Andrew County Ambulance District

Andrew County Ambulance District is moving forward helping staff and community alike. Recent purchases of three Lifeline ARM mechanical CPR devices have helped crews in situations with limited assistance. This puts a device on each of the District’s three ambulances. Additionally, two new INX stretchers from Ferno have made all ambulances in the fleet no lift cots.

Lastly, in an attempt to maintain infrastructure, the District Board of Directors just approved four new Kenwood radios that will improve radio reports to receiving hospitals as well as bringing mutual aid capabilities up to par.

ACAD is excited to watch the new equipment strengthen and their abilities improve to support their community in their times of need.

National EMS Memorial News

The National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), the National EMS Memorial Foundation, and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) announce that preparations are underway for the 2020 National EMS Memorial Weekend of Honor, scheduled May 15-17 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at 201 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, MD 20745. The weekend includes a series of events that honor all Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers from air and ground who serve, but especially those who become ill or have been injured related to their duty, and culminates with the formal Service to specifically honor in the highest degree, those who have died in the line-of-duty. The events recognize EMS responders from across the United States. This years’ National EMS Memorial Service will pay tribute to 24 EMS fallen who made the Ultimate Sacrifice. That list of honorees from 15 states can be found on the NEMSMS website at www.national-ems-memorial.org.

On Friday afternoon, May 15, 2019 the arrival and tribute ceremony of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride will occur. The riders will be arriving at the National Harbor Plaza at approximately 4 p.m. Then on Saturday evening, May 16, 2020 at 5 p.m. the National EMS Memorial Service, a formal ceremony to honor fallen EMS professionals from ground and air medical, will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. 

The NEMSMS’s annual Line-of-Duty Death Seminar will be held on Friday, May 15, 2020, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and is open to all who serve in EMS, Air Medical, Fire Service, or Law Enforcement and is offered at no cost to participants. Chaplains and other support personnel are also invited to participate.

Registration for events and more information on specific event times and locations can be found at www.national-ems-memorial.org. 

Missouri EMS Funeral Response Team Looking for New Members

The Missouri EMS Funeral Response Team is looking for first responders, EMTs, and paramedics to become a part of the team. They are accepting applications now for team members all over the state, but they are wishing to start up a new team in their region 9.

The funeral team has nine regions. Region 9 covers Carter, Ripley, Butler, Wayne, Stoddard, Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid, Dunklin, Reynolds, and Pemiscot counties.

The mission of the Missouri EMS Funeral Response Team is to provide upon request professional visitation and funeral support and services to agencies and survivors of Missouri EMS providers who have given their lives in the line of duty. The team will also respond upon request to organizations that an EMS provider has died while still actively serving, or have served, retired, and have passed away. The team’s response guidelines are on their website.

 Since the beginning of the team in late 2009, the team has responded upon request to 166 call outs. The team has also responded out of state upon request to Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa several times. The team has been a part of the National EMS Memorial service numerous times as they were a part of the National EMS Color Guard and have been presenters as well.

 The team never charges for a call out. When a request comes in, no matter where it is in the state, all team members are notified by e-mail. If a member can assist, they contact the person heading up that call out. Members raise money for their uniforms in several ways, and the training is provided.

The team has two groups. One is operations. This group responses to call outs. The second is the support team. Support team member assist regions in fundraising, etc. but do not have to respond to call outs, however some do assist families and the team. On the application is a place for new members to chose which group they wish to be a part of.

The team has a nine-member board of directors. At this time the team has 79 operation and support members.

The team also provides training to organizations with a 90-minute program “Losing One of our Own.” This program shares information about what organizations can do to set up policies before anything happens. This class is provided FREE of charge, and CEUs are provided to those who attend.

If you are interested, you can check out their web site at www.moemsfuneralteam.org, or contact any funeral team or board member. For more information, you can contact Tom Yates, Executive Director or George Wright, State commander at the phone numbers on the website. To apply, click Join the Team on the website.