Grant and Scholarship Awarded

Friday Harbor, Wash. – The San Juan Island EMT Association received a generous $5000 grant from the San Juan Island Community Foundation to expand training and purchase additional cardiac resuscitation equipment to be used by San Juan Island EMS. The award was presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Breakfast of Champions on September 24, 2010.

“The CPR standards and resuscitation equipment have expanded greatly in recent years. This grant will allow us to continue to assure that our EMTs and paramedics are ready to respond with the latest training and equipment when someone in our community experiences a heart attack,” said Education Officer Lainey Volk.

In addition, the San Juan Island Community Foundation awarded EMS Chief Jim Cole a $3,000 education scholarship. The funds will be used by Chief Cole to take an Internet-based course through Lewis University’s online Master of Science in Public Safety Administration program beginning in late October of this year.

“The Board of the Community Foundation felt that this was a most gratifying opportunity to help someone who has contributed so much to the community,” said Lauren Levinson, Vice President of the San Juan Island Community Foundation.

”I am honored that the Community Foundation is willing to make an investment in my ongoing professional development.  This online opportunity allows me to be a part-time student on the weekends beginning this fall, with a direct benefit to EMS as I apply that learning throughout the workweek,” stated Cole.

San Juan Island EMS is the tax supported, county EMS agency serving the residents and visitors of San Juan Island, Town of Friday Harbor, Brown Island, Stuart Island, Johns Island, Speiden Island, Pearl Island and Henry Island in San Juan County, Washington. It provides emergency medical services, critical care transport, and injury and accident prevention programs. The staff of career paramedics and volunteer EMTs is available twenty-four hours a day.