Feb. 28, 1990 - Newspaper article from Alan Stolz –
celebrating 10 years, nearly a half million hours of volunteer time caring for
over 18,000 patients in the past decade.
Dec. 28, 1990 - WVEMS accepts a new, 1990 model ambulance,
as a gift from the Estate of Calvin and Helen T. Ellis. The custom made ambulance is the first of
this newest level of ambulances in the State of Connecticut.
December 1990 - The Town of Westport renewed a contract for
two years with the Paramedics from Norwalk Hospital.
May 1991 - President George H W Bush cited WVEMS with a
Certificate of Merit, in recognition of the Corps’ commitment to community
service. The White House Office of
National Service stems from the President’s efforts for “A Thousand Points of
Light, which was organized to stimulate volunteerism across the country. The awards were issued in conjunction with
National Volunteer Recognition Week. The
nomination for the honor was filed two years ago by Crew Chief Alan Stolz.
April 8, 1991 - Al Karchere, 71, member of the Westport Y’s
Men, was about to serve the first tennis ball at the Y’s Men tennis day, when
he dropped to the ground in cardiac arrest. His partner, WVEMS member Jim Fairclough, 70, immediately began CPR As a
tennis partner called 911, Crew Chief Alan Yoder and EMT Missy Reynolds
responded, along with firefighters on Engine 5, as well as Officer John Croffy,
WPD, who was cruising a quarter mile away. EMTs immediately used a defibrillator to shock Karchere’s heart back
into action. On the third shock they
finally got a pulse. Joined by a Norwalk
Hospital paramedic, who arrived at the scene, Karchere arrested a fourth time
and was again revived, intubated, given medications by the paramedic, and
transported to Norwalk Hospital. Without
the quick response by Fairclough, who had just taken a CPR refresher course the
week before, and the ensuing EMS care, Karchere would not have survived. A milestone in WVEMS.
September 14,1991- Westport News - WVEMS and WPD and WFD
held a mock mass casualty drill in the parking lot behind headquarters of
EMS. A staged car hit a school bus
head on.
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April 10, 1992 - A baby was born in the back of its parents’
station wagon with the help of Westport PD officers Arciola and Cabral. It is the first baby delivered by WPD in 12
years.
June 1, 1993 - Captain Edwin Audley retired from WPD after
more than 32 years of service to the town. His father and uncle, also a Westport police officer, founded the Tow’s
first ambulance service in the 1920s. Ed
took it in about the 1960s and they operated it out of their homes. Later, it was transferred to the WPD when
State laws required EMTs on medical transport vehicles. Ed started WVEMS in the fall of 1979 and helped
to lead it into its status as the top volunteer corps in the State.
December 3, 1993 - Westport News - WFD added an all terrain
truck to its fleet, to be used during severe weather conditions such as the
storm last December which caused extreme flooding and left residents in the
Saugatuck Shores , Beachside Avenue and Compo Beach areas to be cut off from
access to exit roads. Ten EMTs from
WVEMS formed a High Water Rescue Unit to operate the vehicle and assist WPD and
WFD in rescuing residents from flooded areas.
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June 1994 - EMS, WPD and WFD staged a mock car accident
caused by drunken driving at Staples High School. It was sponsored by SADD and MADD. Also included were true stories by family
members who lost children as a result of drunk drivers.
November 1994 - In a little-known activity, Jewish
volunteers at WVEMS take the shifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well
as Ester, and Christian volunteers do the same for Passover, Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur.
December 13, 1995 - Westport News - The Westport News
printed article reminding residents to check the visibility of private street
signs, house numbers and mailbox identifications to be sure that they can
easily be seen on dark and stormy nights. It is also frustrating when the WVEMS crew finds only cluster
mailboxes. Residents who call 911 should
turn on the house lights and have someone in the driveway to wave responders to
where they are needed.
January 10, 1996 - Westport Police Chief William
Chiaranzelli was interviewed after emergency warning sirens were sounded,
followed by loudspeaker announcements
informing residents along the shore that a snowstorm was on its way with
possible flooding. WFD, WPD and WVEMS
were staffed with double workers in preparation for the storm.
