Because they're closer...
By Debbie Lowe

Lining up for their community First Responder volunteers for Deer Creek standing from left to right, are Steve Herr, Patty Buck, Scott Hile and Dana Hile. In the front, l-r, are Doug Atkinson and Tom McShannock. Comet photo by Debbie Lowe

In Carroll County, when a need is realized there is almost always someone who comes along to address it.

Some residents in and around Deer Creek in Washington Township realized four years ago their population was aging and their location put them at the end of routes for emergency medical services. That means it usually takes longer to get to their location than any other in the county.

So, residents Tom McShannock and Steve Herr decided to be trained as first responders for medical emergencies. They knew they were going to need equipment and other volunteers, so fundraising began and other interested residents became involved.

Four years and some significant equipment later, McShannock and Herr will be getting some trained volunteer help with the assistance of Mike Durr, director of Carroll County Emergency Medical Services and J.D. Cree, director of Carroll County E-911.

First responder training is 44 hours of learning how to do CPR, splints, blood handling and shock situations as well as working with other medical and emergency personnel. McShannock and Herr said they are looking for more volunteers who want to be trained to serve.

Because First Responder volunteers work in conjunction with EMS, they are considered "part of the EMS family" according to Durr. They are invited to the same inservices and additional training opportunities as other EMS personnel.

Because of the four-year fundraising effort, pagers and two defibrillators and oxygen kits were purchased for the Deer Creek group. EMS donated other supplies such as bandages and consumable items.

"It would be better if more community members were aware of the new service," McShannock said. "We want everyone to know about it and we want to get more volunteers to be trained to help out."

Durr said the next training will be in November. Interested residents living in the northeast Carroll County area are invited to participate in the training. For more information, call Durr at (574) 9674161.