call. Thecall will provide an up-to-date story of the Maine EMSsystem and how it works in Maine. Then throughoutthe rest of the memorial site, granite pillars ranging inheight from a couple feet to four feet high. Each pillarwill contain the name of a person being memorializedor recognize a part of the Maine EMS system. Usingtoll-free phone numbers, visitors will hear the story ofa real person who worked in Maine EMS. Othercolumns would contain a simple phrase, such as “dis-patcher” or “emergency responder”.

“This memorial is absolutely unique in the Unit-ed States,” McGinnis said.

This memorial will not be paid for using taxpay-er dollars. Instead, Maine EMS is fundraising the$300,000 that it will cost to construct the memori-al. To date, over $65,000 has been raised, Petrie said.That means that only $235,000 remains. McGinnissaid that a recent donation from Harris Corpora-tion included a matching grant of $5,000.

“[They gave us a] straight donation of $10,000and also said they’d give a matching grant of $5,000if we were able to raise $5,000 by next year,” McGin-nis said. Anyone can donate to the EMS Memorialfund, McGinnis and Petrie said.

To donate towards the memorial, visitwww.kvems.org or call (207) 877-0936. Donationsare tax-deductible.

Maine EMS Memorial will honor past and present EMS staff

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF RICHARDSON & ASSOCIATESThis illustration shows the proposed design of the Maine EMS memorial. The EMS Memori-al celebrates present and past EMS professionals and will be located between the fire and

law enforcement memorials by the Capital in Augusta.

“This isn’t just a tribute to those whodied in the line of duty — it’s for

every [EMS responder].”

everyday heroes: maine ems week

Documents

southern maine ems

northeastern maine ems

aroostook ems

midcoast ems

tri county ems

kennebec valley ems

bangor daily news file

pen bay medical center