February 8, 1996 - Westport Minuteman. Westport Weston Health District and its
Restaurant Advisory Committee, in conjunction with WEMS is offering a training
seminar for food service establishment personnel. It will cover burns and cuts, choking, heart
attacks, and epileptic episodes, all of which frequently occur with patrons and
employees in food establishments.
March 14, 1996 - Westport Minuteman. EMS Crew Chiefs Stolz and Mulvey, and EMT
Fred Bertasso, along with Paramedic
Hummenright, delivered a son at home for Susan Voris. This was the first baby birth delivery by
WVEMS in many years.
May 4, 1996- The Hour - 175 people from 33 State and local
organizations took part in a hazmat drill on the Sherwood Island
Connector. The drill involved a tanker
truck and seven cars crowded behind it as if it was a car pileup with a
hazardous chemical leak from the truck. The drill, sponsored by the State Office of Emergency Management, was
the most extensive one to date in Connecticut.
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February 11, 1997 - Connecticut Post - “Project Cardiac
Rescue” was initiated in Westport. It is
a plan to have 20 automated external defibrillators (AED) in police cars, fire
trucks and ambulances by this summer. The project, which is soliciting funds to purchase the AEDs, also calls
for each officer to take a six-hour training course to use the self-contained
units. Used in cases of cardiac arrest,
they can save lives. Prior to AEDs, all
anyone could do was perform CPR.
January 9, 1998 - Westport’s emergency services extended heartfelt
thanks to the dozens of donors who made it possible for the Town to reach its
goal of purchasing 24 Lifepak Automated External Defibrillators for placement
in police, fire and EMS vehicles. The
AED device reads cardiac rhythms automatically and indicates whether or not a
shock should be delivered. Capt.
Heinmiller stated that all members of each emergency service have been trained
in the use of the AED.
January 14,1998- Anna Lise Joseloff was named the Sunrise Rotary student of the year. At the time of the award Anna Lise was a
member of WVEMS as an EMT.
March 6, 1998 - Westport News - Coordinator Alan Yoder
addressed the Sunrise Rotary Club earlier this week focusing on the vital need
for all Westporters to be trained in CPR. The Club was kicking off its drive to recruit townspeople for CPR
classes. Crew Chief Yoder stated that
currently 300-400 people are being trained a year; the goal is to have 6,000
residents trained to perform CPR i.e. approximately one-quarter of the
population.
May 13, 1998 - Westport Minuteman - Westport PD and WVEMS is
hosting a Kids Safety Day on May 16th. Westport PBA is sponsoring a bike rodeo,
safety tips and helmet information. Other information on child car seats, seat belt safety, the use of 911,
poison control and DARE will be offered as well.
November 25, 1998 - Westport Minuteman - WEMS Coordinator
Alan Yoder was recognized as Connecticut EMS Educator of the Year by his peers
at a State Emergency Medical Services conference.
May 8, 1999 - Westport PD and WVEMS sponsored a Kids Safety
Day on the parking lot behind the police station. Included activities were a bicycle rodeo,
water safety display, CPR demonstration, and a tour of an ambulance, among
other things.
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WVEMS received an Official Statement from Governor John G.
Rowland, recognizing our 20th Anniversary of providing assistance in
illnesses, accidents and injuries to the public and designating May 20, 1999 as
Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Day. He went on to state, “I urge all our citizens
to join me in commending all the members of WVEMS for their selfless dedication
to the safety of the people of our State.”
WVEMS celebrated its 20th anniversary on May 20,
1999 with a dinner at the Inn at Longshore. WVEMS has responded to more than 40,000 emergencies since its inception
in 1979. Congratulatory letters were
received from President Clinton, Senator Lieberman and Senator Dodd as well as
Colin L. Powell, Chairman of America’s Promise, The Alliance for Youth. Congratulations honoring WVEMS were also read
into the Congressional Record of May 19. 1999 by Senator Dodd. In a ceremony honoring the 20th Anniversary, Senator Christopher Dodd presented the corps with an American flag
which was flown over the U.S. Capitol the week of May 19th. First Select woman Diane G. Farrell issued a
Proclamation naming May 20, 1999 as Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical
Services Day. Senator Lieberman read
congratulations into the Congressional Record of May 24, 1999.
