CCPT Congratulates the 2009 Employees of the Year

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation Services has announced the 2009 Divisional Employees of the Year. Each year, CCPT staff are selected from their accomplishments throughout the year.

Bedford Division-Tamara Dennis

Blacksburg Division- Amelia Stevens

Communication Center- Erika Alford

Critical Care Life-Guard- Charlotte Clark

Franklin Division-Jake Davis

Giles Division-Mike Evans

Lexington Division-George Jones
Pre-bill Division-Anessa Sink

Radford Division- Kelly Stoots

Roanoke Division-Alicia Caldwell

Westlake Division-Carole Vanella

Congratulations to all of the 2009 Employees of the Year!

Life-Guard Crew Visits Franklin County EMT Class

The Life-Guard 10 crew recently made a visit to the Carilion Franklin Memorial helipad to do LZ safety training with a group of EMT students. Each semester we visit the upcoming EMTs and provide a classroom lecture on helicopter operations and safety, followed by an actual visit with the aircraft. The students always enjoy seeing the helicopter up close and learning more about our flight crews' roles. We like to think that we are introducing our team to future Life-Guard medics and nurses! Thanks to all who helped to make this class a success.

Carilion Clinic Life-Guard Team Competes in 2009 METI Cup Competition

The annual Air Medical Transport Conference always offers lots of wonderful educational opportunities for the industry. Carilion Clinic Life-Guard is very proud to have been represented in the well-known METI Cup Critical Care Skills Competition this year is San Jose, CA. Flight nurse Dianna Coffey and flight medic Chase Bower rose to the challenge for this year's event.
Twenty teams went head-to-head at showing off their real time, real situation skills on METI’s state-of-the-art patient simulators. We are very proud of Dianna and Chase making such a strong showing in this exciting event. See pics below of our team in action. Way to represent, gang!

Life-Guard Rolls Out New Carilion Clinic Stroke Alert Education for EMS Providers

The Life-Guard crew is excited to be part of one of Carilion Clinic's latest initiatives in providing the best emergency care possible for our communities: The Carilion Clinic Stroke Alert Program. This program allows for rapid recognition and response to those suffering acute stroke symptoms. Just as we have seen with the Heart Alert Program, this program starts with our EMS partners in the field. Early recognition of the stroke victim is the key not only to survival, but also optimal recovery. Thanks to Carilion Clinic's new program, EMS providers can activate a Stroke Alert from the field, allowing cutting edge teams and technologies to be prepared for the patient before they even arrive at the doors of Carilion Roanoke Memorial's emergency department.
A huge thanks to our Botetourt County EMS partners who hosted one of our Stroke Alert educational programs this week. Almost 30 providers showed up to learn the latest in emergency stroke care, as well as learn more about the new Carilion Clinic Stroke Alert Program.
If you would like to host a similar training for your EMS agency, please contact our Business Development Office at (540) 981-8303 or e-mail at mmorris@carilion.com.

Camp Carilion Visits CCPT

Carilion Clinic hosted the 3rd Annual Camp Carilion this week in the Roanoke Valley. This is an exciting opportunity for middle school students to explore health care career opportunities by visiting different departments throughout our hospital. This year's theme was cardiac care, both in the hospital as well as in the EMS system. The students were able to follow the treatment course of a heart-attack vicitim from the the time of a 911 call all the way through to the cardiac rehab. course. The students also learned the vaulable signs and symptoms of a heart attack and how to assist if needed.
On Day 2 of the camp, the students joined us here at CCPT to become officially certified CPR providers. This turned out to be a favorite of the week for the group (including our staff!)

Photo Gallery

Two Carilion Clinic Employees Receive Regional EMS Awards

Recently, the WVEMS Office held their Regional EMS Appreciation Picnic and Awards Ceremony, during which 11 EMS providers, physicians, and organizations were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the local EMS communities.
Our very own Romney Smith received the award for Outstanding EMS Pre-Hospital Educator. Romney has been an active EMS educator locally, regionally and across the state for nearly thirty years. His passion for EMS education is evident in any class with which he is associated. Romney is the First Lieutenant-Training Officer of Newport Volunteer Rescue Squad and employed as a flight medic by Carilion Clinic Life-Guard 11.
The Regional Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS was given to Carilion Clinic's Paul T. Frantz, MD. This award is for an outstanding contribution to EMS by an individual, corporation, business, news media or program in providing financial, material, education or other tangible or non-tangible assistance to support and benefit the local, regional or state EMS system. Dr. Frantz, nominated by three separate individuals, is the driving force behind Carilion Clinic’s Heart Alert program. Frantz has dedicated his life to cardiothoracic medicine and he realizes the importance of the inclusion of EMS as a necessary step to saving more lives. Dr. Frantz’s tireless dedication to his patients and the Heart Alert program made him the obvious choice for this award. Local EMS leaders presented Dr. Frantz with his award at this week's Carilion Clinic Heart Alert meeting.
Pictured from left to right: Charles Coffelt-CCPT, Jason Ferguson-Botetourt County Emergency Services, Dr. Paul Frantz-Carilion Clinic, Dave Bishop-Roanoke City Fire & EMS, Billy Duff-Roanoke County Fire & EMS.
The staff of CCPT would like to offer a huge congratulations to both Romney and Dr. Frantz for their achievements. Their dedication is another example of Carilion Clinic's commitment to supporting excellence in our EMS communities.

