BCC Rescue Squad: Ambulance Fees Expected to Be Voted on this Month

[Howard Hartman]

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad May 2010   County Council Expected to Vote on Ambulance Fees Rescue Squad Personnel Win National Heroism Award Volunteer Chris Dudley Featured in the News Rescue Squad Volunteers Complete Pike's Peek Road Race Volunteer for the Experience of a Lifetime Rescue Squad Commemorates a Presidential Visit Have Your Next Event at the Anastasi Room Stay Connected County Council Expected to Vote on Ambulance Fees   New report provides compelling evidence to reject fees; express your opposition this week. Despite the public's (and the County Council's) previous opposition to ambulance fees, the Montgomery County Executive's proposal for the budget year beginning this July again proposes to charge a $300-$800 fee to people who are transported by an ambulance in Montgomery County. The County Council may vote on the fee as early as this week. Meanwhile, a new report provides compelling evidence --from multiple sources--that ambulance fees will discourage people from calling 911 in a medical emergency and/or will cause them to refuse ambulance transport when needed. The report, prepared by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and released in conjunction with the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire/Rescue Association, definitely refutes the claims that ambulance fees will have no impact on access to emergency medical services. "As the title of the report notes, ambulance fee supporters are entitled to their own opinions, but they aren't entitled to their own facts," says Rescue Squad President Ken Yazge. "And the facts are clear: scientific studies, opinion surveys, and the experience of jurisdictions with fees show that ambulance fees will reduce calls when help is needed most. The County Council now has more than enough evidence that ambulance fees create a real public health issue and should be rejected once and for all." Additional reasons to oppose the fee are legion and can be found on our website. In short, we believe the billing process will discourage patients in need from calling 911, will lead to insurance hassles for everyone, and will place a burden on the under- and un-insured. Moreover, we believe it is wrong to charge for the services of the hundreds of professionally trained, volunteer EMTs, Paramedics, and Firefighters throughout Montgomery County who serve the community The Council needs to continue to hear your opposition to Expedited Bill 13-10, "EMS Transport Fees." Please call or email the Council at 240- 777-7900 or county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. If possible, please contact every Concil member. To read the report, and for more information and the email addresses of individual Council members, click here. Rescue Squad Personnel Win National Heroism Award   On December 3, 2008, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, along with other units from Montgomery County, was dispatched to a report of a hot tub on fire outside of a house in Glen Echo. They arrived on scene to a report that the fire had spread into the house, and that three two- year-old triplets were trapped in an upstairs bedroom. Without waiting for protection from a hoseline, Rescue Squad Day Staff members Lieutenant Curtis Warfield and Master Firefighter John Klavon rushed upstairs through extreme heat and dense smoke, and rescued two of the nearly-lifeless toddlers. Last month, Lieut. Warfield and Master Firefighter Klavon were awarded Firehouse Magazine Heroism Awards for their dramatic rescue, which was chronicled in Washingtonian Magazine last year. Warfield and Klavon also received Gold Medals of Valor in 2009 for the rescue. Montgomery County Capt. Kimonti Oglesby received a Silver Medal of Valor and Firefighter Jody Sealey of the National Naval Medical Command (in Bethesda) received a Bronze Medal of Valor for their rescue of the third triplet. The firefighters, along with B-CC Rescue Squad and Montgomery County Firefighters, EMTs, and Paramedics, also received "Everyday Heroes" awards in 2009. To learn more about the Firehouse Magazine awards and the rescue, and to read the Washingtonian Magazine article, click below. Read more. Volunteer Chris Dudley Featured in the News   "Performing, saving lives is all in a day's work" "When Chris Dudley tells fellow volunteers at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad that he is a singer, the response often is, 'What band are you in?' "But the 31-year-old doesn't sing in a rock band. His is a more classical milieu: performing as a countertenor, or male alto, in concerts around Washington, nine years since his finely tuned falsetto landed him a salaried position in the National Cathedral's choir." Dudley reflects on his dual roles--as a singer and an Emergency Medical Technician--in articles in last week's Bethesda Gazette and Fairfax Times. Click here to read the articles and more Rescue Squad newsclips. Rescue Squad Volunteers Complete Pike's Peek Road Race   Rescue Squad members are normally a fit bunch, a fact that was clearly demonstrated on Sunday, April 25, when B-CC Rescue Squad volunteers raced in the annual "Pike's Peek" 10K (6.2 mile) road race. The Squad fielded a team of 23 people (21 squad members plus two family members). "Every night crew in the Squad was represented, and the entire team finished the race," stated Paramedic Joan Keller, who coordinated the event for the