At the dinner, our Public Information officer Alan Stolz
handed out copies of all the letters of recognition to each of the service’s
founding members. He said that last
year, the corps’ 140 volunteers put in about 23,000 hours of service. Stolz said, “...if we were payrolled the Town
couldn’t afford us.”
August 25, 1999 - Westport News - WVEMS Crew Chief Alan
Stolz, Crew Chief Donald Smith and Paramedic Michael Rickard provided the U.S.
Secret Service’s Presidential Protection Detail with EMS coverage during
President Bill Clinton’s recent fund-raising visit to town. The WVEMS crew worked with White House
medical corps staff and security personnel for the fifth time. They presented the President with a new, 20th Anniversary WVEMS hat. The Secret
Service and traveling medical staff presented Stolz, Smith and Rickard with
White House Medical Corps medallion pins for their uniforms, and citations
thanking them for professional EMS services to the President and those
traveling with him from Washington.
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February 3, 2000 - Westport Minuteman - WVEMS members
completed training to assist the on duty paramedic in the use of Retavase, a
thrombolytic medication for patients having heart attacks due to clogged
coronary arteries. The procedure is fully
monitored by physicians in the hospital emergency department via radio
telemetry of ECGs from the patient’s side in the field. The first call necessitating the use of the
medication was on a patient from the Westport-Weston YMCA. It was only the fourth time the medication
was used outside a hospital in the United States and Canada. Norwalk Hospital is participating in a
nationwide study to document the effectiveness of the thrombolytic drugs such
as Retavase outside of the hospital in patients suffering from heart attacks.
WVEMS held a free defensive driving course at the EMS/PD
classroom. Those people completing the
six-hour course will be issued a National Defensive Driving Council
certificate.
April 5, 2000 - Westport News - Crew Chiefs April Anne Yoder
and Jay Paretzky were honored with plaques at the closing banquet of the
three-day annual EMS Conference in Cromwell CT. CC Yoder was recognized as an outstanding individual who has EMS as a
vocation, and CC Paretzky as the volunteer dedicated to the service of others
via EMS in the community.
Emergency Medical Services magazine, in its May 2000 issue,
named WVEMS as one of two agencies receiving an Honorable Mention this
year. It was chosen from nationwide EMS
gold award entrants.
June 16, 2000 - WEMS was the unanimous selection of Westport’s
Commission for the Elderly to receive the “Service to Older Adults Award”. In her announcement, Commission Chairman
Paula Leonard stated, “EMS has earned this honor by their special commitment to
our older residents with their always prompt, competent, compassionate
performance at critical times.” The
award was presented by First Select woman Diane G. Farrell at Town Hall.
September 9, 2000 - Metro North and EMS personnel took part
in a mock train accident in Westport. The exercise involved two Metro North and Amtrak passenger trains which
were involved in a mock side impact collision. By the end there were 18 mock injuries and 7 mock fatalities – 3 on the
Metro North train, 1 on the Amtrak train and 3 on the ground. Westport Deputy Fire Chief Denis McCarthy
said, “The key element of the exercise is the coordination that takes place
between the various agencies that responded”. Personnel from the Federal Railroad Administration, CT Dept. Of
Transportation, Westport Fire and Police Departments, and Westport Emergency
Medical Services practiced responding to a train collision.
September 2000 - Lt. Governor Jodi Rell presented WVEMS with
a”Connecticut Treasure”award for its community spirit and service to
others. First Select woman Diane G. Farrell
said the Town is delighted by the award. Mike Quan, speaking as President of the volunteer corps said, “Many
times we take volunteerism for granted. This is a great opportunity to put EMS volunteers up front and
centered.”
