Bill Text: VA HR41 | 2014 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Commending the Richmond Ambulance Authority.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Stricken from House calendar [HR41 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2014-HR41-Prefiled.html
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14103056D WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority was created by the General Assembly of Virginia on March 20, 1991; and WHEREAS, on September 23, 1991, the City of Richmond granted the franchise to the Richmond Ambulance Authority to provide emergency medical services in the City of Richmond, finding "it to be in the best interests of the City to create and to regulate a unified emergency medical services system in order to preserve, protect and promote the public health, safety and welfare"; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority's goal since its inception has been to provide the City of Richmond with clinical excellence while ensuring response time reliability and fiscal responsibility; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority has one of the highest call volumes per capita in the United States, with over 50,000 calls annually, and nevertheless provides some of the fastest response times in the nation; and WHEREAS, in 2012, the Richmond Ambulance Authority responded to over 56,000 calls for service, resulting in more than 42,000 transports, with an average response time of five minutes and 15 seconds; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority is one of 22 systems in North America that have received accreditation from both the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, which represent the gold standard for ambulance services, certifying distinction for quality patient care and ambulance operations; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority has helped improve emergency systems around the world by educating visitors from 32 states and from 33 foreign countries; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority has participated in clinical studies in the pre-hospital setting to improve patient outcomes, which include the Polyheme Trial, a study to determine if an oxygen-carrying substitute for human blood is feasible; the High-Dose Epinephrine versus Standard-Dose Epinephrine Trial, a study to determine if high-dose epinephrine contributes to a higher survival rate in cardiac arrests; the Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial, a study to determine the efficacy of intramuscular Midazolam versus intravenous Lorazepam for patients experiencing seizures; and the Lactate Study, a study to determine if earlier detection of higher lactic acid values can predict the magnitude of illness; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority has published its findings from such studies to help educate other emergency systems, notably one in Resuscitation, the official journal of the European Resuscitation Council; the article detailed the results of a study done in conjunction with the University of Oslo, Norway, that improved the standard script read during emergency calls, thereby delivering bystander hands-only CPR quicker, contributing to survivability; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority and staff have received many awards and accolades, including the 2012 Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense organization; the Virginia Healthcare Innovators Award in the category Patient Care: 1-250 Employees; and the EMS10 Award, sponsored by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, recognizing contributions to EMS in an exceptional and innovative way; and WHEREAS, the Richmond Ambulance Authority has also won five Old Dominion EMS Alliance regional awards, including the Outstanding Contribution to EMS Health and Safety, the Award for Excellence in EMS, the Outstanding EMS Pre-Hospital Educator, the Nurse with Outstanding Contribution to EMS, and the Outstanding EMS Telecommunication Dispatcher; and WHEREAS, the City of Richmond's auditor found in his January 2012 audit that the Richmond Ambulance Authority is "well organized and properly managed by staff"; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Richmond Ambulance Authority hereby be commended for its service to the citizens of the City of Richmond and the Commonwealth; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Richmond Ambulance Authority as an expression of the House of Delegates' congratulations and admiration for its years of service to the people of the City of Richmond and beyond. |
