VCHS Hosts Recertification for Seven Area Ambulance Squads

ORD, Neb. – Valley County Health System (VCHS) hosted seven local ambulance squads for emergency medical services (EMS) recertification on Jan. 24 at the Ord Area Fire Hall lead by VCHS Family Medicine Physician and emergency medical director Hilary Miller, MD.

Members of the Burwell Volunteer Fire Department, Comstock Rescue, Ericson Fire and First Responder, Loup County Ambulance – Taylor, Ord Volunteer Fire Department, Scotia Rescue Unit and Valley County Ambulance Service were in attendance.

Attendees reviewed skills, including AED/CPR administration, glucose reading, 12 lead training and LUCAS device use at the recertification. VCHS providers Daniel Schneider, MD, Greg McClanahan, MD, and Jeff Breitkreutz, PA-C, as well as Chief Nursing Officer Vicki Bredthauer and Emergency Services Manager Jennifer Sandoz assisted with the recertification.

Jennifer Sandoz, RN, gave an Active Shooter presentation. EMS response has evolved due to recent mass shootings and this trauma education is vital to the area squads training and response.  VCHS will be having an Active Shooter table top exercise in May and a scheduled drill in September.

“Continuing education and regular recertification is necessary to prepare our local EMTs and first responders with adequate training to respond to the variety of situations and conditions they may encounter in the field,” Sandoz said. “These individuals and squads are an extension of the VCHS emergency services and we are honored to support them.”

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EMS Recertification (l to r): Michael Terwilliger, EMT, Steve Holderman, EMT, Brice Koehn, EMT and VCHS Emergency Services Medical Director Hilary Miller, MD