September 2000 Westport PD and Westport EMS introduced CARR
– Citizens Against Road Rage – a one-hour class that will teach residents about
how to deal with road rage. EMS Crew
Chief and Instructor Jay Paretzky, who developed the class, said, “The last
thing you want to see is me and my crew standing over you. By the time you see me, it’s too late. The course will educate residents that the
EMS and police will not tolerate road rage.”
Longtime member Arnold Earl died after suffering a massive
stroke November 19, 2000.
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March 1, 2001 - WVEMS is named the winning volunteer service
of the 7th Annual EMS Magazine Gold Award Competition. WVEMS will be profiled in the May issue of
the magazine.
March 24, 2001 - M. Jodi Rell, Lt. Governor of the State of
Connecticut, congratulates WVEMS on receiving the EMS Gold Standard Service of
the Year Award from EMS Magazine. She
went on to write about WVEMS’ outstanding commitment to the field of EMS,
“demonstrated by your pioneering of the first EMS class in the nation,
continued instruction of many public safety courses for the community, raising
funds for equipment and quick responses to an increasing number of 911medical
calls each year.”
John G. Rowland, Governor of the State of Connecticut,
proclaimed the month of May as WVEMS Month, stating, “This honor (Gold Award by
EMS Magazine) is a true testament to their dedication, commitment and tireless
efforts to raise the standard of excellence for EMS in the Town of Westport.”
Congratulations from the State of Connecticut House Representative G. Kenneth Baernhard on the
receipt of the Gold Award from EMS Magazine.
April 12, 2001 - Westport Minuteman - Volunteer CC Alan
Stolz received a Distinguished Service Award at the closing banquet of the
3-day annual EMS Conference in Cromwell CT held March 22-24, 2001. The award was in recognition of his two
decades of service in several positions, including teaching and lecturing in
Westport’s EMT classes every year.
April 3, 2001 - Letter from Senator Joseph Lieberman
congratulating WVEMS on receiving the EMS Magazine Gold Award.
May 5, 2001 - Westport Police Department and WVEMS host Kids
Safety Day. Included are a bicycle rodeo
for kids, bicycle inspection as well as booths, displays and demonstrations on
water safety, 911, poison control, seat belt safety, Westport Police K9 Unit to
answer questions and much more information.
The Sunday Hour April 29, 2001- Article about a proposed new
ordinance being brought to the Westport Representative Town Meeting. If passed, it would give volunteer firefighters
and EMS workers some tax relief. Jay Paretzky drafted the ordinance that will e
submitted to the RTM. It would provide
up to $1,000 in tax abatement to Westport residents.
June 2001 - The RTM approved a new ordinance to give
volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel up to $1,000 property tax relief. Jay Paretzky , who wrote the ordinance, said
that Town officials are now working on compensating non-resident volunteers in
the two programs with a stipend for the same amounts as the Town residents.
In a letter dated June 14, 2001, Senator Chris Dodd
congratulated WVEMS on the EMS Magazine Gold Award. He enclosed a copy of his statement in the
Congressional Record for May 25, 2001 commending WVEMS.
June 29, 2001 - Westport Young Woman’s League announced
plans to donate $20,350 to a number of Town agencies. WVEMS was given $5,000 to fund the cost of
10,000 “Vials of Life” units that contain medical information to be posted on
the refrigerator or kept in a wallet for us by EMS personnel.
The Hour - Sept. 6, 2001 - “File(sic) of Life program, which
provides emergency and medical personnel with vital information which could
save lives, has been started, funded entirely by the Westport Young Woman’s
League. It consists of a packet
containing stickers, file cards and magnetic plastic holders. Town residents fill out the cards, which
include information on medications, allergies and contact people which are
placed in a magnetic holder and placed on the refrigerator door. A sticker is placed in a spot, at the
resident’s home, which can be seen by emergency personnel, alerting them to the
File (sic) of Life. Each packet has two
pouches, ideal for elderly couples who live alone. The following agencies will assist residents
in filling out the cards: Westport EMS, Westport PD, Westport Human Services,
Westport-Weston Health District, and Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the
Westport-Weston American Red Cross.