Squad along with Lieutenant Marc Plante. (Both also raced on the team.) The Rescue Squad's team included Caitlin Baum, Vanessa Dam, Ferrall Dietrich, Martha Gaffney, James Hamilton, Eily Hayes, Sarah Hodges, Candace Keister, Darlene Keister, Joan Keller, Wilder Leavitt, Mary Morningstar, Alex Nutman, Emily O'Connor, Marc Plante, Becky Plante, Max Raithel, Susan Singley, Valerie Smith, Oliver Vickery, Mario Weber, Aaron Webster, and Howie Weinstein. Read more Volunteer for the Experience of a Lifetime   Where else can you get free training to become an EMT, Firefighter, or Paramedic (or all three), free uniforms, free physicals, as well as advanced training, new friends, and the satisfaction of knowing that you can save a life, help put out a fire, or help someone in your community? The Rescue Squad's volunteers are a tight, elite group that makes a valuable contribution to our community. The training and rewarding life experiences you gain--as well as your value to the community--make the Rescue Squad an organization that can change your life. The Rescue Squad has an extremely diverse membership that includes people of all ages and cultural backgrounds, and professions ranging from accountants to full-time parents, government employees to school teachers, and college students to former members of the military and current reservists. As a volunteer, you will stand duty one night per week and occasional weekends. You need no prior experience to join the Rescue Squad and will receive free, professional training at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy, leading to state certification. You will also have opportunities to receive further specialized training. Interested in becoming a volunteer? Call the membership hotline at 301-657- 5557, email membership@bccrs.org, or click below. Read more. Rescue Squad Commemorates a Presidential Visit   National Volunteer Week captures the essence of the Rescue Squad This year's National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 18 to 24, carried special significance. Twenty years ago, President George H.W. Bush visited the Rescue Squad to help celebrate the Squad's 50 years of volunteer service to the community and to name the Squad one of a thousand "Points of Light." In addressing the members of the Rescue Squad, President Bush reflected on National Volunteer Week, ". . . which salutes what I call this nation's Points of Light, this vast galaxy of individuals and businesses . . . and voluntary associations working together to solve problems. This Rescue Squad really is a Point of Light; it is also a source of life. . . . I salute you, as does your community. We respect and admire you for a job well done." Today, with 70 years behind it, the Rescue Squad continues to do the job it has always done: respond to the community's call for help 24 hours a day. The Squad's 150 professionally trained volunteers, a daytime staff, and two Montgomery County paramedics respond to almost 10,000 calls each year. The Squad does not receive an appropriated budget from any government and relies on the generosity of residents, community- minded organizations, and businesses, as well as occasional state and federal grants, for funding. To read more, click here. Have Your Next Event at the Anastasi Room   Make your party, reception, meeting, or celebration a success Located in the heart of Bethesda, the Rescue Squad's Anastasi Room offers many amenities at a bargain and is an excellent setting for wedding receptions, holiday parties, meetings, celebrations, bar/bat mitzvahs, reunions, and celebrations of all kinds. The Room can accommodate up to 320 seated guests and is located just off the Beltway, close to the Metro and downtown Bethesda, and has ample free parking. For more information and rates, call 301-652- 2278 or visit our website by clicking below. For your convenience, the Anastasi Room can now provide the services of its in-house caterer. If you would like to use our in-house caterer, please visit his website or contact Mr. Tom Hirsch at 301- 526-3193 or chef@bccbanquet.com. Click here to read more. Stay Connected   Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and More Follow us on: Facebook (Become a fan: keywords "Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad") Twitter Flickr Blogspot If you experience any problems with the above links or sites, please send an email to info@bccrs.org. Now in its 70th year, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is a philanthropically operated, community supported organization that provides, at no cost to the recipient, the highest level of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services for the greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Upper Northwest Washington, D.C. communities. The spirit, commitment, dedication, and operational skills of its members are the defining characteristics of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.*The Squad provides the community with the security and peace of mind that comes with emergency services that are among the best in the United States. For more information, click here. A financial statement is available by emailing info@bccrs.org. D.C. Charitable Solicitation No. 53004867. Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 19223. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, Inc. Email: info@bccrs.org Web: http://www.bccrs.org

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, Inc. | 5020 Battery Lane | Bethesda | MD | 20814