Connie Medred, Communications Manager for STAT MedEvac, talks about the very little known STAT – MD program. What is that? If there is an illness on a commercial airline any where in the world on one of 13 different airlines, STAT MedEvac’s STAT MD center is contacted by the flight crew for next steps.. land.. continue.. in-air treatment?
David LaCovey and his wife, Marsha
We’re putting the spotlight on a life changer who has not only made an incredible impact on how EMS treats and assesses pediatric patients in the Pittsburgh area, but around the world, David LaCovey.
LaCovey says he became involved in EMS like many other people of his generation, because of the TV show, Emergency. An experience during Boy Scouts solidified his decision. Two paramedics from his local community, Arlington County, Virginia, helped the scouts earn their first aid merit badges. This was the first time something felt intuitive to him. It made sense and he didn’t have to work at it.
In 1976, he became an EMT, and his parents relocated to Pittsburgh in 1977. He started his EMS career with Tri-Community South EMS in the South Hills as a volunteer. Mary Ann Scott taught him how to […]
As we close out PTSD Awareness Month, we’re highlighting STAT’s internal PTSD committee with Sarah Anderson and Hollee Russell.
Can you tell us a little bit about your backgrounds? How long have you worked with STAT?
Sarah: I’ve worked for STAT for over 15 years. During that time I’ve worked as a Flight Nurse, Outreach Coordinator, and now Regional Medical Manager, but I also spent some time at UPMC Children’s as part of their Pediatric/Neonatal Transport Team.
Hollee: I have been a nurse for 24 years. I have worked Surgical ICU, Cardiac ICU, and ED. I also worked as a paramedic for 3 years. I have been with STATMedEvac for 19 years.
Can you tell us about the beginning of the internal PTSD committee?
Sarah: We began our journey to a formal Peer Support group prior to the pandemic. Originally it was just me, asking for support from STAT to move forward with a more formal […]
Job Title: Regional Medical Manager
How many years at STATMedEvac: 13 years
Job Title: Sr. Professional Flight Nurse II
How many years at STATMedEvac: 5 years
FULL CIRCLE
By Ed DeWitt
It was all part of her plan. Seventeen years after a life-changing experience aboard a STAT MedEvac helicopter, Trista Weiss, RN, UPMC senior professional flight nurse II, now works for the very team that she credits with setting her on a path toward a career of service.
Trista’s journey in health care started with a scary bike accident. “I have both an older and younger brother, and when we were growing up, we all competitively raced BMX bikes,” she said. “When I was 8, we were training for some races. We were riding down our street and my brothers were ahead of me, and I was trying to catch up. I lost control of my bike. I’m not sure what happened. I just remember my steering wheel kind of going crazy, and next thing you know, I was unconscious.”
The way Trista’s bike landed resulted […]
Over the last month, we have collected some thoughts on how to fix the current EMS recruitment and retention issues. Thanks to those who commented on Facebook, Instagram, called the podcast hotline and talked to us live at the EMS West Update at Seven Springs.
Thanks to Greg Porter, Ross/West View EMSA, Jeff Kelly, Medical Rescue Team South, Deb Hoffman, Silver Springs Ambulance Service, Kiley Cribbs, Butler County Community College as well as Mark Hansen, Kurt Dively, George Neat, Ally Marie Ward, and Ben Whitehill who commented on social media or left us a voice mail.
Opinions are not those of CEM/ STAT MedEvac.
You can discover it. It’s right inside you; you just need to know where to look. Every person in the world who has done anything extraordinary has used the power of insight. I call this “new intuition” or “radical” intuition. It is a much bigger vision of intuition than we have understood in the past ~ placing our inner guidance, or genius, as a vital complement to the intellect. – Kim Chestney, Intuition Specialist
For more information: www.KimChestney.com