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Jan. 17, 2002 -
Westport Minuteman - Two dozen Westport EMS Crew Chiefs and Special Event Crew
Chiefs devoted six hours on a Sunday to continue training in personnel
management skills in a class conducted by Everitt F. Binns, PhD. Dr. Binns is a
director for Eastern Pennsylvania EMS Council and a volunteer EMT.
February2002 - Westport First Select woman Diane Farrell,
Westport Police Chief William Chiarenzelli and Westport VEMS President Jay
Paretzky, along with many members of WVEMS WEMS Explorer Post 601 and Westport
Volunteer Fire Department gathered for a special ceremony at police
headquarters. The occasion was the
issuance of checks and tax abatement statements to those eligible members under
a new Town ordinance and budget allocation. Volunteer members of both EMS and volunteer FD received up to $1,000, based
on the number of hours and years worked at each service.
Hour - April 11, 2002 - State Recognition Awards given to
WVEMS Crew Chief Neil Harding and EMS instructor Donna Patchen. Harding was presented with the George A.
Ganung Volunteer of the Year Recognition Award for his service to WVEMS. Patchen was presented with a Distinguished
Service Award for her work in EMS training and as an advisor to Explorer Post
601.
May 4, 2002 - Annual Kids Safety Day at police
headquarters. There will be a bicycle
rodeo for kids, bike inspections, registration, and skills testing. All riders must wear a helmet. The event also
includes booths, displays, and demonstrations on water safety, poison control
and seat belt safety. The Westport PD K9 Unit will be present to answer
questions. DARE officers will be present
to speak with parents and children about peer pressure and the DARE
program. C L & P will present a
display and information on electrical power dangers. EMS personnel will check parents’ blood
pressures and show people the AED carried by EMS personnel. Also there will be a child car seat clinic
and check.
April 25, 2002 - Westport Minuteman - Carried an extensive
and excellent article about Neil Harding, exemplifying the best in the
volunteer spirit.
May 10,2002- WVEMS purchased four Lifepak 12
defibrillators/monitors for the corps. These will provide patients with the most modern on-board cardiac care
equipment available. With the added 12
leads for ECG recording, constant blood pressure evaluation, reliable oxygen
saturation and CO2 monitoring, they will
provide patients with the highest level of pre-hospital care. At a cost of $30.0-00, less the trade-in of
the Lifepak 10s, it will cost the volunteers $95,000.
May 31, 2002 - WVEMS presented the Edwin A. Audley
Scholarship Funds for the 2002-2003 academic year. Three of the four went to members of WVEMS:
Angela Chichilla, Cheryl Watson and Todd Smith. The Fund is intended to perpetually exist to honor Westport PD Captain
Edwin A. Audley and his contributions to WVEMS and emergency medical services
in Westport.
Sept. 4, 2002 - Westport News - Westport PD and EMS are
currently fitting their police officers, traffic agents and EMS personnel with
bio-hazard level C protection suits and millennium gas masks with voice
amplifiers, to help guard against hazards in the field. These personnel will be working in a support
capacity with the Fire Department and the Fairfield County Haz-Mat team during
a hazardous or weapons of mass destruction incident in Westport.
Throughout 2002 WVEMS provided a number of CPR courses covering all ages of patients and
following American Heart Association curriculum .
November 22, 2002-Westport News - WVEMS asked residents to
assist WVEMS, WPD and WFD by identifying their homes and businesses clearly
with signage, especially on private roads, showing their house number above the
usual height of snow in winter. The
residents are also requested to have porch lights on if they have made a 911
call, have someone waving outside to direct the responding vehicle to the site,
and calm, clear and basic information regarding the problem when the 911 call is
made.
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January 2003 - Westport Magazine had an excellent article
about Mike Feigin and his years as an EMT with WVEMS.
January 24, 2003 - WVEMS Coordinator Alan Yoder said that
statistics show 2,219 ambulance calls last year. He said “our business is up significantly
over the past several years.”
March 2003- Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red
Cross honored 33 local unsung heroes for making their communities better places
to live and work, through volunteer activities. Among those honored were the following WVEMS members: Norman Coltin,
Michael Engelskirger, Robert Redman, Pasquale Salvo and Donald Smith. All honorees were nominated by Alan Stolz.