Carilion Clinic's New Life-Guard 10 Participates in Shattered Dreams Program

Earlier this week, the Life-Guard 10 crew took our new EC-145 to Riner, VA for Auburn High School's annual "Shattered Dreams" program. This is a mock DUI crash presented by the New River Valley Driving School, along with Christiansburg and Riner Rescue Squad (featuring the Junior Squad), Riner Fire Department, YOVASO, Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, VA State Police, Carilion Clinic Life-Guard, Harmon's Service Station, Horne's Funeral Service, and PSK 107.
The goal of the event is to teach high-school teens the dangers of drinking and driving. The Life-Guard crew is proud to be part of this event every year, and would like to thank the volunteers from Christiansburg and Riner Fire & Rescue for making this such a successful event!

CCPT Safety Officer Chosen to Attend International Conference May 13th-15th

We are pleased to announce that our own Safety Officer, Kevin Peters, has been given the distinct honor of being chosen to attend the 2009 RETTmobil (Mobile Rescue) Conference in Fulda, Germany. Kevin is one of 24 people chosen to represent the EMS Safety Foundation at the conference this year. This select group was chosen at an international level, and attendees will be travelling from such countries as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, to name a few.
Kevin's ongoing work with Dr. Nadine Levick, Founder and Research Director, EMS Safety Foundation, allowed him the opportunity for this unique chance to represent Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation at a national level.

About the Conference
RETTmobil is the event for information and further training of emergency service personnel as well as EMS leaders and field rescuers. More than 300 exhibitors, and 20,000 visitors from throughout Europe and internationally were at the 2008 RETTmobil event. There exist many possibilities to experience modern technology, innovative products, practical services, 70,000 square meter of exhibition sites, as well as test tracks in an off-road course on an additional 50,000 square meters of large open areas.
RETTmobil today is a platform for innovations internationally, to the most diverse technical topics from emergency service, medicine, organization, and logistics. Participants will meet colleagues, deepen existing knowledge, test products and become acquainted with the newest innovations.

CCPT, a CAMTS accredited organization, is very proud of our commitment to safety. We are very excited about Kevin's selection for this opportunity, as well as the information he will bring back to our Company, regarding the latest in safety innovations for our industry.
Please join us in congratulating Kevin on this accomplishment as well as wishing him safe travels next week to Germany!

Farewell Celebration for the Bell 412

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation (CCPT) invites the community to join them as they throw a “retirement party” for the Bell 412.

Friday, April 17th from 5pm-7pm.
o See the Bell 412 up close.
o Take photos with the Bell 412.
o Meet the CCPT flight crews.
o Enjoy food, fun and music provided by Q-99.
o Children are especially welcome.

We are also accepting guests on Saturday, April 18th from 9am-11am.

Since the Carilion LifeGuard medevac program launched in 1981, no aircraft has served the region longer than the Bell 412 helicopter flown as “Life-Guard 10”. From 1990 to today, the 412 has safely flown almost 10,000 patients to their destination and faithfully served her pilots and crew.

For almost 20 years, people in Western Virginia have associated the unique shape of the 412, the low rumble of the twin Pratt & Whitney engines and the distinctive “whomp-whomp-whomp” of the four rotor blades, with a commitment to saving lives.

After a careful review, CCPT determined that patients' future needs would be best served by purchasing a new helicopter to replace the Bell (which is leased from Air Methods).

While CCPT staff will miss the Bell 412, they understand that the new helicopter -- a Eurocopter 145 -- will ultimately be an improvement for patients, with state-of-the-art safety and medical technology on board. The new Life-Guard 10 will also be a bit smaller and faster leading to slightly faster response time and improved safety when landing at the scene of an accident or heart attack.

The Bell 412 will not be scrapped or mothballed! The 412 will be completely refurbished by Air Methods and continue to serve as a civilian transport helicopter.

Read more about Life-Guard at http://www.carilionclinic.org/Carilion/Carilion+Clinic+Life-Guard.