Virginia
LIFELINE
2nd Quarter 2019 The Official Publication of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads
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FIRST RESPONDER VIRGINIA August 7—10, 2019 “Support those you support you, become a First Responder Virginia Sponsor” In 2019 the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads and Virginia State Firefighters Association have partnered to put on a Convention for First Responders. This is the first time that both organizations have attempted this in their rich history.
Virginia State Firefighters Association / Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads
First Responder Virginia—2019 Sponsorship Levels Sponsorship Levels: Levels of sponsorship and what is included are negotiable. PLATINUM RESPONDER SPONSOR -
$15,000
Key sponsor for convention that includes displaying company marketing (such as banners, tabletop displays, etc.), booth, social media, acknowledgement at ceremonies, web banner ad on both VAVRS and VSFA websites, newsletter large ad, conference book, top billing on support wall (displayed at all functions), individual class sponsor, one conference class break, and other discussed/negotiated opportunities. GOLD RESPONDER SPONSOR -
$6,500
Web banner ad on both VAVRS and VSFA websites, newsletter large ad, conference book or app ad, top billing on support wall (displayed at all functions), individual class sponsor, one conference class break, key note speaker sponsor, sponsor an activity, displaying company marketing (banner and displays), special social media and website recognition, newsletter large ad, conference book or app ad, billing on support wall (displayed at all functions), one conference class break and other discussed/negotiated opportunities. SILVER RESPONDER SPONSOR -
$4,500
Web banner ad on both VAVRS and VSFA websites, website and social media recognition for both VAVRS and VSFA newsletter large ad, conference book ad, billing on support wall (displayed at all functions), and one conference class break. BRONZE RESPONDER SPONSOR -
$2,500
Website and social media recognition through both VAVRS and VSFA, conference book ad, activity and general giveaways (provided by the sponsor), and other discussed opportunities. WE SUPPORT FIRST RESPONDERS -
$1,000
Website and social media recognition through both VAVRS and VSFA, activity and general giveaways (provided by the sponsor), and other discussed opportunities. FRIEND OF FIRST RESPONDERS -
$500
Give out business raffle prizes, meeting materials (provided by the sponsor), general recognition in marketing materials, and general giveaways for meeting attendees (provided by the sponsor.)
Conference Event Sponsor Friday Lunch - $8,000 Casino Night Sponsor - $5,000 Competition Sponsor - $2,000 Event Mobile App - $2,000 Moveable Ad Wall - $150
First Responder Night at Langley Speedway - $5,000 Picnic - $5,000 Shuttles - $2,000 Class Breaks (AM or PM break) - $500 each
Contact – To sponsor an event or activity please get in touch with Larry Gwaltney (VSFA Executive Director) or Matt Henke (VAVRS Executive Director.) Larry Gwaltney – lsgwaltney@cox.net Matt Henke – mhenke@vavrs.com P ag e
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2018-2019 VAVRS Officers and Committee Chairs President - Scott Davis Vice President - Connie Moore Secretary - Wesley Melson Treasurer - Wayne Rapp Training Officer - Curtis Crawford Chaplain - Joey King Chaplain Emeritus - Page Entsminger Historian - Dreama Chandler Immediate Past President - Kim Craig Chief Rescue Officer - John Craig Editor - Gary Dalton Parliamentarian - J. C. Phillips Facilities Manager - George Langford Legal Advisor - Mary Malone Medical Advisor - Dr. Scott Hayes District 1 Vice President - Nick Brown District 2 Vice President - Carolyn White District 3 Vice President - John Hilliard District 5 Vice President - Mike Smoot District 6 Vice President - Lisa Hale District 7 Vice President - Toby Akers District 8 Vice President - Thomas Tomlin District 9 Vice President - Tony Cox District 10 Vice President - Byron Andrews Executive Director - Matt Henke Office Assistant - Cindy Bailey Bookkeeper - Cynthia Babb Lobbyist - Ed Rhodes
Convention - Tarry Pribble Bylaws - Bruce Stratton I T Coordinator - Steve Ayers New Course / Future Vision - Kenny Frenier Rescue College - John Craig Finance - Wayne Rapp Camporee Coordinator - Scott Masincup Scholarship - Mickey Grodski Human Resources - Connie Moore Legislative - Bubby Bish Public Relations - Wesley Melson Life Member - Mike Moore Publication - Gary Dalton Hall of Fame - Kevin Dillard EMS Advisory Board - Valeta Daniels EMS Advisory Board - Dreama Chandler EMS Exchange - Kevin Dillard Nominating - Kevin Dillard
2018-2019 VAJVRS Officers President - Brandon Propst Vice President - Sheriz Chisley-Strickler Secretary/Treasurer - Adam Lane Historian - Olivia Bostic Chaplain - Bryton Vandyke Advisor Chair - Alfred Smith
2018-2019 AVAVRS Officers and Committee Chairs President - Ailease Short Vice President - Fay Browning Secretary - Vickie Arnold Treasurer - Elsie Butler Chaplain - Clara Craig Historian - Linda Berkstresser Parliamentarian - Carolyn Brand Immediate Past President - Harry Householder Midwestern Vice President - Garland Linkous Northeastern Vice President - Marie Householder Southcentral Vice President - Joan Smoot Southeastern Vice President - Judy Frame Southwestern Vice President - Marcella Caudill Western Vice President - Laura Booze
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Membership - Fay Browning Finance - Elsie Butler Resolutions - Carolyn Brand Emergency Care - Nellie Sue Ritchie Nominating - Fern Puckett Life Member - Dolores Hudson Convention Chair - Maxine Kerns Convention Co-Chair - Ruth Swicegood Roll Call Chair - Christie Jefferies Roll Call Co-Chair - Valerie Becker Fundraising Chair - Tracey Frame Fundraising Co-Chair - Stacey Frame
“Friendship and Hospitality to the Rescue�
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Deadline for the Upcoming Issues of the VIRGINIA LIFELINE Deadline for future issues are as follows: December 15 for the 1st Quarter Issue March 15 for the 2nd Quarter Issue June 15 for the 3rd Quarter Issue July 15 for the Convention Issue September 15 for the 4th Quarter Issue
Articles may be submitted by any member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS and VAJVRS. Feature articles are encouraged. Photos and/or graphics are acceptable and can be returned if requested.
