Sherry Herzing lost her husband to a heart attack in 2018. It took 47 minutes for emergency medical service (EMS) to get there because the operations center had difficulty getting the call routed to the correct county and determining the location of the emergency.   
                           
“The day that my husband went down, the two EMS workers had to be in the back working on my husband,” Herzing said. “There were no volunteers available to drive Bob to the hospital. After 30 minutes a neighbor learned what was happening and he drove the EMS vehicle to the hospital.  We really need volunteers. If you aren’t a medical professional, you can still help save lives by doing things like drive the rescue vehicle.”

Melanie Winter accepts an anti-choking suction device to keep at the Bracey Community Center from Sherry Herzing and Carol Coker (VCU Health Enterprise Marketing and Communications).

According to a JAMA Network report, EMS units average seven minutes from the time of receiving a 911 call to arriving on the scene. That time increases to more than 14 minutes in rural areas, with nearly 1 in 10 incidents waiting almost a half an hour for first responders to get there.

Since experiencing this tragic loss, Herzing has embarked on a mission to raise awareness to save lives and aid in improving 911 operations in rural communities. More than 100 volunteers are now part of the Lake Gaston 911 Community Taskforce. They help with a variety of endeavors, from dock signs to cell towers. Their latest initiative is educating the public on first aid and supplying them with kits to help them save lives while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. 
   
On Oct. 24, a group of about 20 citizens attended a class run by the organization. Each participant received a first aid kit inside a drawstring bag they can easily carry with them on hikes, boating or riding around in the car. They also take home a folder with instructions to keep in the bag. VCU Health team members were there to represent the organization and answer questions.

Forging a new partnership     

CMH President Sheldon Barr heard about the great things the taskforce was doing in the community and met with Herzing and Bev Harris, who works at VCU Health, lives in Richmond and has a house on the lake. She is the employed nurse contact for the taskforce. They discussed different ways they could partner and eventually landed on the need for first aid kits.

The kits contain First aid supplies not typically purchased for home: elastic wrap, ace bandage, arm sling, non-stick gauze, bandage/trauma scissors, large bandages, butterfly closures, single use ice pack (VCU Health Enterprise Marketing and Communications).

The kits were purchased with money from a VCU Medical Center Auxiliary grant and VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) donated the bags.      

“I had never written a grant before, but I thought this project was important,” Harris said. “For me it was easy to describe the need and the mission of our taskforce to the VCU Medical Center Auxiliary committee and fortunately the grant request was accepted.”

“Signing off on the grant application was one of the first things I did as a new president here,” Barr said. “I live at the lake myself, so I understand the importance of reaching as many people as possible to make sure we are all prepared for emergencies.”

Retired nurse and taskforce volunteer Kim Overman met with CMH administration to discuss opportunities for a partnership. Their hope is to establish a long-term relationship with VCU Health to improve community interactions, health and safety.

“Part of the grant was to receive three projectors,” Overman said. “We also got a new set of diverse mannequins. We expect to get 500 of the kits that were given today.”

First aid course helps citizens in rural areas.

Bonnie Haight moved to Bracey two years ago from northern Virginia and heard about the class through her homeowner’s association. 

“This partnership is a great benefit for our rural community,” Haight said. “We now have a plan for emergencies; knowing how far our house is from the nearest rescue squad and hospital.”

Bonnie Haight practices CPR on a baby mannequin with Peggy Benton coaching (VCU Health Enterprise Marketing and Communications).

The instructors gave sobering statistics. The American Heart Association reports 70% of all cardiac arrests happen outside of the hospital, and only 10% of those people will survive. By doing hands-only CPR, you keep the blood flowing through the body, increasing the chance of survival until help arrives. Participants also got to practice compressions on dog mannequins and learned about appropriate care for snake bites.

A South Hill resident and retired volunteer with Southside Rescue Squad, John L. Crowe, attended as well.

“I wanted to see how new education has improved since I learned it years ago,” he said. “I heard about the class in the newspaper. The need for volunteers and drivers is great.”

Once participants use the contents of the bags, the taskforce will replace them complimentary for up to a year. They also collect information about how the supplies were used to help with future grants. 

Participants practice compressions on dog mannequins (VCU Health Enterprise Marketing and Communications).

“I tell everyone who gets involved, including VCU Medical Center Auxiliary and CMH, they are making a difference,” Herzing said. “It takes a village and this grant has enabled us to reach so many people. We are truly thankful for this partnership with VCU Health.”

For more information on the Lake Gaston 911 Community Taskforce, visit their website. For upcoming classes, make sure to follow them on their Facebook page. 

Sign Up for VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital’s E-Newsletter