FirstHealth EMS in Chatham County Wins EMS Competition
| Date Posted: 9/18/2018
FirstHealth Regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) employees Brad Couce, EMT – Paramedic (left), and Sheryl Steele, EMT – Paramedic (right), of FirstHealth EMS in Chatham County, are pictured with their First Place Plaque after winning first place in a paramedic competition amongst FirstHealth Regional EMS employees in Chatham, Richmond and Montgomery Counties.
PINEHURST – During May each year, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals around the country recognize the men and women that serve selfishly each day to provide lifesaving care to their communities.
As a part of this recognition, and for the first time in many years, FirstHealth EMS held a paramedic competition with representation from each of FirstHealth’s Regional EMS divisions. The competition consisted of a written exam followed by a hands-on scenario. In this year’s scenario, the paramedic and emergency medical technician (EMT) teams had to treat two patients, one suffering from a gunshot wound and the other a pregnant patient that was having complications. The emergency scene was complicated even more by the inclusion of an irate bystander that acted as a distractor to the paramedics attempting to save both patients.
All FirstHealth EMS divisions (Chatham, Montgomery and Richmond counties) had teams competing. The Chatham team, which was comprised of Sheryl Steele, EMT – Paramedic, and Brad Couce, EMT – Paramedic, was the overall winner taking first place in the competition. The Richmond team finished second, and Montgomery team finished third.
“We are very proud of all the men and women that competed and recognize their commitment to EMS as their chosen profession,” says Barry Britt, administrative director of FirstHealth Regional EMS.
The teams also competed in the state regional EMS competition in hopes of advancing to the state finals held each year in conjunction with the NC EMS EXPO in Greensboro held in early October.
“We look forward to growing our in-house competition each year and reaching our goal of having FirstHealth EMS represented in the state paramedic competition next year,” adds Britt.
FirstHealth of the Carolinas provides 911 (EMS) for three counties in North Carolina – Chatham, Montgomery and Richmond.
With 40 ambulances and 200 employees, the FirstHealth Regional EMS System is one of the largest ambulance systems in North Carolina, covering more than 3,000 square miles. The system also includes Medical Transport in Moore County, hospital-to-hospital transport teams in Hoke, Moore and Scotland counties and responds to more than 25,000 calls and transports more than 20,000 patients annually.