Contact the VAVRS Editor (editor@vavrs.com) if you need assistance submitting to the publication. Advertising Rates: Member Squads…,…......no charge Full Page…………………..$ 275.00 Half Page………………..…$150.00 Quarter Page……………....$100.00 Business Card……………..$ 50.00
From the Editor, The VAVRS has finalized our sponsorship packages for Convention. On page 3 of this issue you will see a document that we are using to ask for donations from prospective businesses and donors. The more funds that we can raise for this the more it will offset our expenses. If you know of businesses in your area that would like to donate please feel free to approach them. It would be great if we could get a couple of sponsors from each District. We are also trying a new communication tool to better our communication to the Association. Examples of the tool can be send on page 28 of this issue. VAVRS Secretary Wesley Melson has put together the newsletter and we have been sending this out through Facebook, Instagram, Constant Contact and posting our website. Please take a look at it and give us your feedback. Lastly, in regards to fundraising, we have several ways to donate now and we are trying to raise funds for Convention, Rescue College and a general campaign to raise funds for our training equipment. For Convention and Rescue College we are asking for sponsorships. If they donate at certain levels then we will recognize them accordingly.
Thank you for your support. Please let us know if you have any questions.
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National EMS Memorial Service By: Kevin Dillard, NEMSMS Past President The 2019 National EMS Memorial Service will be held on Saturday May 18, 2019 at the Gaylord Resort and Conference Center. We will be honoring 26 EMS providers during this years’ service. Each year we offer the “Adopt-a-Family” program. This program financially supports the families of those who have experienced a Line of Duty Death. If you, your agency or business would like to support this program, please send a check made payable to the NATIONAL EMS MEMORIAL SERVICE, care of the VAVRS office at P.O. Box 279, Oilville, VA 23129. Cost of sponsoring a family is $350 and we encourage more if you are able to do so.
Please visit our website at www.national-ems-memorial.org Additionally, the EMS Memorial Bike Ride-Southern will be leaving Raleigh, NC on May 13th and ending at National Harbor, MD (via Annapolis where we will meet up with the East Coast Route) on May 17th. We welcome cyclists, support personnel, and sponsors who would like to help out the route. Here is a link for more information http:// www.muddyangels.com/rides/southern/ Any questions about the service, please feel free to reach out to Kevin Dillard or VAVRS President Scott Davis.
Nominating Committee Kevin Dillard, Chair
All qualified candidates interested in seeking an elected position for the VAVRS need to send in their letter of intent and resume to the VAVRS office at P.O. Box 279, Oilville, VA 23129. Nominations must be in no later than June 1 st. Following that date we will convene the committee to interview the candidates for the positions they are seeking. If you know of a great potential candidate that would be interested in serving the association and assisting us with growing, please encourage them to reach out to us. We are seeking our quality leaders of tomorrow! If you would like any further information on the process or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at kdillard@lifecae94.com or by phone at (540) 752-0137.
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EMS EXCHANGE PROGRAM Kevin Dillard, Chairman We are looking forward to our guests from Germany arriving in a few months for our 2019 EMS Exchange Program. The confirmed dates of this year’s visit will be October 25th through November 10th. This year we will have four guests as we usually do. When our four German guests arrive we will pick them up at the airport and they will first spend time in District 10. After a few days they will then travel to District 1. Next they will travel to District 7 and then finish up in District 8. The last few days will be spent at the Virginia EMS Symposium in Norfolk. We will begin updating our EMS Exchange Facebook page as we begin to finalize the plans, so you will be able to track where they are in Virginia. Try to get out to visit with them and help us welcome them to Virginia! If anyone needs more information, please feel free to contact me at kdillard@lifecare94.com or call me at (540) 752-0137.
Steffen Wellbrock
Rouven Gerlach
Moritz RoĂ&#x;kothen
Alexander Afrim
He is a 23 year old paramedic from Gottingen. He works in Kassel with the German Red Cross and is excited to have been selected to visit Virginia and to be able to meet the people here. He is curious about all the things that we will be showing and looks forward to eating a steak at a steakhouse and having barbecue.
He is a 34 year old paramedic from Wolfhagen. He has been serving as a volunteer and is active with the disaster control unit, where he serves as Deputy Chief. He recently became a team member on the helicopter service. He is excited about having the opportunity to visit the United States as part of the EMS Exchange Program and is looking forward to learning how the health and EMS system works. He is also looking forward to meeting the people here.
He is a 32 year old paramedic also from Kassel. He served in the German Army as a medic and is excited to be a guest in the USA. He is looking forward to seeing our EMS system and our ambulances. He hopes also to see some of the history of our area while here.
He is a 37 year old paramedic with the German Red Cross in Kassel Germany. He is originally from Romania and is a scuba diver. He is looking forward to meeting the various members of the VAVRS and getting a glimpse of what we do in our everyday life and work.
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Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad Receives Highly Prestigious National Award ~Awarded 2018 Volunteer EMS Service of the Year in Nashville~ November 8, 2018- Virginia Beach—Submitted by Bobby Hill Innovation, education and community involvement are three exceptional principles that earned the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad top national honors at the recent EMS World Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, where they were awarded the prestigious 2018 Volunteer EMS Service of the Year award, sponsored by ZOLL. The conference recognizes two services, one career and one volunteer, for the entire nation.
