March 7, 2017
Creatures of habit, we met at our
usual time and place—the first Thursday evening of the month, at the Runway Café
in Greenville. And hungry creatures of habit, we enjoyed burgers, fries, sandwiches,
and yes, some of us do salads, to fortify ourselves for the evening’s program. Twenty
four people attended this month’s meeting, and we are all glad we did!
As predicted, Sally Handley has
settled comfortably and efficiently into her role as our new chapter president,
and Sally started our meeting with the exceedingly good news that the grant she
wrote was approved!! Yes, you read that right! Our Upstate SinC chapter has
qualified for a $250 grant from SinC National to host our 30th birthday
party and workshop celebration. Great job, Sally! Be sure to save the date,
June 10th, to participate fully in what promises to be a superb day
for our chapter at the Easley Public Library. Sally and the board will be
seeking help as we finalize the plans, so please let us know what YOU can do to
make the day festive, informative , and memorable. Marcia Talley is our guest
speaker, and there will be cake! Like I said—save the date!
Before introductions were made, member
Steve Brown noted that it was new and different to have Sally at the helm, and
led us in a well-deserved round of applause for our former chapter president, Howard
Lewis, and his FIVE YEARS of service. Yay, Howard!
After the casual (and always fun)
round of introductions wherein each member says just a tiny bit about who they
are and why they have so wisely chosen to attend our meeting that month, Sally
wasted no time in introducing our guests, Steve MacLeod, an EMS paramedic with
the Keowee Fire District, and Brandon Shirley, Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshall
of the Keowee Fire District.
What a team! Steve and Brandon
enlightened us on a variety of topics relating to first responders—what kinds
of problems, emergencies, and people they encounter, what a typical shift might
entail, what challenges they face, and how first responders coordinate their work
with fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel. They covered so much info, it
is hard for this feeble secretary to summarize, but a few tidbits I myself
found the most interesting:
EMS personnel assess the SCENE
they encounter, as well as the persons in need of medical help. The scene
reveals a lot about what exactly the medical emergency might be.
EMS’s goal is to get the sick
person stabilized, in the ambulance, and moving toward the hospital in 10 minutes.
Opiate overdoses are a huge
problem in our communities.
At a scene where a crime might
have been committed, EMS personnel must be careful with crime evidence, in
addition to dealing with the medical emergency.
And, in case it’s not already
obvious, EMS personnel are not paid enough!
We had lots of questions for Steve
and Brandon, and the meeting came to an end only when the staff of the Runway Café
had to close up the restaurant.
Respectfully Submitted,
Cindy Blackburn
Chapter Secretary
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