Dr. Snyder presents his findings on stroke treatment during a training session at LVAC on May 8.

LVAC hosted a stroke seminar for its EMTs and paramedics on May 8 presented by Gates Vascular Institute.

Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Mark Sieminski and Endovascular Neurosurgeon Dr. Kenneth Snyder presented their research in stroke and experience treating it. A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain stops.

Sieminski discussed prehospital treatment for stroke, statistics on incidence of stroke in Western New York and effective ways for EMS providers to identify a stroke.

Snyder said any patient that’s had any suggested symptom of stroke — even if they’re neurologically perfect — needs to come in to the hospital for an evaluation.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a mini stroke, can be a major warning sign.

“A TIA patient alone can have a 25 percent chance of stroke within the next two weeks — a major stroke event,” he said. “So just because they’re neurologically normal is not reason enough to not to bring them in for an acute eval. We don’t let people go home that have had a TIA event until a symptomatic vascular issue is treated.”

He also said his findings indicate there’s no such thing as a time window for treatment of stroke.

“We now use the physiology of the brain to treat stroke and there can’t be anybody that tells you they’re not in the right time frame, they’re not a candidate for anything,” he said. “We’ve opened up that window to the point that it’s only the physiology of the brain that’s a limiting criteria.”

Snyder called himself a “glorified plumber” who uses vascular surgery to remove the clots that can cause brain damage.

“The only way to get the clots out is to take the clots out,” he said. “It’s a surgical disease. And eventually the patient needs to be to a surgeon’s hands.”

Last year hundreds of residents turned out for the fair.

One of the area’s largest health and safety expositions is set to take place Sunday, May 20 at the LVAC Headquarters 40 Embry Place, Lancaster (off of Walden; one block east of Central Avenue). Last year hundreds of residents turned out for the fair hosted by Lancaster’s longtime emergency medical services provider.

From noon to 4 p.m. at our Embry Place headquarters, dozens of exhibitors will meet with the public to increase health and safety awareness through education and prevention, which is part of LVAC’s longstanding mission. A variety of exhibitors will be on hand to help the public become aware of the many health-related programs, services, and providers available in the community.

The free exposition will be open to adults and children. It will also feature free food, raffles, blood pressure checks, a bake sale, free tote bag with goodies to the first 24 families, a 9-1-1 simulator to teach kids what happens when they call 9-1-1 and a coloring contest for kids 7 and under.

Exhibitors scheduled to take part include: Baby’s Sweet Beginnings, Little Rumpkins Cloth Diaper Service, UNYTS, Lancaster Police Department, Alzheimer’s Association of WNY, Lancaster Public Library, Sit n’ Stay Pet Services, Child Care Resource Network, Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, the LVAC Bike Team and Explorers, Lancaster Chiropractic, Bowmansville Fire Department and Lancaster Family YMCA.

• Little Rumpkins Diaper Service delivers cloth diapers right to your door making it convenient and easy for you to cloth diaper your baby! We take the dirty diapers to a local commercial facility to ensure they are being cleaned and cared for properly. Our weekly service cost includes prefold cloth diapers, pick-up and delivery of those diapers to your door every week, and laundry fees.
• Baby’s Sweet Beginnings is the only privately owned Lactation Center in WNY owned and operated by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. We are also the only center that provides a 24/7 help line, answered every time by an IBCLC!
• UNYTS will have information to boost awareness and action with regard to organ, eye, tissue and blood donation. Donation bus will be available.
• Lancaster Public Library will provide information about library services, programs and materials available to the community.
• Sit n’ Stay Pet Services specializes in pet sitting, dog walking, training and pet first aid classes. Will be highlighting pet first aid classes and child and dog safety information.
• Child Care Resource Network is a member of a state and national system of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. We provide a comprehensive range of services to children and families, providers of early care and education, government and businesses in Buffalo and Erie County. The staff members of the Child Care Resource Network are professionals in the fields of Early Childhood Education and Care, Special Education, Human Services, Communication, and Business.
• Lancaster-Depew Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition’s mission is to prevent youth substance abuse by collaborating with groups within the community. Displays will include information about the coalition as well as information pieces to raise awareness about substance abuse.
• Lancaster Chiropractic Center will provide information and education on chiropractic care and services we provide; laser therapy, If therapy, adjustment, nutritional counseling and standard process supplements.
• Lancaster Family YMCA provides programs for children – sports, aquatics, camps, before and after school programs.
• The Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corps Explorer Post will conduct a bake sale and blood pressure checks.
• The Bomansville Fire Company will offer training on fire safety and fire truck tours.
• The Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corps will offer health and safety information, balloons, ambulance tours, equipment demonstrations, give-a-ways.