VBVRS Chief Travis Smith received the award on behalf of the squad. “While in Nashville, we were surprised at the number of people – providers, agencies, medical professionals and community members – who approached us, fascinated by how our system works,” he said. “We were able to explain how we are one of 10 volunteer rescue squads that provide free emergency medical services to all of Virginia Beach, and operate entirely on community donations and grants. We found that the Volunteer Rescue Squads of Virginia Beach are definitely unique in the level and extent of service provided as a volunteer organization.” The 10 squads that comprise the Volunteer Rescue Squads of Virginia Beach answer over 46,000 calls annually with a volunteer staff of nearly 1,000. Smith’s award-winning squad, the largest in the City, has 175 members who donate over 45,000 hours of volunteer support annually. On a day-today basis, VBVRS run out of two stations, 8 and 14, providing three ambulances per 12-hour shift. During peak hours, known as “power shifts,” the volunteers staff 6-7 ambulances. No patients are billed for these services. Along with their sister squads, VBVRS saves Virginia Beach taxpayers over $24 million annually. “The commitment of our volunteers, donors and supporters is essential to our success,” said Travis,“ and we happily share this national honor with them.” “This is a multimillion-dollar business that is run on a day-to-day basis by volunteers and committed community leaders,” says Doris Foster, squad historian. The Virginia Beach Rescue Squad has been in operation since 1952. In addition to resident services, the squad provides medical support for large-scale events, including parades, marathons, music festivals and beachside celebrations. Nominees for the Service of the Year Awards were scored on the following criteria: advances in EMS education and training; innovations in pre-hospital care; medical community involvement; EMS system/program upgrades; worker safety and well-being programs; injury- and illness-prevention projects; and public-education projects. Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad conducts ongoing free EMS training for all volunteers. To ensure the safety of its volunteer providers, the rescue squad has installed power lift systems and stretchers and provides state-of-the art gyms at each station. Reflective safety outerwear elevates the safety profile for all members. An innovative digital dashboard, accessible to all members, details fleet and equipment status, SOPs, bylaws, member “shout-outs” and other agency news. Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad works closely with other volunteer squads to share best practices and to elevate the profile and the value of volunteer EMS agencies across the country. Community education includes providing safety and first-aid training at schools and civic Official
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organizations as well as training in beach, water and hurricane best practices critical to keeping the waterfront community safe. “Our mission is to provide reliable service, quality training, cooperative alliances and community awareness,” said Smith. “We dedicate our efforts to saving lives, making Virginia Beach a safer place to live and visit.“
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LifeCare Medical Transports Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence On January 9, 2019, LifeCare Medical Transports celebrated their 25th Anniversary. Since 1994, LifeCare has provided essential emergency and non-emergency services throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Starting out of a basement, the company has now grown to over 135 ambulances and over 500 employees statewide serving from LifeCare’s various stations throughout Virginia.
Kevin Dillard and Dan Wildman cutting the ribbon for LifeCare’s New Corporate Offices in Stafford, Va. (1998)
Dan Wildman and Kevin Dillard awarded the 1999 Ernest and Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Award for Virginia. Official
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During the past 25 years, LifeCare has been recognized for their compassionate service and quality care numerous times. LifeCare was the first commercial ambulance service to have received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding EMS Agency. LifeCare has also received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Safety and Health as well as the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Preparedness and Response. In 2018 LifeCare was awarded with the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award. Throughout LifeCare’s history we have been very involved in LifeCare Medical Transports in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. (2005) the community providing services for numerous events as well as participating in health fairs and educational fairs. In addition to community involvement, LifeCare has also been significantly involved in hurricane relief operations for Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Michael. Our key leadership team members participate in International, National, State, and Local committees. LifeCare was the first EMS agency in Virginia to develop a hybrid EMT program. LifeCare also participates and helps with the annual National EMS Memorial Service. On March 16, 2019, LifeCare held a celebration in honor of their employees for their 25 years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and recognized nearly 50 employees for their length of service to the company as well as acknowledged several volunteers who have been with the company for many years, some since its beginning.
Scott Winston Assistant Director of the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services Speaking at LifeCare’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. (2019) P ag e
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Gary Snellings presenting Kevin Dillard & Dan Wildman with a Stafford County Resolution commending LifeCare’s 25 Years. (2019) 2nd
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Bensley-Bermuda Auxiliary Submitted by Ailease Short Bensley-_Bermuda Auxiliary continues to stay busy as they assist their squad and community as well as working with the Southeastern District and the AVAVRS. They are steadily taking in new members and I believe the last count was 32 active members. WOW! Impressive! Recently they held their Installation of Officers I conjunction with their Senior Squad at the Koger Center in Richmond. A great affair with the installation banquet and casino and dance. Our theme was “Royal” and there were little gold crowns filled with candy on the tables for all guests. Great basket prizes for casino winners also. Everyone had a great time. Our Auxiliary officers were installed by AVAVRS Vice-President, Fay Browning and she used an impressive theme using Pineapples as we continue to promote “Friendship & Hospitality To The Rescue”. Stacey Frame was awarded Auxiliary Member of the Year. A lot of AVAVRS officers were present and enjoyed the evening with us. Thanks for all who came and continue to support us. John Hilliard of Forest View installed the Senior Squad officers. Bensley is getting busy now to get started on our Easter Egg Fund Raising project. Also we are planning the Southeastern District meeting to be held at our squad on march 17, 2019. Hope to see some of you there. Bensley has several members involved as AVAVRS officers and they will all be attending Spring Officers and Delegates meeting in Roanoke the end of March.
Thanks BENSLEY Auxiliary for all that you do. You are a great asset to your squad, community, district and state.
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AVAVRS President Ailease Short Wow! I have had a really busy winter installing officers for AVAVRS all around our beautiful state. Thanks to all of you for the hospitality as I visited in your area. On January 5 th we traveled to Waynesboro for their Installation at the Country Club. I used a theme of “Snow One Can Do This By Themselves” complete with Frosty the Snowman song. It was a great event and each of you are to be commended on all you do. Congratulations to Kathy Plummer on 50 years with Waynesboro Auxiliary. Thank yawl for the great meal, gifts, and week-end stay. We had a great time. The following week-end we traveled to Midlothian at the Salisbury Country Club for Forest View’s Installation banquet. Quite a chilly night but the roads remained okay for us to travel back and forth without difficulty. I used a theme of “It’s All About The Shoes” for them. The food was delicious, the hospitality was wonderful and got to see a lot of our VAVRS and AVAVRS friends there. Thanks again for the evening, the gifts, the hospitality and most of all the friendships shared.
The next week-end we traveled to Lynchburg to the Crown Sterling Restaurant for Campbell County Installation and dinner. Another great evening. I used the theme “Let Your Lights Shine” at this installation. Thanks for the dinner, gifts, hospitality and friendship again. We had a great time. The night before we enjoyed Bensley’s Installation at the Koger Center in Richmond complete with diner, casino night and dance. We had a lot of AVAVRS officers present for this grand event. Everyone had a great time and our Bensley Auxiliary officers were installed by Fay Browning, AVAVRS Vice-President.
