Kids a priority for Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company
From left are Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company President John Tennant, Thomas Winkler of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council and JVFC assistant EMS director Joe Petek. Winkler recently presented the company with a recognition certificate for the Pennsylvania EMS for Children Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program.
A Jefferson-Morgan Elementary School student crawls through the fire safety house in 2012 during an outreach program of Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company.
JEFFERSON – Children and parents often are overcome with fear when a child requires emergency medical care, and if that care requires a ride in an ambulance, the anxiety level increases.
The Pennsylvania EMS for Children Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program is a statewide multi-phase initiative that gives EMS agencies an opportunity to establish programs and standards to enhance and improve their capability to deliver pediatric care. It is an opportunity for these agencies to go above and beyond the norm.
When the call to join the program, Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company’s ambulance service personnel jumped on board, making it the only company in Greene, Washington and Fayette counties to do so.
“We recognize the responsibility being placed into our hands each time we are entrusted with someone’s child,” said Eric Burwell, EMS director for the fire company. “So, when the opportunity became available to further our skills and offer documented assurances that children in our care are with trusted professionals there was no question whether we would seize it.”
The certification is in excess of what the Department of Health requires. Jefferson VFD is two steps away from completing all phases. Burwell said the hope is to reach the mastery level by the end of the year.
“Allegheny General Hospital provided some of the training that gave us this opportunity. We didn’t have to do this and it is definitely not a requirement,” Burwell said. “We wanted to do it. We knew we didn’t have to but we felt we should.”
Burwell has a 2 -year-old son. “That little guy has been a lot of my push in the last couple of years to do more. Adults can tell you what’s wrong; a kid can’t,” Burwell said.
The first level obtained by Jefferson VFD was the basic level related to pediatric-specific equipment on ambulances. This step ensured that the company had items recommended by the Federal Emergency Medical Services program that are not required for Pennsylvania licensure. To receive the recognition for this level, the company had to provide evidence of possessing this additional equipment.
At the intermediate level of the PEHSC program, all members must submit to background checks, similar to those required to teach. Burwell said all of the members have done this and these are kept on file.
The advanced level, completed by Jefferson VFD, is the pediatric education level with four additional hours of classes in pediatric care beyond the traditional requirements. These are approved through the Pennsylvania Deptartment of Health and completed annually.
“We are very blessed to have a good group of guys that take an interest in the community and really care about what they are doing,” said Shirl Barnhart, vice president of the fire company.
Barnhart credited the ingenuity of members of Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company through the years for placing them in a financial position where they don’t have to hesitate to upgrade systems and skill sets.
“The classes (offered through the PEHSC) assures people that they can be confident in everything we do. They can know we are on the up and up and there is nothing to worry about,” Barnhart said.
Barnhart said Burwell is a stickler for having the most up-to-date training and equipment.
“Eric is a leader. That is why we made him the emergency management coordinator for the township,” Barnhart (also a Morgan Township supervisor) said. “He is very proactive.”
Although the company has not yet achieved the master level through the program, it has been doing the work required for this recognition for some time.
At this level, community outreach is stressed. It calls for companies to provide education and injury prevention initiatives in the community.
Burwell said they have been instructing in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and first aid for a number of years at churches, schools, senior centers, various non-profits and to other fire departments. The company has shared fire safety training at local school districts and brought fire trucks, equipment and even a lifeflight helicopter from Allegheny General Hospital out for students to see.
“The kids have an opportunity to become very familiar with the equipment and that makes it a little less scary for them,” Burwell said. “Everything in this program comes together at the end.”