If you have any questions, please contact LVAC’s public relations director Amanda Popiolkowski at publicrelations@lancasterambulance.org. We are excited about providing this vital service to our community and look forward to seeing you on May 20!

On April 25 the local Girl Scout Daisies were given a tour of LVAC’s headquarters and shown the inside of an ambulance. They also were taught when to call 911, how to wash their hands correctly and how to find their pulse. The tour was coordinated by LVAC members Allison Revelas, Nancy Revelas and Ryan Wager.

Jeff Bono, left, and Jerren Myers, were among emergency service providers to learn important sign language terminology during a training session March 29 presented by Pamela Rohring and Timothy Kelly from St. Mary's School for the Deaf. Photo by Buffalo News.

When LVAC responded to a call for an unresponsive woman whose primary caregiver was deaf, the crew had difficulty finding out the patient’s medical history and events leading up to the incident.

In an effort to provide an ever-growing list of services to our community, LVAC Vice President Jeff Bono reached out to St. Mary’s School for the Deaf (SMSD) in Buffalo.

Bono met with the school’s superintendent, Tim Kelly, who was very excited to partner with LVAC and provide sign language training.

LVAC hosted two very successful and well-attended days of training on March 29 and 30. The sessions were led by Pamela Rohring, an Alumna and employee of SMSD who is an expert in American Sign Language (ASL). The training covered such topics as deaf culture, the ABCs of ASL, and some emergency hand signals.

WKBW Channel 7 was there to document it. Watch their report below:

Mark Reed, left, and Alli Revelas sell newspapers on March 20 as part of Buffalo News Kids Day.

14 LVAC members sold more than 500 newspapers and raised $800 for Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo on March 20 during the annual Buffalo News Kids Day.

2012 marks the 30th year of the fundraising drive, which has raised $4 million for the Robert Warner M.D. Center for Children with Special Needs and Children’s Charities of WNY. More than 3,000 volunteers from across Western New York sold the special edition for $1.

LVAC was assigned the intersection of Broadway and Transit in Depew and volunteers sold newspapers from 6 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.

“Kids Day really epitomizes what LVAC is all about — selflessness and a willingness to help others,” said LVAC EMT and Kids Day corner captain Joseph Popiolkowski. “It’s a perfect match.”

See more photos from Kids Day.

LVAC even requested additional papers because they were selling so fast. Many drivers donated more than the suggested $1 with several people donating $20. Members placed orange traffic cones between lanes and wore high-visibility vests to ensure their safety in traffic.

“Our thanks go out to everyone who bought a paper from us,” said Popiolkowski. “We’ll see you next year.”

Our Kids Day volunteers included Marc Adamberger, Kristen Guadagno, Sean Hall, Kyle Haniszewski, Greg Jankiewicz, Tim Marshall, Chester Popiolkowski, Joseph Popiolkowski, Amanda Popiolkowski, Mark Reed, Allison Revelas, Bill Revelas, Kyle Rzeszutek and Ryan Wager.

Special thanks to the Tim Hortons location at 5316 Transit Road in Depew for donating coffee and donuts to the volunteers!

The LVAC Kids Day 2012 team

LVAC members will hit the streets on March 20 as part of the annual Kids Day fundraiser. On that morning thousands of volunteers will sell a special Kids Day edition of The Buffalo News. The proceeds from the sale of this special edition are presented to Variety, the Children’s Charity, to benefit Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, the Robert Warner MD Center for Children with Special Needs and Children’s Charities of Western New York.

2012 is the 30th year of raising money. Since 1983, Kids Day contributions have totaled more than $3.9 million – helping children all across Western New York.

Thousands of partners join The Buffalo News in this huge county-wide initiative, including hundreds of corner captains, thousands of volunteers and, of course, the more than 100,000 donors that help to make this special fundraising campaign such a success.

LVAC will be at the intersection of Transit and Broadway in Depew. If you would like to volunteer and help us sell the Kids Day special edition of The Buffalo News, please e-mail joe@lancasterambulance.org.

LVAC 825 rolls down Broadway in the St. Patrick's Day parade. Photo by Erie County Fire Wire.

Lancaster held its St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17 and LVAC contributed its newest ambulance to the procession.

The parade followed a circular route along Broadway, Central Avenue, Pleasant Avenue and School Street before ending back at the Elks Lodge parking lot.

See more photos from the parade.

LVAC assistant operations director Larry Pohl discusses the 12-lead EKG — a method of monitoring heart rhythms.

