Travis County Commissioners Court
May 17, 2005
Item 3
3. Approve proclamation recognizing the week of may 15 through 21, 2005 as emergency medical services week in Travis County.
>> good morning y'all.
>> judge. I do have the proclamation to read. Waiting for everybody to get up and around. Two chairs to the right of dr. Roch there, he's not as bad as everybody claims.
>> we won't force you to speak just because you are sitting in front of a microphone if you want to sit down. It reads whereas emergency medical service is a vital public service and emergency medical service teams are ready to provide life-saving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week; whereas access to quality emergency care dramatically improves the survival and recovery of those who experience sudden illness or traumatic injury; and whereas Austin-Travis County emergency medical services consists of paramedics, star flight pilots, flight nurses, medics, communications medics, educators, administrators and others, in the Austin-Travis County e.m.s. System consists of over 1900 members, including firefighters, park police, airport police, corporate first responders and hundreds of Travis County first responders. And whereas we benefit each day from the knowledge, skills and dedication of those highly trained individuals. And whereas it is appropriate to recognize the value and the accomplishments of all emergency medical service providers by designating emergency medical services week. Now therefore be it resolved that the Travis County Commissioners court for the state of Texas does hereby proclaim the week of may 15th, through the 21st, 2005 as emergency medical services week. I move approval.
>> second.
>> dr. Roch, welcome.
>> good morning.
>> good morning. Well, judge, Commissioners, we appreciate this. This is always a nice time for the 1900 of us involved in providing emergency services for this community. We are fortunate that we have your support, we have the support of the esd's, the Austin city council in helping us to do our job. And interestingly, this year we were also blessed as a community to have the -- the first ever dispatcher of the year for the state of Texas named in our system as well as the first ever dispatcher of the year in a 911 service for the united states that came from Austin-Travis County. That's an external validation, I think, of the work that our colleagues do to try and provide care for this community. I think the other thing that's important is that we are able to show that -- that that work is paying off. We had an external audit several months ago that looked at a variety of different components of emergency services and one of the important pieces of information that came out in that audit was cardiac arrest survival. If they compare the national average with the Austin-Travis County average, the data that came out is that this community saves an additional -- there's one person that goes to the hospital with a pulse every two weeks above what the national average is. And we are very proud of that and we are proud of all of our colleagues across the board, Commissioner as you pointed out, in the city and the county, law enforcement, ambulances, in the air, on the water, and we enjoy serving this community. We are proud to be a part of the community. We thank you for -- for being a part and recognizing that during e.m.s. Week.
>> thank you.
>> I echo what dr. Roch said, on behalf of the entire community we would like to thank the Commissioners court for all of the support you have given us over the years, the support we hope to have in the future. I guess I知 going to be showing my age now, it seems like yesterday that the city and the county were entering into the partnership for the star flight program. It's been 20 years, we are having a 20 year anniversary in -- over the next few weeks, so we invite all of you all to attend that, the public to attend that, we are very proud of that partnership. Chris, chief baron would like to speak, also.
>> good morning, Commissioners, judge. On behalf of the capitol area fire chief's on association, also the manchaca, the system has come a long way in a short amount of time, if it weren't for all of the people standing behind me, we wouldn't be hearing the statistics that we hear now, saving an additional life every two weeks. We appreciate that and the support that the court has offered for all of the first responders and the system and it's a good thing and we have got some good leadership and good people that make the system work. Appreciate it.
>> dr. Roch, I really want to thank you all for the job that you do. It's -- I知 often asked as an elected official why aren't there more things that we can do together in Travis County and Austin. And if you notice by the name of the organization the Austin-Travis County e.m.s. Services and that is -- there are a great example of what we can do in partnership with each other and dr. Roch, I can't say enough about you and your leadership, having ridden with you before, that we have talked about before, having witnessed all of the people that the jobs that you do, the lives that you save, it -- sometimes we take it for granted. It's just well, I mean,, you know, every community has an entity that does this stuff. I know that we are shining examples in this country. People emulate, you know, our services in -- and the format that we all have, you know, been supportive of and with your direction, I can't thank you enough. I will tell you that the community, I知 glad that the people here today to see this, because sometimes we don't have many people in the audience. So -- so if you would, I mean, join me in the court and -- in thanking all of these folk. [ applause ] anybody else want to say anything?
>> I especially want to say thanks for helping the ambulance out in southeast Travis County be so effective and I know in a just recently -- I know that just recently it got moved over to the station on 71 and that has been a tremendous improvement. So thanks very much.
>> I think about the 20 year anniversary of star flight. I知 looking at the 30 year anniversary, the creation of Austin e.m.s., which is the jewel that we have created, this new jewel called Austin Travis County e.m.s. System. And for all of us that really are showing our age, we remember a time when there was no e.m.s. System in Austin. It was a combination of things tied into private ambulance service and other places, it was tied into funeral director's unfortunately moving around vans, et cetera. So we have really come a long way in this community. I want to add my personal thanks to each and every person here. Gerald promised us as parts of the 20 year anniversary to star flight that he will actually fly in the helicopter. [laughter]
>> we are looking forward to that.
>> I am really looking forward to that.
>> as am i. He won't fly it, just fly in it.
>> trying -- you all in the audience, I don't like to be as tall as I am, I知 going to get up in the helicopter in two weeks. We do have drugs? You can prescribe? [laughter] you are a doctor, are you not?
>> I知 working towards that. [laughter]
>> thank you.
>> we appreciate all of you and all that you do.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, dr. Roch.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> a small token of the appreciation for all of the support that you all have given us.
>> thank you all very much.
>> thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, May 18, 2005 7:54 AM