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First Selectman, ER Docs Honor 'Everyday Heroes' During National EMS Week

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First Selectman, ER Docs Honor

‘Everyday Heroes’ During National EMS Week

Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra said this week that she wants to add her voice to the chorus of thanks to those dedicated Newtown men and women upon whom we depend for our care and safety during National EMS Week. 

“We are fortunate indeed in this community to have the support of many talented and dedicated workers in our fire services, our police department, our ambulance corps, NUSAR, and paramedics,” Mrs Llodra told The Newtown Bee. “They keep us safe, protecting us from harm; they respond quickly and capably when any one of us faces a danger or a crisis.  They use special skills and knowledge on our behalf and we are safer because they are part of us.”  

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) celebrates the 38th annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week May 15-21 with events in communities across the nation, as well as several national events organized around the theme, “Everyday Heroes.”

“As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11, these ‘everyday heroes’ deserve special recognition for their willingness to face danger in order to help people in trouble,” said ACEP President Sandra Schneider, MD, FACEP. “All emergency physicians salute the brave men and women who sometimes put themselves in harm’s way in order to assist the sick and the injured. Their selflessness sets an example for all of us.”

EMS providers include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders, firefighters, and police, some paid, some volunteer. National EMS Week features hundreds of grassroots activities coast-to-coast, including safety demonstrations, EMS essay and poster contests, CPR classes, and at least one auto extrication demonstration.

The 19th annual National EMS Memorial Service will take place on June 25 at its home in Colorado Springs, Colo. This event honors those responders who died while in the line of duty.

This year, 43 honorees from 18 states will be added to the 538 honored in years past. The Stars of Life celebration, in which selected ambulance professionals are honored for their service to their community, took place in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.

The physicians at ACEP have provided some tips on when to call EMS. Always call EMS if someone needs immediate medical treatment.

To make this decision, ask yourself the following questions:

*Is the person’s condition life-threatening?

*Could the person’s condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?

*Does the person require the skills or equipment of paramedics or emergency medical technicians?

*Could the distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the person to the hospital?

If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” or if you are unsure, it is best to call EMS. Paramedics and EMTs can begin medical treatment at the scene and on the way to the hospital and alert the emergency department of the person’s condition en route.

When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly. Give your name, address, and phone number; give the location of the patient and describe the problem.

Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to, because he or she may need more information or give you instructions.

In Connecticut, there is a uniform protocol that dispatchers will follow depending on the symptoms of the victim being provided over the phone. Dispatchers may ask the caller to perform some basic tasks to help protect or stabilize the victim, or to enlist the help of a witness or passerby to give first aid.

But according to Newtown’s first selectman, this week it is the individuals who answer the call without pay or any regard for the time of day, the condition of the weather, and often at the expense of their own family time which is disrupted, who deserve the community’s gratitude.

“Thank you to all of these men and women,” Mrs Llodra said. “We appreciate you; we thank you; we need you and are very glad you are there for us.”  

To learn more about the local ambulance corps, or to make a donation or inquire about volunteering, go to: newtownambulancect.org.

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