Grand County Emergency Medical Services (GCEMS), is honored to have received the 2017 ‘Excellence In Pediatric Trauma’ award for an EMS Agency through Children’s Hospital Colorado. This annual award is presented to an EMS agency in Colorado that has gone above and beyond the normal patient care that is already expected during EMS calls. Nominations are received across the state as well as from staff and then are shared and discussed amongst a multidisciplinary group to decide the recipients. Awards are also given to physicians and nurses throughout the state. The nominations are received by anyone that had been impacted by the provider or agency.
GCEMS was nominated for this award by John Recicar, RN, who is the Trauma and Burn Program Manager for Children’s Hospital Colorado. According to the nomination form, he and his staff were impressed with the response that GCEMS had in response to a child who had experienced major trauma. Upon arriving at the scene, the crew was able to access the injured patient and care for the child as quickly as possible. The patient was then transported to Children’s Hospital Colorado for further care. The nomination also highlighted the fact that Grand County EMS is the only agency in the state that works directly with high school students for their ‘grow your own’ program that enables seniors to get their EMT certification.
Grand County EMS Chief, Ray Jennings is proud of the work that his crews perform on a daily basis, let alone in tough situations like the incident noted above when a child is injured. “The paramedics and EMTs of Grand County EMS are dedicated to caring for our community,” he said. “Grand County EMS has excelled in pediatric emergency care and has held a Children’s Hospital Colorado Preferred Provider certificated since 2011. We never want to see a child in pain and in need of care, but when it happens, our crews are ready to respond.
GCEMS Paramedics maintain their certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Neonatal Resuscitation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. GCEMS EMTs also receive specialized training through Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers. GCEMS Paramedics and EMTs are certified by the Colorado Department of Health, EMTS Section and also through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Grand County EMS is dedicated to ‘Giving Life A Chance’.