April 2003 - The Westport Sunrise Rotary selected Zack
Klomberg, a junior at Staples High School, to participate in the 27th annual Whitewater World Affairs Seminar at the University of
Wisconsin/Whitewater. He was identified
by his teachers as being knowledgeable and passionately interested in world
history and global politics.
April 11,2003 - Brooks Community Newspapers President Kevin
Lally informed Alan Stolz, WVEMS public relations chair, that WVEMS is the
recipient of a $1,124 in-kind advertising grant in Brooks Community Newspapers.
Close to 400 emergency medical service professionals,
including about four dozen from Westport, cheered as volunteer Crew Chief
Michael Feigin was presented with the George A. Ganung Volunteer of the Year
Recognition Award on March 15, 2003, for his service to WVEMS. The award was presented at the closing
banquet of the three-day annual EMS conference at the Radisson Hotel in
Cromwell CT.
May 3, 2003 - Westport PD and WVEMS will host Kids’ Safety Day. Events include a child car seat clinic,
booths, displays and demonstrations on water safety, poison control, and seat
belt safety. Also Westport PD K-9 unit
will be present with their dogs to answer questions, DARE officers will be present
to talk to parents and children about peer pressure and the DARE programs. EMS personnel will check blood pressures and
talk about the AEDs.
The Westport/Weston YMCA will honor Russell and Isabel Blair
at the annual Faces of Achievement Dinner in September 2003. They have dedicated decades of their lives to
improving the lives of others and future generations. The YMCA began Faces of Achievement to honor
those individual who embody the elements of humanity, spirit, mind and body.
The Hour - June 26, 2003 - WVEMS volunteers Dustin Schur and
Alicia Wong were named winners of the annual James S. Backarach “Service to the
Community Award” given each year by the Westport Young Commission. The competition, which recognizes community
services to the Town by senior high school students, was open to all qualified
high school seniors living in Westport. Barbara Butler, Director of the Town’s Department of Human Services said
“Dustin and Alicia had demonstrated leadership, involvement, and selfless
dedication across a broad range of community service activities.”
Sept. 25, 2003 - WVEMS was one of several organizations
honored by the Masonic Lodge of Westport at its annual dinner.
Westport News - October 24, 2003 - Westport’s First Select woman Diane Farrell, Police
Chief William Chiarenzelli, Fire Chief Denis McCarthy, Red Cross Emergency
Services Director Stephen Woods, and WVEMS Board member Jay Paretzky announced
the formation of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Volunteers will be trained to support
emergency services in town, assisting various town departments and the Red
Cross when additional help is needed. The Westport CERT organization is part of WVEMS in conjunction with the
Mid-Fairfield County Red Cross. CERT
members will e members of WVEMS and pay dues of $6.00 per year. They must also pass a background check by the
Westport PD. Training and equipment will
be paid for with a grant received by WVEMS from FEMA and Homeland Security.
December 2003 - WVEMS offers a unique holiday gift – a gift
certificate good for the American Heart Association’s “Family and Friends” CPR
course. Each certificate entitles the
recipient to attend one of the regularly scheduled CPR courses offered by
WVEMS.
December 17, 2003 - Westport News - Girls Scots from Greens
Farms Elementary School, along with their leaders, parents and younger sisters,
recently visited WEMS to begin their own first aid and emergency studies. They had a tour of WVEMS and Police
headquarters as well as a tour of one of the ambulances. The girls were shown how the 911 system works
and visited the Westport PD dispatch center. Crew Chief Alan Stolz, who gave the girls the tour, gave them a homework
assignment – to inspect their homes to be certain that the house numbers and/or
names are clearly posted at driveway entrances, especially at night or in bad
winter weather.
Westport News - December 19, 2003 - Former member and EMT
Kevin Slater was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation by First Select woman
Diane Farrell, for pulling an injured Westport teen to safety from a burning
vehicle August 1st. The
vehicle had hit two trees and landed on its side – shortly after Slater’s
arrival the whole engine compartment was engulfed in flames.
