Logan County Board credits and honors Steve Siltman for changing paramedic service to residents

 

[March 23, 2021] 

At the Logan County Board meeting Tuesday, March 16, Steve Siltman was recognized for his years of service to the Logan County Paramedic Association and Logan County.

On March 31, Mr. Siltman will retire after over 46 years of service to the county in roles that included EMT, paramedic and Supervisor at ALMH and CEO and Operations Director for LCPA.

Mr. Siltman’s work as a paramedic began in the 1970s. During the 1970s and 1980s, the ambulance service in Logan County “enjoyed a stellar reputation” with emergency responders being recognized for their skill set. One reason for the level of expertise was informal education several physicians provided to the ambulance personnel.

Among these physicians was Dr. Gene Blaum, who refined his emergency medicine skills while serving as a physician in the military in Southeast Asia. The group Dr. Blaum imparted his knowledge on included Mr. Siltman.

Over time, the ambulance service was absorbed into ALMH. As ALMH recognized the paramedic’s talents, they were incorporated into the hospital to provide care especially in the emergency.

The arrangement served both the hospital and patients requiring critical clinical skills well, however, this practice had the effect of reducing the level of expertise brought to the field on emergency calls.

In the late 1990’s, Steve Siltman, who had served during both eras, felt it was in the public’s best interest to reclaim the specialization formerly enjoyed.

Mr. Siltman then began a series of conversations with other paramedics, leading citizens, local physicians including Dr. Blaum and various emergency responders. He also had discussions with bank representatives, health insurance companies and vendors, ALMH and other hospital officials, members of the broad emergency responder community, County Board leaders and many others.

The end result of these tireless efforts that involved hundreds if not thousands of hours, was the creation of a new organization called the Logan County Paramedic Association. LCPA engaged Dr. Blaum as a medical advisor. As a free standing and independent group, LCPA needed to have its own board and several citizens stepped forward to serve their fellow citizens.

LCPA could not exist without contracts for its service and the contract had to involve a close working relationship with ALMH. Ultimately, the Logan County Board had to decide whether to contract with LCPA or a competing provider. In 1999, after much deliberation, public input and research, the Logan County Board voted to award the contract and tax levy to LCPA.

One of the first acts of LCPA, which was under the direction of Mr. Siltman, was to not accept the tax levy until several years later when it became absolutely necessary.

This “unheard of act of generosity” Mr. Siltman recommended allowed the Logan County Board to redirect nearly a quarter of a million dollars to other public purposes. Under Mr. Siltman’s leadership, the paramedics rapidly advanced their individual and collective skill sets eventually exceeding even the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr. Siltman did not stop with just continuing education. He also realized changes needed to be made across the board. These changes included purchasing a fleet of heavy-duty vehicles able to reach any rural citizen regardless of road conditions.

Taking the term Advance Life Support to a new level, Mr. Siltman equipped the ambulances so that lifesaving treatment could be performed en-route to the hospital. He also recognized the need for a new location for LCPA that would be suitable for vehicle maintenance, employee preparedness, continuing education, administrative duties and Board meetings.

Several years after LCPA began, Mr. Siltman successfully pursued the purchase and renovation of the former Jim Glenn Dealership.

The resolution said “to list merely these few accomplishments of Mr. Siltman and the LCPA does not even begin to do justice to this great man and the organization he built.”

The framed resolution presented to Mr. Siltman said, “the Logan County Board recognizes LCPA as perhaps the finest emergency response service of its kind in the entire State of Illinois and is deeply appreciative of the difference in the quality of life, in not in some cases of life itself the LCPA has brought to our people. [The Board] gratefully acknowledges that none of this would have been possible without the vision, faith, energy and human compassion of Steve Siltman whom we now honor. We wish him a long, healthy and blessed retirement he has earned and so richly deserves.

Mr. Siltman thanked the board and said he has enjoyed serving the community. He considers himself lucky he got to do something he thought was valuable in his life and career.

[Angela Reiners]