I have participated in the Tele-conference Executive Board meetings in January and February. Plan to attend the Executive Board meeting in Oilville on March 2, 2019. Maddux and I made a day trip on our own to Hampton to visit the Embassy Suites which will be headquarters for this years convention in August. We were very impressed with the site and I think everyone will love the accommodations there. We attended the Western District meeting in Clifton Forge on February 24 th. They had a great turnout. Thanks for the hospitality and great food. Getting geared up for Spring Officers and Delegates meeting in Roanoke on March 30th. Hope everyone will attend and have a great time as we show off our attire from the fifties. We hope to have a rock and rolling time as we look back and remember how things used to be. Spring is just around the corner and I know everyone is ready to welcome it with open arms. I am ready for some warm weather and blue skies. We are encouraging the auxiliary folks to attend camporee in Buena Vista in (Continued on page 17)
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April and Rescue College in June. Both these events are a great time to visit with friends and learn as much as you can about our great association. Continue to support your squads, communities, districts and the AVAVRS and the VAVRS. Thanks once again for all the great hospitality we have received everywhere we have been and we value all of your friendships. Continue to remember “Friendship and Hospitality To The Rescue”. You are all doing a great job and I am very proud of you and to be your leader. Don’t forget in a world where you can be anything, don’t forget to BE KIND!
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Grooming Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Submitted by Kevin Dillard, Chief LifeCare Achieving excellence as an agency is key to the successful continuous growth of an organization. Recently LifeCare achieved a monumental capstone in our agency’s history as we reached our 25th Anniversary! This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of many people— great employees and an excellent leadership team working together to ensure trust, compassionate service and quality care for all of the patients and customers we serve. Some agencies in Virginia have achieved 50 plus years of service to their communities. This does just not happen. It takes good people and talented leaders to achieve these type of milestones. To become a great agency, there are five essential steps that will help along that journey. These steps are used not only to maintain success, but also to assist with grooming tomorrow’s leaders today. Communications. It starts with having good communications. Having an open line of communication with the management team, the providers and with the people you serve is essential in maintaining good ethics and integrity. Tomorrow’s leaders must be able to actively listen to others and take into consideration ideas that are not their own. Interpersonal communications such as being aware of body language can make a big difference when having a meeting with a provider or with the people we serve.
Chief Kevin Dillard presenting Xavier Bates with his Lieutenant bars after being promoted in March.
Staying realistic. Next, ensure you seek information and ideas from your team. Our providers (volunteer or paid) are the face of our agency to the people we serve. How our providers present themselves is a direct reflection of how the people we serve will perceive our agency-- good or bad. It is important to have your team represent your agency professionally at all times. It is also imperative to listen to your team members as they are our eyes and ears. Tomorrow’s leaders must be able to not only present themselves professionally, but be able to have those candid discussions with providers who may not be reaching those standards that the leadership team has set for performance. Consistency. In order for an agency to be stable it must have consistency in training and discipline for the leadership team. When we train our leadership team this should be equal across the board so that procedures and expectations are consistent throughout the agency. Not being consistent in training and even discipline can lead to a weak foundation in leadership.
Morale. Strive to keep the team’s morale up. There are times that an agency will have a few rough patches or challenging times. Even during these times, try to maintain a high morale. This is imperative for an agency. Your providers today could become leaders in your agency in the future. If your team becomes complacent or disgruntled, then a domino effect could occur and this could cause staffing issues and low morale. You can work to counteract this by simply showing appreciation to your team members and working alongside them to show your support. Training opportunities. An agency that strives for excellence will always offer training opportunities. Many of us do a great job training and getting our continuing education hours for our EMS certification, but what do you do to improve and grow your management/ leadership skills? We must seek out training opportunities in this area also. Training tomorrow’s leaders is a responsibility of today’s leaders. We must put a foundation in place with effective training opportunities. Also, when mistakes occur from those that are training to be tomorrow’s leaders, we need to use these as a learning experiences. They are building their management/ leadership style and can learn from not only good experiences but also from mistakes that they will make along the way. Following these five steps will assist your agency in achieving a good foundation to ensure that the leaders of tomorrow will have an understanding of what leadership can look like. If we as today’s leaders provide the right environment, tomorrow’s leaders will be able to grow and learn and have a solid foundation to build upon. Official
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Super CE Weekend Draws Large Crowd for Continuing Education Submitted by Erin Gusler Bailey, Danville Lifesaving Crew Pubic Information Officer In February, the Danville Area Training Center (DATC) hosted its 8th annual Super CE Weekend, a three-day event for first responders to earn continuing education hours. Over 1,000 continuing education hours were earned by hundreds of EMTs over the Danville Life Saving Crew Assistant Executive Bryan Fox discusses weekend. This event was free of charge the importance of trauma equipment and gear in the field. to all agencies. Seventeen presenters, from EMS personnel and medical professionals to police officers and firefighters, donated their time to the event. Participants from Danville Life Saving Crew, Danville Fire Department and Pittsylvania County agencies earned CE hours during the event. Participants even traveled to Danville from as far away as Richmond and Lynchburg to receive free continuing education. “We were very happy with the attendance demonstrated by our area providers,” Tommy Pruett, Danville Area Training Center executive director, said. “The sheer number of participants made this event one for the record book.” Over three days, more than 1,490 CE hours were awarded in BLS and ALS curriculum. Twenty-four one-hour classes were
Multiple classes had 70 or more participants.
offered in subjects like trauma, community Para medicine, capnography, traffic incident management, STEMI and stroke. All hours of instruction were NCCR (Cat 1). On Sunday, Air Methods/AirLife hosted a pizza lunch for all participants. WVEMS also assisted with funding for the event. The Danville Area Training Center thanks all the presenters who donated their time and everyone who helped make this event possible. In Tommy Barber, Danville Area Training Center training coordinator, discusses 2020, Super CE Weekend will be offered on February 7, 8 and 9. what it’s like to provide patient care during a working extrication P ag e
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From the
Legislative Attic Submitted by Ed Rhodes The 2019 General Assembly session finished up on February 24th or one day longer than scheduled. I must say from my part that even though this was the “short” session or 47 days, it truly felt much longer. VAVRS had a number of bills to deal with that affected EMS in the Commonwealth, some good and some not so good. My sincere thanks to the association’s Legislative Committee, including President Davis, Chairman Bish and Director Henke for their assistance during this session. We also found out how many e-mail addresses still worked. There are actually two lists of bills that were kept as references, one for EMS and a second for bills relating to schools as a result of the select committee from the House, both of which I have available but too long to attach to this article. Here is a list some pieces of legislation that we dealt with during the session. HB 1804 - Hugo - Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for certain diseases.