The LVAC operations department held a training session on Feb. 21 for its basic EMTs and drivers to become familiar with the life-saving equipment used in the field by advanced EMS providers.

For serious medical emergencies such as difficulty breathing or chest pain, LVAC sends an ALS (advanced life support) crew, which is trained in complex procedures such as airway intubation, intravenous therapy and many others.

Basic EMTs can assist them by preparing the equipment for use and anticipating the paramedic’s needs on scene when seconds are critical. Led by LVAC operations director Greg Jankiewicz, students were allowed to handle the equipment and ask questions about their use.

For example, LVAC assistant operations director Larry Pohl demonstrated how an EMT could set up a 12-lead EKG, which displays a patient’s cardiac rhythm on a monitor.

Also displayed were blood draw kits and the EZ-IO Intraosseous Infusion System.

Bill Revelas, left, receives the Volunteer of the Year award from Larry Pohl.

LVAC held its annual banquet and awards ceremony on Feb. 4, 2012 at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens in Depew. The evening featured cocktails and remarks by LVAC president Chester Popiolkowski before a sit-down dinner.

An invocation was given by LVAC chaplain Bob Kelly. Following dinner, awards were given out by LVAC Vice President Jeff Bono for: top 10 squad hours, top 5 page calls, top 10 calls taken, rookie of the year, volunteer of the year and employee of the year. The Explorers group and Bike Team were also recognized for their service. Length of service pins were handed out including one for dispatcher Bill Revelas who marked his 30th year of service to the corps.

See more photos from the banquet.

LVAC volunteer driver Todd Okoniewski swept three of the top categories. See the full list of awards:

Top 10 Squad Hours of 2011

1. Todd Okoniewski (1084 hours)
2. Bill Revelas (626 hours)
3. Daniella Rezabek (505 hours)
4. Luke Weishaupt (448 hours)
5. Polly Thoman (430 hours)
6. Bryan Park (378 hours)
7. Kristen Guadagno (366 hours)
8. Charlie Basher (351 hours)
9. Andrew Parker (325 hours)
10. Joseph Popiolkowski (288 hours)

Top 5 Page Calls Taken in 2011

1. Todd Okoniewski (61 page calls)
2. Mark Reed (60 page calls)
3. Tim Marshall (55 page calls)
4. Jeff Bono (40 page calls)
5. Polly Thoman (22 page calls)

Top 10 Calls Taken in 2011

1. Todd Okoniewski (184 calls)
2. Luke Weishaupt (80 calls)
3. Andrew Parker (79 calls)
4. Mark Reed (73 calls)
5. Allison Revelas (67 calls)
6. Tim Marshall (64 calls)
7. Larry Pohl (56 calls)
8. Jeff Bono (52 calls)
9. Bryan Park (52 calls)
10. Mark Reinhard (44 calls)

Rookies of the Year

• Kristen Guadagno & Andrew Parker

Volunteers of the Year

• Bill Revelas & Polly Thoman

Employee of the Year

• Bob Cuillo

Length of Service Pins

30 Years

• Bill Revelas

20 Years

• Nancy Revelas

5 Years

• Bob Kelly

1 Year

• Max Adams
• Nick Barton
• Bob Cuillo
• Brian Fischer
• Josh Gates
• Andy Hawkins
• Ellyn Hayes
• Sarah Hurd
• Jason Kaese
• Jerren Myers
• Joseph Punaro
• Amy Revelas
• Kyle Rzeszutek
• Lucas Weishaupt
• Jason Whelan
• Hugh Wolf

Instructor Donald Trzepacz Jr, middle, watches Andy Gangloff, left, and Jim Honeck practice spinal stabilization during an ITLS course at LVAC on Jan. 14-15.

LVAC and Mercy Flight teamed up Jan. 14-15 to offer an International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) course to area first responders. ITLS is designed to review, organize and prioritize the skills and didactic information needed to handle a multitude of trauma situations.

The program was instructed by the region’s leaders in trauma and critical care transport including Donald Trzepacz Jr., an LVAC paramedic and Education and Quality Improvement Manager for Mercy Flight. Participants were shown how to enhance their existing trauma care and reduce on-scene times in an effort to improve patient outcome.

Topics covered included Trauma Patient Assessment, Mechanisms of Injury, BLS and ALS Airway, Shock, Thoracic and Abdominal Trauma, Head and Spinal Trauma, Extremity Trauma, Burns and more.

Participants — which included EMS personnel and firefighters — were given extensive practical skills practice on Trauma Patient Assessment, Load and Go Situations, Rapid Extrication, BLS and ALS Airway, Spinal Immobilization Including KED and Short Board, Traction Splinting and Helmet Removal.