Individuals and families can make lots of decisions about their attitudes and habits that lead to a healthier heart and better quality of life.  The American Heart Association provides lots of resources to make heart healthy decisions about nutrition, physical activity, stress management and more.  They even offer a simple My Life tool to get your personal heart health score. 

 

You can improve the heart health of your community by taking on of EmergyCare's monthly CPR classes that are open to the public.  In a few short hours you will be armed with valuable skills that can save the life of a friend, loved one or perfect stranger.  In addition to learning CPR the class also covers the use of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) which citizens can use in a cardiac emergency to shock a heart back into rhythm.  The self-contained units are prominent in schools, churches, and other public buildings.  The simple voice prompts make them easy for anyone to use.

 

View our schedule of classes and vow to improve your personal heart health AND be prepared to help someone else in their cardiac emergency.

 

 

 

Recently EmergyCare crew members had the honor of attending to

Kelly Martin, PHRN and Theta Smith, EMT visit with Mannarelli family, including proud parents Courtney and Paul, big sister Brooke and 14-day old Harper who was born at home.

the birth of three healthy babies.  Less than 1% of the 4.2 million babies born in the U.S. each year are born at home, and the vast majority of those are planned at-home births.  But occasionally a mom who intends to give birth at the hospital finds herself with a quick onset of labor and no time to get to the hospital. Although it is a rare occurrence, EmergyCare's EMTs, Paramedics and nurses are all trained to deliver a baby at home, in the ambulance or wherever a mother finds herself when the long-awaited birth process goes a little too quickly.

 

EMT Theta Smith was one of the responders when Courtney Mannarelli delivered her baby girl at home on January 18.  Smith commented, "Most days we see the most injured and ill patients, often near the very end of their life.  It was a privilege to be there the moment baby Harper entered the world."  Mannarelli, who works as an administrative assistant at UPMC Hamot Women's Hospital, did not expect to deliver her second child at home.  "It all happened so quickly!  I just knew the baby was coming so my husband dialed 911.  The Erie Fire Department and EmergyCare arrived and moments later our little girl was here.  My co-workers got a kick out seeing me arrive by ambulance with the baby already delivered."

Smith's partner, Kelly Martin, PHRN, added, "I've been in emergency medical services for 11 years and this was my first birth in the field.  It's a special moment to witness a new life beginning." 

EmergyCare personnel who were called upon to help with recent births:  (L to R) Gerri Sorci, EMT-P, Linda Kobielski, EMT, Theta Smith, EMT, Kelly Martin, PHRN, James Kenworthy, EMT and Jennifer Corklin, EMT-P.

During the months of November and December 20% of EmergyCare's employees made a pledge to the 2011-2012 Giving Back to Move Forward Campaign.  The internal portion of the fundraising campaign asked employees to make a charitable contribution to help sustain EmergyCare's life-saving mission to the region.  More than $10,000 was pledged.

Clarence Kearney, EmergyCare board member, sits on the Development Committee and commented, "Charitable giving is more important than ever at EmergyCare and all types of healthcare nonprofits.  It's commendable that EmergyCare's employees have joined the board of directors in making significant contributions to the organization."

On January 18th all employee donors were invited to the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center for a special thank you reception.  Dan Swayze, Vice President at the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western PA, was the guest speaker.  Swayze shared an inspirational message about the history of emergency medical services, the selflessness of those called to serve others and commented on EmergyCare's groundbreaking work in charitable giving."I have worked with hundreds of EMS providers and EmergyCare's employees are leading the way in terms of EMS workers giving back to their organization."

  

Special thanks to EmergyCare's employee donors who are leading the way in charitable giving.

To view photos of the employee reception, please visit us on Flickr.