(H) Committee on Appropriations
(S) Signed by President
02/20/19
(S) Committee on Finance
SB 1030 - Cosgrove - Workers' (H) Committee on compensation; presumption of Appropriations compensability for certain diseases. (S) Committee on Finance
(G) Approved by Governor02/15/19 Chapter 26 (effective - see bill)
House Bill 1804 and Senate Bill 1030 add 3 additional cancers to the list in the cancer presumption law. As you can see, the Governor has signed SB 1030 into law, but is not effective until the 2020 session where it has to be voted on again after a JLARC study has been completed. HB 1911 - Peace - Duties of drivers (H) Committee for approaching stationary vehicles displaying Courts of Justice certain warning lights; penalty. (S) Committee on Finance
Governor: Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 26, 2019
03/11/19
HB 1911 increases the penalty for failure to move over or change lanes, etc., when approaching a stationary vehicle displaying flashing, blinking, or alternating blue, red, or amber lights, removing a $250.00 fine to a charge of reckless driving. There is also a license plate bill going through and the flyer to purchase that particular plate is in the current issue of Lifeline. Budget Item 391 – authorizes $50,000.00 for funding of the move over law. (Continued on page 21)
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HB 2594 - LaRock - Traffic incident management vehicles; definition.
(H) Committee on Transportation (S) Committee on Transportation
SB 1784 - Boysko - Traffic (S) Committee on incident management vehicles; Transportation vehicles equipped with flashing red and white lights.
(S) Failed to report (defeated) in Transportation (6-Y 7-N)
02/06/19
(S) Failed to report (defeated) in Transportation (6-Y 7-N)
01/30/19
These two bills, which failed to report from Senate Transportation Committee, would have allowed the VDOT Highway Safety vehicles to meet the standards of an emergency vehicle, i.e. lights, sirens and exemptions found in § 46.2-920. The amended bill in the House also included the requirement for an EVOC course along with the recertification requirement. SB 1012 - Chase - Firefighters, (H) Committee on Militia, emergency medical services Police and Public Safety personnel, etc.; carrying a concealed weapon. (S) Committee for Courts of Justice
(H) Rereferred to Militia, Police and Public Safety
02/19/19
This is the bill to allow, with permission, to carry a concealed weapon on an ambulance or firetruck while on duty. The bill was rereferred back to the House committee and is therefore “dead” for this year. This is the same bill that was defeated last year. SB 1226 - Chase - Community paramedics; State Board of Health to adopt regulations governing practice.
(S) Committee on Education and Health
(S) Passed by 01/24/19 indefinitely in Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
This bill was requested of the patron to bring another category of paramedic into the system, but the issue was that regulations would be done by the Board of Health (EMS Rules and Regs) and would be administered by the Board of Medicine. In addition there is already a workgroup within the EMS Advisory Board looking at this issue and chaired by Dr. Yee of Chesterfield. The bill was passed by indefinitely and the patron is supposed to be included in the workgroup meetings. Finally, budget amendments came out on the last Saturday of the session and were voted on the extended Sunday. There were actually no amendments offered that affected EMS this year, but there were some that were interesting. Briefly, they are: Item 420 – directing the State Police to study and report on the steps to contract with insurance providers for reimbursement of appropriate expenses. Item 486 – authorizes the VRS to release confidential information to the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the
Matt Henke, Ed Rhodes and Bubby Bish attending a press
conference on HB 1911 during the session. (Photo by WRIC) (Continued on page 23)
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purposes of honoring deceased public safety personnel. In closing this report, there are a couple of memorial resolutions that were produced. Fortunately there were numerous sets of eyes that reviewed the work a number of times to get them correct.
These have been approved by the General Assembly in the last two weeks, with the final approval being on the 47th day. In the last two days of the session – Delegates Bell of Staunton, Ingram of Hopewell, Helsel of Poquoson and Toscano of Charlottesville announced their retirement from the House. Senator Dick Black of Loudoun also announced his retirement. The four house members will be greatly missed as they were strong supporters of EMS and the VAVRS. As each day begins, more legislators are retiring. As of this writing, Delegate Steve Landes of Augusta will not seek reelection, Senator Bill Carrico of Fries, also will not run for reelection. Delegate Todd Pillion will not run for delegate but instead will seek Senator Carrico’s seat. The finally is Senator Frank Wagner who represents part of Norfolk and part of Virginia Beach has announced he will not run and thus retire from the Senate after about 38 years of service. To the officers and membership thanks for your support during this session and if I can answer any questions, please feel to ask.
Waynesboro First Aid Crew Auxiliary Submitted by Historian Cece McCormick and Jill Stachowski Happy New Year to all. On January 5th we had the Crew’s annual award banquet. We had AVAVRS President Ailease Short install our 2019 officers. We also had 2 auxiliary members awarded their outstanding service award—Kathy Plummer for 50 Years of Service and Bernice Payne for 27 Years of Service. So Thank You Ladies for everything you do. January 9th was National Environment Appreciation Day. The Auxiliary provided 2 sub sandwich trays to our local police departments.
In February the Auxiliary treated themselves to a Valentine’s meal and game night. There were several members who prepared the meal and we thank you all. At the end of the month, we had our Western District meeting in Clifton Forge. We had a wonderful time and fellowship with everyone and had a beautiful drive up and back. At the beginning of March, we had our 2 day drill for the city’s emergency personnel. It has been a slow month which was good because we have had a lot of auxiliary personnel with health issues. This pass Saturday we have had 3 Auxiliary members to attend the Spring Officers and Delegate Meetings in Roanoke. We are waiting to see what they bring back from the workshop. May you have a blessed Easter and hope to see you all soon. P ag e
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Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad Announces Award Winners, Installs Officers for 2019 Lt. Patricia FitzGerald named Top Call Runner Lt. Patricia FitzGerald & Lt. Danny Stinson receive Chief’s Award Submitted by Sara Hunt PR Colonial Beach, VA (Jan. 6, 2019) – At its annual banquet on Jan. 5, 2019, Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad (CBVRS) kicked off the new year with installation of officers and presented a number of awards to honor several members for their outstanding achievements in 2018. Joey King, Mayor of Montross, Va., was a featured speaker who shared insights about how CBVRS has evolved over the years into one of the state’s most respected EMS providers. Chief Joey Straughan called for a moment of silence to recognize the passing of Lt. John “Jack” Shelar, who was a dedicated Life Member of CBVRS. During the event, squad member Luis Bermudez created and played a video tribute to Shelar. Shelar’s wife, Donna, accepted a special plaque honoring her late husband. In his remarks, Chief Straughan noted that the squad responded to 875 calls for service, an 89 percent increase over the calls from 2017. Also, CBVRS provided assistance for over 400 calls with a 24-hour Westmoreland County ambulance in Oak Grove, Va., and completed more than 1,700 hours of training last year. He shared his goals to continue to lead CBVR in performing the best patient Lt. Pat Fitzgerald was the Top Call Runner care possible. in 2018 with 596 calls, very impressive!
