WATERTOWN — The Annual North Country REMSCO’s Spring Fling Conference was held April 11 to 12 at the Edgewood Resort in Alexandra Bay. Over 140 EMS providers from across New York state attended the event and participated in lectures on a mirage of topics, ranging from EMS Operations, Trauma Management and OB Emergencies to mental health services offered in our Tri-County Region.
“Prehospital emergency medicine is a dynamic and ever-evolving field,” said Jonathan Cole, EMS Program Agency Director at Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO). “Through training events like Spring Fling, we can provide not only the basic core elements that First Responders need to keep their certifications, but we can also dive deeper into new developments in the field.”
North Country REMSCO and Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization presented awards on April 11 to regional EMS providers who were nominated by their peers.
Regional EMS Awards were also presented in the following categories:
ALS Provider of the Year: Nathan Peters, Thousand Islands Emergency Rescue Services
BLS Provider of the Year: Mark Leroux, Cranberry Lake Volunteer Fire Department
Youth Provider of the Year: Michael Gately, Indian River EMS Club and Indian River Ambulance Service
Agency of the Year: Cranberry Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Star Lake Volunteer Fire Department
Educator of the Year: Matthew Yelton, MERCY Flight Central and Constableville Ambulance
Physician of the Year: Dr. Sarah Delaney-Rowland, REMAC Medical Director
Leadership Award: Christopher Singleton, Jefferson County EMS and South Jefferson Rescue Squad
Richard Beebe Award: Jefferson County EMS
Dan Ward, a Thousand Island Emergency Rescue Services (TIERS) volunteer who passed away in December 2023, was awarded an honorary EMT Certification that was presented to his family who attended the event. Mr. Ward had enrolled in an Advanced EMT class in the spring of 2023 but was unable to complete the course due to health issues. Members of the NYS Department of Health Bureau of EMS and Traumas Systems presented Mr. Ward’s EMT Certification to his wife Wendi, and daughters Claire and Andie Rae.
“The North Country Region is so fortunate to have such an amazing group of providers,” said Debbie Singleton, chair, North Country REMSCO. “The time, dedication, compassion, and professionalism are evident with the award winners. Keep up the amazing work!”
During the EMS Awards Dinner the featured keynote speaker, Ronald “Rolly” Churchill talked about his career when he joined Town of Watertown Fire/Ambulance in 1975, became an EMT in 1976, a Critical Care Technician in 1981, and a Paramedic in 1990. He was a Regional Faculty and taught many EMT classes, worked/volunteered for the Town of Watertown Fire/Ambulance, South Jefferson Rescue Squad, Inc., Guilfoyle Ambulance, Rural Metro/AMR, and ended his career after 17 years with Thousand Islands Emergency Rescue Squad in 2018. He spoke about a near-death experience that he had personally encountered and the life-saving measures his fellow EMS members took to save his life.
The North Country Regional Emergency Medical Services Council (REMSCO) carries out its responsibilities pursuant to Article 30 of the New York State Public Health Law and Part 800 of the NYS CCRR. This Council, comprised of 30 members, has representation from: out-of-hospital emergency medical care providers from the fire service; community volunteers, not-for-profit and commercial ambulance service sectors; physicians; nurses; health planning agencies; hospitals; police services; county government; the business community; and other constituencies promoting good health. By statute, the Council is charged with several responsibilities including coordination of emergency medical services in the North Country Region.