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Westport Minuteman -
Feb. 5, 2004 - Faye Kim, whose new Faye Kim Designs, recently opened fine
jewelry store in Westport was so pleased by the response to her shop that she
wanted to give back to the community. She decided to donate 10% of all her sales from today until Valentine’s
Day to WEMS’s cardiac care equipment.
March 1, 2004 - Four WVEMS members were honored at the
Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red Cross 9th Annual
Unsung Heroes breakfast. Honored were
Susan De Witt, James Flint, Todd Keenan and Mike Feigin.
Westport News - April 23, 2004 - At a brown bag lunch,
members of WVEMS presented First Select Woman Diane G. Farrell with the keys to
a new, state of the art ambulance. Alan Stolz, Diane Salvo and WVEMS President
Pasquale Salvo took part in the ceremony. Through the efforts of the Capital Gifts Committee, a single donation
was received from a Town resident which covered the cost of the new ambulance,
$125,000. Additional funds were raised
for a new communication system. The ambulance
can carry a lot more equipment, including a continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP) device which aids people having a hard time breathing. It also has a global positioning system (GPS)
which can help WMS crews to unfamiliar territory if needed. The ambulance committee spent two years
planning and overseeing the construction of the new unit.
May 17, 2004 - Letter received from President George W. Bush
congratulating WVEMS on its 25th Anniversary.
Governor John G. Rowland sent an official statement
proclaiming May 21, 2004 as WEMS Day in honor of our 25th Anniversary.
WVEMS held a 25th Anniversary celebration at the
Inn at Longshore on May 21, 2004. Michelle Brewster once again organized the evening filled with wonderful
fun and reminiscences.
First Select Woman Diane Farrel proclaimed May 21, 2004 as
WVEMS Day, reading the proclamation at the dinner celebration at the Inn at
Longshore.
May 21, 2004 - Sen. Christopher Dodd sent “heartfelt
congratulations” to WVEMS on its 25th anniversary.
May 21, 2004 - Christopher Shays, Congressman 4th District, sent a letter of congratulations on our 25th anniversary. He also spoke at the
dinner.
May 21, 2004 - Letter of congratulations from Judith G.
Friedman, State Senator, on the celebration of WVEMS’ 25th anniversary.
May 11, 2004 - Letter from Alex A. Knopp, Mayor of the City
of Norwalk, congratulating WVEMS, acknowledging and celebrating “the strong
connections between our municipalities and emergency services”. He also remembered “with pride and fondness
when, as a State Representative, I joined you in opening your new headquarters
15 years ago.”
April 20, 2004 - Letter from Rabbi Robert Orkand which said
that in the more than twenty years that he has served as a chaplain of the
Westport PD he “marveled at the dedication and commitment of the WVEMS”.
May 12, 2004 - Letter from Rev. Frank A. Hall of the
Unitarian Church in Westport, congratulating WVEMS, “we are especially proud of
Zachary Klomberg, a young man who grew up in our congregation and who has
been an active volunteer for several
years.”
March 26, 2004 - Letter from Rev. Frank C. McGrath of the
Diocese of Bridgeport enclosing a blessing from the Holy Father John Paul II on
the 25th anniversary of WVEMS.
March 24, 2004 - Letter from Most Rev. William E. Lori to
Father McGrath enclosing a message from the Holy Father on our 25th anniversary. He sent his”congratulations
and esteem as well as to the members of this prestigious group and assure them
of my prayerful support.”
March 3, 2004 - Letter from the Vatican to Bishop Lori
asking that he convey to the members of WVEMS “His Holiness Pope John Paul II’s
“...congratulations on the happy occasion and his prayerful good wishes for
their work in the service of the community.” – signed Leonardo Sandri, Substitute.
