Vidant Health Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to Washington-Tyrell EMS | Eastern NC Now

News Release:

    Vidant Health Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to Washington-Tyrell EMS

Grant will be used to fund a Quick Response Vehicle to increase ability to provide pre-hospital care

    GREENVILLE     Working together with emergency management officials for Washington and Tyrell counties, the Vidant Health Foundation announced it will provide Washington-Tyrell Emergency Management Services a $25,000 Community Benefits Grant to purchase a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV). The QRV will improve access to care for individuals in the areas Washington-Tyrell EMS serves.

    "One of our goals for the Vidant Health Foundation is to ensure sustainable health care delivery for all the regions we serve by working with local leaders," said Dana Casson, chief philanthropy officer. "Our partnership with Washington-Tyrell EMS is a natural one, as the missions of both our organizations are centered on providing high-quality, compassionate care for the communities we serve."

    The grant will provide the capability to place paramedic supervisors in a QRV equipped with advance life saving equipment, so they can deliver pre-hospital care to very-ill patients, while waiting for EMS to arrive on scene. "Washington County is a paramedic-level county that also covers Tyrell County," said John Flemming, EMS director Washington-Tyrell County EMS. "We staff three paramedic level ambulances 24/7 with very little funding from the state. We are excited to partner with the Vidant Health Foundation so we can deliver pre-hospital care when patients need it most and save even more lives."

    The QRV will be marked, equipped and certified in accordance with the State Office of EMS. Flemming anticipates the vehicle will be in service within 15-30 days after purchase.

    The mission of Vidant Health Foundation is to develop relationships and secure financial resources to support the health and wellness services, programs and projects of Vidant Health hospitals and the counties they serve. The foundation includes partnerships with foundations at Vidant Medical Center and several community hospitals. In the 2013 – 2014 grant cycle the Vidant Health Foundation provided 137 grants totaling more than $1.8 million in communities across eastern North Carolina.

    To learn more about the Vidant Health Foundation Community Benefits Grants Program visit www.vidantmedicalcenterfoundation.org.

    Contact: Carissa Etters, Vidant Health Strategic Development,

     252.847.0413  •  Carissa.Etters@VidantHealth.com