Mindy Goodrich puts on a c-collar on
Jacey Evans
For the past three years the Minonk EMS squad recognizes National EMS(Emergency Medical System) Week by sponsoring a field trip for grades K-4. The children got to learn about the equipment, tour the ambulances, and hear a story. They were given a demonstration on the use of a cardiac monitor. The older children held a question and answer session with the EMT's.
The children also got to enjoy snacks and were given ice tags which had their name and their parents name written on it. The children can wear the ice tags on their book bags.
The
new ambulance was a big hit with the children. Ambulance Chief Deb
Stewart said it was great fun for the children as well as for the EMT's.
When they went back to school, the younger ones drew and colored pictures for the EMS squad and the older ones wrote an essay. A winner was picked from each class. The winner is picked up at their home in the ambulance and taken to school in the morning.
While this week is National EMS week, this year's field trip was held last week since school let out early this year. Ambulance Chief Deb Stewart expressed her appreciation for the financial support received from the area businesses who help fund the annual field trips.
Stewart said her goal is to have two ambulances with Advanced Life Support (ALS) by January 1 of next year. That would make Minonk the second EMS group in the area with ALS. She also wants to have at least one paramedic group by the end of the year. To reach this goal, there would need to be at least 3 trained paramedics.
Winners of the EMS fieldtrip contest from left to right are Amiah Pratt,
Rebeccal Hudson, Nevada Park, & Jaxon Kearfott
Mindy Goodrich & Jacey Evans speaking to the children about the equipment.....
"Ted" the
training manikin is is the back ground
The children got a big kick out of touring the new ambulance. It is a 2008 Medtec Ambulance with only 57000 miles. It came from Foster
Coah out of Sterling, IL.