May 21, 2004 - Congressional Record - House of Representatives,
Hon. Christopher Shays read into the Record his congratulations to WVEMS . He named the fifteen members still with the
service, singing their praise. The
named were: Edwin and Elizabeth Audley, Patricia Audley, Sharon Barnett,
Russell M. Blair, Susan De Witt, Michael Feigin, Richard Frazier, Neil Harding,
Thomas Keenan, Kathleen Todd, Alan Yoder, Isabel Blair, Alan Stolz, Nettie
Skinner and Pasquale Salvo – all heroes!”
The Hour - May 23, 2004 - Long article giving a brief
history of WVEMS and recognizing WVEMS’ 25th anniversary.
May 20, 2004 - Letter to Alan Stolz from Christ and Holy
Trinity Episcopal Church with congratulations for WVEMS on its 25th anniversary, and expressing the church’s “thanks and appreciation for your
steadfast commitment to this community”. Signed John H. Branson, Rector.
Westport News - May 28, 2004 - The Edwin A. Audley
Scholarship Fund of WVEMS presented three scholarships for the 2004-2005
academic year. The recipients are
Richard Arriaga, a nursing student at Fairfield University, Michelle Brewster,
a student in business administration in health care management at Housatonic
Community College, and Rachel Yoder, a social work student at Rhode Island
College. The purpose of the scholarship
fund is to provide tuition assistance to deserving and qualified paid or
volunteer members of the police, fire and EMS of Westport or to their
dependents who are actively pursuing an education in emergency medicine or
related health services.
Westport Minuteman - June 3, 2004 - Westport Rotary Club
awarded charitable grants to local non-profit organizations; WEMS was among the
grant recipients.
June 24, 2004 - Sen. Joseph Lieberman read into the
Congressional Record - Senate congratulations and gratitude to WVEMS for a
quarter century “of unparalleled dedication to public safety and public
service.” He went on to name the
founders and current members.
Westport News - 12-8--2004 - WVEMS again urged the community
to identify homes and businesses clearly, especially in winter when numbers on
rocks may be hidden by snow – also cluster mailboxes are not enough to identify
the individual homes.
Sept. 3, 2004 - In an inaugural event, Mitchell’s of
Westport held an event at the store intended to help WVEMS raise funds for a
new ambulance. A number of WVEMS
members, ranging from founders Russ Blair and Mike Feigin to high school
students who are members of the Explorer Post 601, were in attendance. Isabel Blair signed up attendees to CPR
courses, while defibrillator equipment hooked up to a mannequin for
demonstration was displayed. Neil
Harding, a founder, explained that 25 years ago “we et out to provide for
Westport all of the capital expenditures. The costs of everything that goes into the ambulance have gone up and
the ambulances need constant maintenance. Westport PD chief Al Fiore told the crowd that the members volunteered
26,000 hours last year.
October 28, 2004- EMT-B course is offered by the Norwalk
Community College Public Safety Academy starting in January 2005, with the hope
that some of the graduates will join WVEMS as volunteers.
November 4, 2004 - Westport Minuteman - The Westport Young
Woman’s League donated funds for three pairs of adult anti-shock pants to
WGEMS. The pants, designed to be used in
cases of severe traumatic injuries, help the body maintain blood pressure and
can also stabilize pelvic and leg injuries. The State regulations require that WVEMS carry a pair of these
anti-shock pants on each ambulance. EMS
Director Heinmiller said “The League really helped us out when we needed
it. The anti-shock pants we had on the
ambulance were dated and in danger of failing.”
March 14, 2005 - The Hour. The seventh annual special olympics Penguin Plunge held March 5th was a huge success, with 230 penguins plunged into Long Island Sound, to raise
funds for the Special Olympics Connecticut year-round programs for CT residents
with intellectual disabilities. The
plunge received support from Westport PD, Westport FD, WVEMS and Westport Parks
and Recreation Department. The Dive
Rescue team ensured that all 230 plungers made it back to shore safely.
The Hour - April 3, 2005 - Westport/Weston Chamber of
Commerce is teaming up with the Downtown Merchants Assn. To raise money to
purchase AEDs for public spaces. The
defibrillators are needed by WVEMS to replace on in PD vehicles and public
spaces. Each of the AEDs costs $1.700;
the new ones will be capable of helping children.
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