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Free Family and Friends CPR Class

The Centre Region’s cardiac arrest survival rate continues to climb, according to Centre LifeLink’s annual CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) Report. 44% of cardiac arrest victims in the Centre Region are walking out of the hospital in good or moderate health. Compared to a national average of 30%, this is an accomplishment, but Centre LifeLink’s Training and Education Department urges our community to get this number higher.

In one year alone, 436,000 Americans die from a cardiac arrest (American Heart Association). That number is more than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, influenza, pneumonia, auto-accidents, HIV, firearms, and house fires, combined. One way to improve this number is by increasing community education and awareness on bystander AED use, and bystander CPR. If performed immediately, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from cardiac arrest.

Centre LifeLink EMS will be offering a FREE Family and Friends CPR class this month. The class is open to the community and will be held during National EMS Week, on May 21st at 7 pm at Centre LifeLink’s Main Station. Community members are asked to register online in advance at www.centrelifelink.com/training. If you have any questions, please email Centre LifeLink’s Training and Education Director, Scott Packer at Spacker@centrelifelink.com.

Note that this CPR class does not yield a professional certification.

2024 Membership Drive Underway

The 2024 Centre LifeLink EMS membership campaign is officially under way.

Each fall, Centre Region residents are encouraged to enroll as a Centre LifeLink member, ensuring them that they will have no out-of-pocket expenses for unlimited emergency ambulance service provided by Centre LifeLink EMS. Memberships are available now and residents in Centre LifeLink’s coverage area will receive a membership brochure with information on how to participate.

Members can save an average of $900 for basic life support calls and more than $1,600 for advanced life support paramedic service — these are the average costs nonmembers pay. Individual memberships cost $75 and family memberships cost $95 for a one-year period beginning Jan. 1 and ending Dec. 31, 2024.

Centre LifeLink depends on revenues generated from the membership drive, as well as donations, to assure that personnel will be there with state-of-the-art equipment when residents need them. Funds raised through the 2024 Membership Drive will help offset the cost of replacing life-saving equipment.

Residents of the Centre Region will receive 2024 membership brochures in the mail, and registration is also open online at www.centrelifelink.com.

State College Sunrise Rotary’s 4-Way Test Award

Congratulations to the three recipients of the State College Sunrise Rotary’s 4-Way Test Awards. Centre LifeLink’s Lisa Kopp (EMT) was among the recipients (pictured second left), alongside Christopher Williams (first left), of Alpha Fire Company, and Nate Fry (third left), of Boalsburg Fire Company. The awards were presented by the 4-Way Test Award Chair, Lam Hood, and encompasses the 4 questions:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Centre LifeLink Re-accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services for 26th Year

State College, PA—Centre LifeLink EMS has been re-accredited for the 9th consecutive three year term (26 years) by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) for its compliance with national standards of excellence and exemplifying the “gold standard” of emergency medical care. There were no deficiencies cited in LifeLink’s onsite review. With this outstanding achievement, Centre LifeLink is only one of four accredited ambulances in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Commission is a non-profit organization which was established to encourage and promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation systems. The primary focus of the Commission’s standards is high-quality patient care. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the ambulance service’s total operation and its relationships with other agencies, the general public, and the medical community. The Commission’s standards often exceed state or local licensing requirements.

Scott Rawson, Executive Director of Centre LifeLink, said accreditation “represents our commitment to our patients and our community. We continuously strive to do our best and our consistent accreditation status is another step toward excellence.”

“Our staff has been key to our successful completion of the accreditation process,” said Rawson. “Everyone here plays a valuable role in our ability to continuously meet the Commission’s high standards.”

For more information on the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, please go to: www.caas.org, and for more information on Centre LifeLink EMS, please go to: www.centrelifelink.com.

Annual Awards Banquet

Annual Awards Banquet

500 EMS Responses in 2022:

Matthew Burnheimer      641

Chris Kilburn                 595

Sean Kleckner                524

Sean McAndrew             637

Brandon McMinn           868

Josh Messing                  619

Scott Packer                   696

Chad Richard                 766

Nathan Shadle                588

Vince Stitzer                  660

John Surkovic                578

Tom Dillman                  797

 

Years of Service Awards:

Jenny Miller                  5 years

Albert Nakpil                5 years

David Dreese                 10 years

William Kenyon            10 years

Brenda Coe                   15 years

Thomas Ertsgaard        15 years

Kathleen Neal                15 years

Timothy Kohler            15 years

Nikki Hamilton             15 years

Eric Prescott                  15 year

 

Years of Service Awards in 2022      

10 years: Vicki Weaver

15 years: Raymon Masters

20 years of Service: Chris Kilburn

25 Years of Service: Scott Rawson         

 

Special Recognition:

Dianna Meckley            12 years     Board of Directors

Richard Shurgalla        12 years      Board of Directors

Rodney Beard                26 years     Board of Directors 

20+ Years of Service:

Chris Kilburn        20 years

John Surkovic       21 years

Kent Knable          22 years

Dr. Clifford Neal   24 years

Scott Woodring     24 years

Scott Rawson        25 years

Rodney Beard       26 years

Cindy Yost           27 years

John Spearly         27 years

Gary Stead            37 years

2022 Awards

Top 3 Calls Van Service

3rd     Bob Leon 219

2nd   Cinnamon Zimmerman 587

1st      Tom Dillman  797

 

Top 3 Calls Part time EMS Employee

3rd      Angie Poorman   342

2nd     Gary Stead           362

1st     Raegen Donohue 403

Top 3 Calls Fulltime EMS Employee

3rd      Scott Packer               696

2nd    Chad Richard               766

1st      Brandon McMinn        868

 

Top 3 Hours Volunteer 

3rd   Amanda Bergamaschi  491

2nd  Rebecca Affleck              615

Most Volunteer Hours:  Svend Pedersen 1,255

 

3rd  Rebecca Affleck   128

2nd Amanda Bergamaschi  134

Most Volunteer Calls: Svend Pedersen 364     

 

EMS Educator of the Year

Brandon McMinn

Van Driver of the Year 

Thomas Dillman

 

Career EMT of the Year

Savitoz Chilana

 

Career Paramedic of the Year

Matthew Burnheimer

 

Volunteer of the Year

Svend Pedersen