Once again, FitzGerald was the squad’s Top Call Runner for 2018 with 596 calls. Other members in the Top 5 Call Runner list were Lt. Danny Stinson with 247 calls, Chief Joey Straughan with 88 calls, Donna Shelar with 62 calls and Luis Bermudez with 47 calls. The Chief’s Award, which goes to a member who has provided an extraordinary amount of support to the squad and its leaders, was given to two worthy recipients: Lt. Patricia FitzGerald and Lt. Danny Stinson. “They went above and beyond in so many ways during the year and both are very deserving of this award,” said Chief Straughan. Straughan will continue as chief in 2019 and Donna Shelar was installed as assistant chief. Bobby Rivenbark will continue as president of the squad’s administrative officers and Valerie Ivanyshyn will continue to lead the Support Team. Lt. Donna Shelar, Denise Weaver and Lt. Patricia FitzGerald were honored for their work as advisors for the Colonial Beach Junior Rescue Squad. Appreciation certificates were presented to a number of businesses and organizations for their support of CBVRS in 2018. “Congratulations to Pat, Danny and the other award winners who were recognized at the event,” said Chief Straughan. “We’re looking forward to a continued partnership with all police, fire, EMS agencies, as well as town and county officials, to serve the citizens in Colonial Beach and Westmoreland County with the highest quality of One of the two winners of the Chief’s emergency patient care in 2019.” Award: Lt. Danny Stinson.
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The Virginia Ambulance Association is sponsoring a Medicare Ambulance Refresher Workshop here at LifeCare (1180 Conference Room) on April 11 from 9am to Noon. This refresher will go over overviews on ambulance transports covered by Medicare, required documentation as well as medical necessity, top denials, and much more. If you are interested in participating in this event please email KDillard@lifecare94.com or you may register online at http://virginiaambulanceassociation.org/.
This course is free to all members of the VAA.
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A ME SS AGE FRO M TH E C H AP L AI N As chaplain of VAVRS, I am eager to work with all members, agencies, staff and leadership as we explore our spiritual value, commitments, and express our religious traditions I also understand that, as chaplain, I can be a companion in life's journey, through the painful places of illness, grief and abuse, as well as through joyful celebrations of achievement, accomplishment, and important relationships.
I would like to share with you eight (8) core Christian values. Based on God and the work of Jesus Christ. Christian values are based on spiritual things and are not material related. Even though these values are spiritual in nature, the evidence of these values come through deeds and actions. Acceptance of these values inspires us to treat others with respect, kindness and concern.
Eight Core Christian Values 1
Grace
Kindness from God, even when it is not deserved
2
Hope
An optimistic state of mind, with an expectation of a positive outcome
3
Faith
Confidence and trust based on God’s plan
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Love
Strong and positive interpersonal affection
5
Justice
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Joy
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Service
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Peace
For all, equal fair and unbiased actions Happiness, essential social value Serving, caring and putting others first Calm, positive well being
Grace Grace means giving people more than they deserve irrespective of the cause of their need. Those who live by grace know themselves as forgiven and act out of the humility that comes from that knowledge. Grace means living joyfully according to a possibility rather than a demand or an obligation. It is the idea that we are prepared to give to others what they really do not deserve. This concept begins with the totally undeserved gift that God gave to the world in Jesus of Nazareth. In his life and death Christians see God at work. Jesus told stories about grace that have a powerful message. There was the father who welcomed the wayward son home again. Grace means you care for those in need irrespective of the cause of their distress and that you don’t just love your family and friends but your enemies as well! Taken seriously - personally, socially and politically grace is radical! It will change the way we relate to people and the way we live in our society. Because grace is, by definition, an undeserved gift offered to someone who is need.
“More to come in the next article” Official
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PARLIAMENTARY LAW: Did you know? Submitted by J. C. Phillips, VAVRS Parliamentarian Did you know that it is not necessary to record in the minutes of a meeting the name of the person that seconds a motion? The membership may have set the precedent to want the Secretary to name the person that seconds a motion or it is covered in your organizations Bylaws. If your organization has not set a precedent throughout the years of listing the person who seconds the motion, then the following may be followed. The President does not have to be concerned with whom seconds a motion, especially in a large group or at a convention. Two or more members may have made the second to a motion at the same time. If this occurs, the President will not have to pick a name from the members who may have made the second. Most organizations that I have been in contact with, list the name of the person who seconds the motion. This is just what has always been done by that organization. Following are a few examples of how the Secretary may enter a motion in the minutes without the name of the seconder. ! MOTION by Bill Smith to accept the recommendation of having the Annual Picnic at the State Park, as in the past. CARRIED
! MOTION by Bill Smith to accept the recommendation of having the Annual Picnic at the State Park, as in the past. The motion was seconded and CARRIED. Most members would know that it is not necessary to add the words “The motion was seconded” because if it is in the minutes or they were at the meeting they would know that the motion was seconded, unless the motion came from a committee. The Secretary must always state the results of the motion. Some use words like, “carried, not carried, accepted, not accepted, passed, failed,” etc. Some organizations have the Secretary list the numbers of who voted for or against the motion. NOTE: You, as Secretary, should always use the same usage of the wording of the results of the motion. I hope this information helps you with the intricate rules of writing motions.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2019 VAVRS Rescue College June 7-16, 2019 VA Tech, Blacksburg, VA 2019 VAVRS Convention August 8-10, 2019 Hampton, VA
Virginia EMS Symposium November 5-9, 2019 Norfolk, VA P ag e
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The work of the VAVRS Strategic Planning Committee is an on-going process. In the identified areas of service of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc.—Advocacy, Training, Leadership and Networking, the identified issues communicating with our membership rose to the forefront. In an effort to address communications as a priority a new communication tool is being trialed. Below are examples of the first and second issues of VAVRS News that is being distributed through email to our members as well as posted on social media. The VAVRS Secretary and President will identify important news from action items during Executive Committee Meetings as well as items identified by the VAVRS Executive Director and Office Staff. All of these items will be collated and included in future issues of THE VAVRS NEWS bulletin. Please contact your District Vice President or any officer of the VAVRS to get items included as well as providing your feedback on the effectiveness of this communications network.
