EMS Agencies Receive Grant for On-site Training, Resource Libraries
Seven local services receive funding

 

[February 18, 2021] 

Thirty-two emergency medical service (EMS) agencies in nine counties will receive more than $17,000 in grant money from the Memorial Medical Center Foundation to purchase instructional materials required for on-site training and certification.

The grant will allow the agencies to purchase American Heart Association instructional books for Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Pediatric Life Support (PLS) and will allow the groups to train and educate staff and increase the instructor pool at each agency.

“The American Heart Association requirements are a critical component of the Springfield Fire Department EMS training and education program,” said Heather Moore, division chief of Training and Education, Springfield Fire Department. “The updated curriculum and hands-on training gives our department providers the sets and reps needed to build the muscle memory that leads to successful patient outcomes.”

The grant comes at a time in which many EMS groups are struggling to maintain operational budgets that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When new, evidence-based care shows improved outcomes for patients, it’s important that this new or updated information gets to EMS providers in a timely manner,” said Dr. Matthew Johnston, EMS medical director at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. “Training and education is one of the main ways we can assist agencies and ensure they have ongoing and up-to-date guidelines for the care of the patients they treat.”

The EMS agencies that will share the grant are associated with Memorial Health System, which serves as the resource organization for the groups.

“We work with agencies to achieve their Illinois Department of Public Health requirements to keep these vital EMS services available to our communities,” said Sara Brown, manager, Memorial Health System EMS. “Maintaining certification can be an arduous and expensive process, and this grant will help relieve this particular burden on our agencies during the pandemic.”

The $17,821 grant to purchase the necessary training and instruction books comes from the Memorial Medical Center Foundation. The board approved an off-cycle grant due to the urgency of the need to accommodate changes in the American Heart Association curriculum, which is updated every five years.

“Supplying these EMS agencies with updated instructional materials furthers our mission of improving the health of the people and communities we serve,” said Melissa Hansen Schmadeke, executive director of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation. “We are committed to helping our local EMS agencies continue their lifesaving work within our communities.”

The experts involved agree that when EMS groups receive support for training and continuing education, the ultimate beneficiaries are the community members who rely on local EMS agencies to deliver care when an emergency occurs.

“The coordination of care starts with our dedicated EMS providers,” said Johnston.

EMS agencies who will share in the grant include:

Lifestar Ambulance – Springfield

Logan County Paramedic Association

Sherman Fire Protection District

Springfield Fire Department

America Ambulance Service

Taylorville Fire Department

Lifestar Ambulance – Jacksonville

Beardstown Fire Department

Medics First Ambulance

Jacksonville Fire Department

Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District

New Berlin – Island Grove Fire Department

Rochester Fire Protection District

South Jacksonville Fire Department

Chapin Are Rescue Squad

Waverly Fire Department

Winchester EMS

Rural Med EMS

Meredosia Volunteer Rescue Squad

Williamsville Fire Protection District

Middletown Rescue

Emden Fire Protection District

New Holland Fire Protection District

Hartsburg Fire Department

Springfield Police Department ERT

Ashland Fire Department

Chandlerville Fire Department

Petersburg Community Fire Department

Murrayville-Woodson Emergency Ambulance Service

Northwestern Area Ambulance and Rescue Service

Alexander Fire Protection District

Arenzville Fire and Rescue

[Memorial Health Systems]