cleartheway.
IT JUST MAY SAVE A LIFE
Many times ambulances and other emergency vehicles have difficulty accessing homes due to overgrown driveways. As you rake up those leaves this fall take the time to trim back any branches or brush that may have grown into your driveway this summer! It just might save valuable minutes when seconds count!
Here are a few points shared from a post online by Norway Maine Fire Department
Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is stepping up children’s dental care with a mobile van – fondly called “Miles of Smiles.” Bringing dental services right to children by visiting the schools they attend, the service is for any child up to age 18 but is primarily concentrated at the elementary level.
Miles of Smiles will visit schools that have identified a gap in dental care and will expand their scope as the program progresses.
“This project is a shining example of LVHN’s commitment to all the people in our service area,” says Anne Baum, President of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. “It’s one more way we are extending the high-quality care for which LVHN is known, to everyone, our entire population. This true dedication to public health is at the core of LVHN’s service.”
The new van, Miles 2.0, is a second-generation effort made possible through a $500,000 grant from Capital Blue Cross. Miles 1.0 had to be discontinued at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. One dentist and a hygienist will work in two fully operational rooms inside the van. They will do fillings, extractions, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments and oral health education.
chools are chosen based on contracting and the degree of need in the district. Parents and children are notified through flyers sent through the school, which include consents for parents to sign. Parents make the appointments, and the children are seen during their school day. In some cases, the van can take appointments before those regularly scheduled if there is parental consent. This might be for emergencies or for those who do not have access to a dentist otherwise.
“We are pleased to be able to provide dental services to children who might otherwise not have the opportunity to have this care,” says Deborah Campbell, DMD, chair of the dental department at LVHN. “We are working with the school districts to get children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP to pay for the services.”
Since Pennsylvania mandates screenings for children in kindergarten, first, third and seventh grades, the dental team has been doing dental screenings in Allentown and Bethlehem as well as in the northern Pennsylvania counties. They identify children who need follow-up care and refer them to a dental office. In some cases, the van can be used for those follow ups.
“There are so many schools with children in need,” Dr. Campbell says. “We have school staff reaching out to us, desperate for services. We are glad to be able to do something about it.”
DCNR State Park Rangers & Off Duty
PMREMS EMT Save Drowning Victim
On the evening of Sunday July 7th 2024, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Park Rangers Justin Waid and Clark Verchuk were alerted to an individual who went under the water near the beach area and did not resurface. Bystanders were able to locate the individual who was found unresponsive and not breathing under the water. Park Rangers Waid & Verchuk took swift action to activate the 911 system and access the victim who had been dragged to shore by the heroic bystanders. In the critical moments before EMS arrival, Rangers Waid and Verchuk identified that the patient was not breathing and they were unable to feel a pulse. Relying on their training, they initiated CPR providing quality chest compressions and applying an AED or Automatic External Defibrillator.
Off duty EMT Kelsey Hovi was enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with her family where she resides near the scene of the incident. Hearing the dispatch on her scanner and knowing the seriousness of the situation, EMT Hovi jumped into action and responded to the scene to provide assistance. EMT Hovi along with the Park Rangers continued CPR and provided rescue breaths for 3-5 minutes. Seconds before the ambulance arrived on scene, the patient spontaneously coughed and vomited a large quantity of water and began taking gasping breaths yet remained unresponsive.
When the ambulance arrived on the scene merely minutes after the initial 911 call, Rangers Wait & Verchuk along with EMT Hovi provided a detailed description of the events that had transpired and the actions they took prior to the patient regaining spontaneous breathing and circulation. They continued to assist as Pocono Mountain Regional Emergency Medical Services staff worked to assess the patient who remained unresponsive and displaying signs of severe hypoxia, secure him to a stretcher and loading the patient into the ambulance by carrying the stretcher over the deep sandy terrain. All the while Rangers Waid & Verchuk maintained order of a very emotional and chaotic scene with distressed family members and bystanders looking on.
The patient continued to be treated by Pocono Mountain Regional EMS crews who aggressively treated the patient with advanced interventions and transported the still unresponsive patient to a nearby hospital where he remained for 3 days before being discharged and walking out of the hospital under his own power.
The extraordinary actions that were taken by these three individuals undoubtedly saved a life. It is a testament to the importance of community CPR education as well as AED availability in all public places.
We can’t begin to express the appreciation felt for everyone who came out to support the September spaghetti dinner benefitting Jeff Kovalchik. The event was a huge success and wouldn’t have been possible without the entire community coming together to support one of our own.
So many individuals, agencies, and organizations stepped up to support the event and this is by no means a complete list of everyone who chipped in but we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to a few of the key supporters.
First and foremost, the Pocono Mountain Volunteer Fire Department (Station 32) for allowing the use of their hall, and all of their members who helped set up and clean up. Coolbaugh Township Volunteer Fire Company for allowing us to borrow tables and chairs as well as many of their members attending and displaying the flag with their ladder truck. Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Company for lending us tables and chairs as well as many of their members attending. LVHN MedEvac for stopping by and grabbing dinner along with displaying their beautiful aircraft. Kasa’s Restaurant for a generous donation and sourcing of supplies for the event. Pennsylvania Ambulance for donating 3 raffle baskets as well as many of their employees who made the drive
“up the mountain” to attend.
All of our employees, board members and management team who helped plan the event and volunteered to help out. There are so many more people and organizations that played a role, and we appreciate you all so much.
Jeff summed it up perfectly that night by saying “Cancer sucks, it impacts the lives of everyone at some level in the worst of ways, but it also brings out the best of us in showing the love people have in their hearts.”
We Love you Jeff! WE’RE going to get through this and see you through your treatments every step of the way, because at PMR, nobody fights alone!
Gone Gone Not Forgotten Not Forgotten