“Alone we can accomplish great things but together we can change the world.”
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VAVRS Training Officer Submitted by Curtis Crawford, VAVRS Training Officer With changes happening all around the organization, we are solidifying the training side of our organization. Cyndi and I have been working on policies to better clarify processes and timelines. We have worked for years on a knowledge-based set of ideas for guidelines. When asked to produce such ideas on paper, we seem to be able to do so. So, the goal by rescue college, is to finish up a base set of policies to set out timelines as well as procedures for our instructors and leadership to follow. Our goal is to also have these available to all our instructors so there is no question of what is expected of them to represent the VAVRS. At this point, we have improved our processes and at this time, we are getting class paperwork out within 6 business days at the latest, of it arriving at the office. We have plans in the near future to have that even faster, maybe even same day. Over the past couple of years, our organization has changed and for the better, but our training has been stagnated and unchanged and it shows. We are not getting our programs out to the commonwealth at the rate we should. Some of this is infrastructure in leadership and instructors. The rest of the issue is outdated procedures and lack of accountability. This change will be a process and hopefully will be a never-ending process to keep our programs up to date with current trends. I am proud to announce that we have had a up swing in instructor candidates from a year ago and the interest continues to grow. We need a new since of enthusiasm in our instructor base.
I know that a lot of instructors have contacted me with expiring instructor cards. Due to lack of information in our system that reflects our current instructors, we have postponed instructor update and plan to do multiple updates across the state. It will be mandatory for all instructors to attend these updates. From these updates and signatures of the new Code of Ethics, we will create new instructor list. This list will be the database we will use going forward. I will be working with our course coordinators and instructor trainers going forward to accomplish this. Rescue College is moving forward and our enrollment is growing daily. We are feeling good about number and are about ½ of the way to the goal we have set out for this year. Rescue College this year is new and there is a great enthusiasm behind it. If you have not signed up, please do soon. We have a few classes that are full and other trending that way. I look forward to what the years to come will bring for Rescue College. I look forward to continuing working towards getting our training program up to date. I would like to announce that I will be submitting my name for the nomination of Secretary for the upcoming year. I have enjoyed serving the association for the past 4 years and look forward to do so for many more. Thank you all for your help and love of serve to the communities of Virginia. Without each of you given your time, both volunteer and career, our communities would have a void that is irreplaceable. Continue to fight the good fight and may God bless!
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LifeCare Medical Transports Submitted by Morgan Elkins M.A. | Marketing & Business Development Coordinator On February 9th and 10th LifeCare Medical Transports took part in the 6th Annual Kids Expo in Fredericksburg, VA.
This event allows kids and their families to enjoy numerous attractions together such as seeing realistic Dinosaurs, experience a percussion musical instrument “petting zoo”, explore vehicles of all kinds, and much more. This year LifeCare Medical Transports displayed their Cancer Awareness Ambulance for kids and their families to explore and ask questions to First Responders. During the event over
LifeCare Medical Transports’ Cancer Awareness Ambulance at the 2019 Kids Expo in Fredericksburg, VA. 400 kids and their families were able to climb into the ambulance and see what it is like to be in the back of an ambulance. While kids looked around the ambulance the First Responders expressed how important it is to wear your seatbelt, demonstrating how even they wear seatbelts in the back of the ambulances to keep them safe during transports. While the event is highly entertaining for kids and their families, it is also a chance to educate and encourage kids at a young age to be mindful to health and safety and let them see a glimpse into life as a First Responder.
LifeCare’s Johnna Chandler explaining the operations of working inside an ambulance. P ag e
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VAVRS Scholarships Submitted by Carolyn Brand There are four (4) scholarships that are associated with the VAVRS. All scholarship applications can be found on the VAVRS web site. http://www.vavrs.com/forms.htm Tips:
When filling out applications answer ALL questions. If the question does not apply to you, put N/A. To leave a question unanswered makes the judges wonder if you even read the question.
Read carefully, there are differences in eligibility and due dates.
Applications that arrive late will NOT be judged.
If you did not win this year apply again next year.
Scholarships are NOT just for the first year in college, so if you do not meet the qualifications for your first year, apply as soon as the qualifications have been met.
If you have won the one of the scholarships and none of the others, apply for the others the next year.
To be eligible for the Julian Stanley Wise Scholarship: You must have been a member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS, the VAJVRS for at least 2 years, or be a child or grandchild of a person who has been a member for 5 years. You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or University or waiting acceptance at an institution that meets these criteria. (The scholarship will not be awarded until you have been accepted.)
You may not have received this scholarship before. Two JSW scholarships may be awarded each year, for $1,000 each. To be eligible for the Sylvia & Garry Clatterbuck Memorial Scholarship: You must have been a member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS, the VAJVRS for at least 2 years, or be a child or grandchild of a person who has been a member for 5 years. One of the judging criteria is the amount of volunteer Rescue Squad work or qualifications attained. You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or University or awaiting acceptance at an institution that meets these criteria. (The scholarship will not be awarded until you have been accepted.) You may not have received this scholarship before. One Clatterbuck scholarship is awarded each year in the amount of $1,000. To be eligible for the Anne J. Gwaltney Memorial Scholarship: You or your parent must have been a member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS, or VAJVRS for at least 2 years. You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or university or waiting acceptance at an institution that meets the criteria.
You must be less than 35 years old during the calendar year in which you are receiving the award. You cannot have received this award before. One AJG Scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,000 Official
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To be eligible for the Kelly G. Southard Memorial Scholarship: You or your parent must have been a member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS, or VAJVRS for at least 2 years You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or university or waiting acceptance at an institution; in the field of Architecture or the Medical field which is the criteria for this scholarship You must be less than 65 years old during the calendar year in which you are receiving the award You cannot have received this award before All of these have a deadline of July 1! If you have any questions about the scholarships listed above call or email Carolyn Brand: cbrand2289@gmail.com; H 8043746.2289 To be eligible for the Kimball L. Glass Scholarship: You must have been a member of the VAVRS, AVAVRS, or the VAJVRS for at least 2 years, or be a dependent of a person who has been a member for at least 5 years. You must be entering an EMS field. (Paramedic, Nurse, Medical Doctor, etc.) You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or University or waiting acceptance at an institution that meets these criteria. (The scholarship will not be awarded until you have been accepted.) Priority will be given to eligible District 5 members or their dependents. One KLG Scholarship is awarded in the amount of $500. To be eligible for the Trula Peach Scholarship:
You must have been a member of the AVAVRS or the VAJVRS for at least 2 years, or be a dependent of a person who has been a member for 5 years. You must be accepted at a fully accredited college or University or waiting acceptance at an institution that meets the criteria. You may not have received this scholarship before. One scholarship is awarded each year in the amount of $1,000. To be eligible for the Sharon K. Campbell Scholarship: Have been a member of the VAVRS, the AVAVRS, or the VAJVRS for at least 2 years or be a child or grandchild of a person who has been a member for at least 5 years; Have been accepted at a fully accredited college or University or be awaiting acceptance at an institution that meets these criteria (the scholarship will not be awarded until the applicant has been accepted); submit a completed application with all required items attached including the applicant’s transcripts, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or other person in a leadership position, a letter from the applicant explaining why this scholarship assistance is important to them, and a letter of recommendation from the company/ organization President or Chief describing the current member’s status.
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District 10 Life Membership Recognition Submitted by Gary Dalton On February 24, 2019 VAVRS District 10 welcomed two new members into Life Membership: Bill and Linda Bazzle, Madison County RS. The event was hosted by LifeCare Medical Transports and Virginia Delegate Mark L. Cole and US Congressman Rob Wittman gave remarks and presentations were made by District 10 Vice President Byron Andrews.
L-R: Kevin Dillard, US Congressman Rob Wittman, Virginia Delegate Mark L. Cole and Danny Wildman.
L-R: District 10 Vice President Byron Andrews, New District Life Members Bill and Linda Bazzle
L-R: District 10 Life Members Rebecca Raines, Steve Grayson, Glen Sullivan, Linda Bazzle, Sylvia Sullivan, Gary Dalton, Kevin Dillard, Vicky Langford, George Langford, Jackie Taylor, Danny Wildman, Bill Bazzle, Jim Schepmoes and Pat Nichols. P ag e
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Dear Rescue Ranger Dear Rescue Ranger, I heard a rumor about you and was wondering if it is true. Did you record a country music album? Singing in Singers Glen Dear Glen, Yes—it contained 10 songs:
Her Teeth Was Stained, But Her heart Was Pure
Take Your Tongue Outta My Mouth So I Can Kiss You Goodbye
How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?
I Just Bought A Car From A Guy That Stole My Girl, But The Car Don't Run So I Figure We Got An Even Deal.
I Keep Forgettin' I Forgot About You.
I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well
I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Like Having You Here.
I've Got Tears In My Ears From Lyin' On My Back and Cryin' Over You.
My Wife Ran Off With My Best Friend, And I Sure Do Miss Him.
If the Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me.
Dear Rescue Ranger, You know what I have not heard in a longtime? A good blonde joke? Got one you can share? CB Dear Cindy, You are about the read the blonde joke to end all blonde jokes: A blonde woman was speeding down the road in her little red sports care and was pulled over by a woman police officer, who was also a blonde. The blond cop asked to see the blonde driver’s license. She du through her purse and was getting progressively more agitated.
“What does it look like? She finally asked. The policewoman replied, “It’s square and it has your picture on It.” The driver finally found a square mirror in her purse, looked at it and handed it to the policewoman. “Her it is,” she said. The blonde officer looked at the mirror, then handed it back saying, “OK, you can go. I didn’t realize you were a cop…”
Dear Rescue Ranger, Just got my paramedic certification after three years as a basic provider and I am looking forward to a career in EMS. Any advice? New NREMTP Dear ParaPerfect Yes, yes and yes. My advice if financial planning. I have spent my entire life in EMS and the most important advice I can give is financial planning. When I got started I did some financial planning and it looks like I can retire and live comfortably for eleven minutes.
Dear Rescue Ranger, I have been lead to believe that you are the guru of patient care documentation. In fact I heard that you are the author of the shortest ePCR ever written. Is that true? Documenting in Danville Dear Bryan, Why yes I am. I once wrote the following narrative: “Arrived, did stuff and patient lived.” Dear Rescue Ranger, Oh great one, master of everything EMS. As your number one fan and follower, I am concerned that it appears the years have not been kind to you. Can you tell me is that because of lifetime spent in EMS? Your Greatest Admirer Dear Bubby, You don’t get a body like mine overnight, it takes years of moderate neglect and working in EMS. Official
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PO Box 279 2535 Turkey Creek Road Oilville, VA 23129 ISSN 0279-6023
NON-PROFIT ORGAN.. U.S.POSTAGE PAID WOODSTOCK, VA PERMIT NO. 82
Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc.
Phone: 804-749-8191 Phone: 800-833-0602 Fax: 804-749-8910 E-mail: vavrs@vavrs.com
"Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends." John 15:13
Need A Specific Training Class go to WWW.VAVRS.COM click on TRAINING Register on line Sign up today HAVING AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR NEEDS
and GOALS IS THE WAY WE SERVE YOU The Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads is THE voice of EMS…. the advocate for our members, Virginia’s EMS agencies and providers. We link members and agencies for the purpose of sharing ideas, giving you a voice at the General Assembly, on state advisory boards, as well as on state and local committees. When our members have training issues or needs, they come to the VAVRS. When our members need assistance from leadership to budgets they come to the VAVRS. We help rescue squads throughout the Commonwealth thrive and succeed so they can provide prompt, effective patient care 24/7 in the communities they serve.
Celebrating our 84th Year of Leadership