~The Time for Giving~
November 15, 2019
Dear Friend,
This Thanksgiving
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources has lots of reasons to be grateful. Our
skilled paramedic Marty Creel is back on the Downieville ambulance responding
to calls throughout western Sierra County. The Paramedic Project is a reality
thanks to generous donations from individuals and community organizations.
This financial support
has also permitted SFMR to sponsor classes for Emergency Medical Responders,
Emergency Medical Technicians, and Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians.
Local dedication to Emergency Medical Services has grown exponentially, and we
appreciate the many volunteers that donate their time and talent to help their
neighbors.
SFMR
continues to explore ways to guarantee the
annual revenue d $100,060 needed to to provide the current level of emergency
and advanced life-support services. We recently solicited community input at
town hall meetings in Sierra City and Downieville, and we intend to develop a
feasible plan for ongoing funding.
In
the meantime, we seek donations for much-needed transitional funding. Any
support you can give will be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Frank Lang, President
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources
Frank Lang, President
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources
September 4, 2019
DOWNIEVILLE, Calif. September 4, 2019 – Sierra County Adult School is offering an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Course, Starting October 1st, 2019. Emergency Medical Responders are usually the First Responders to a medical or trauma event. They are able to do an emergency assessment and use life saving skills to intervene in a medical or trauma emergency until EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses or Doctors are able to get to the scene. The EMR Course is an entry level course that can help you decide if you want to pursue other health careers.
The Course is free except for the cost of the book which is “Emergency Medical Responder” by Chris LeBaudour, 11th Edition published by Pearson.
The Course will be held at Downieville School, Room 5 on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting, October 1st from 6PM to 9PM and ending November 26th, 2019. The instructor will be Frank Lang, NP,JD. The Course is open to everyone and our communities desperately need your help and your skill. You can also take this course if you just want to better understand your body and your health for personal or family reasons.
If you are interested in more information or have questions, please contact Frank Lang at 530-289-3644 or send an email to foekej@gmail.com. To register for the class call Wendy Jackson at 1-530-993-1660-180 or email at wjackson@spjusd.org. You can also register online at sierracountyofficeofeducation.org. We will also be doing an EMT Course starting in January, 2020.
An Important Letter from SFMR President, Frank Lang
Dec. 1, 2018
Dear Friend,
Dear Friend,
Thank you for supporting the Paramedic
Project in western Sierra County. Your generosity and that of others has
enabled Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc. to fund a paramedic for the
Downieville Fire Protection District’s ambulance since June, 2017. The
ambulance has become “an emergency room on wheels”.
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources,
Inc. is in the process of seeking sustainable funding for this crucial program.
Measures B and C, the mutually-dependent initiatives on last June’s ballot,
proposed a real property tax to support emergency medical services. The
measures needed to pass by a 2/3 majority in both Sierra City and Downieville,
but unfortunately fell just short of that goal.
Since the election, we have listened
to the concerns and ideas of voters and real property owners regarding Measures
B and C. In response to their feedback, we intend to introduce a more
comprehensive initiative in June, 2020 which will include a broader scope of
emergency medical services and which will hopefully be more acceptable to
property owners.
We are currently examining other
fundraising sources to sustain, not only the Paramedic Project, but basic
life-support and advanced life-support within western Sierra County for years
to come. In the meantime, we seek donations for much-needed transitional
funding, and appreciate any help you might be able to provide.
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New
Year,
Frank Lang, President
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc.
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc.
IMPORTANT MEETING COMING UP NOVEMBER 8!
June 11, 2018
From Sierra County Prospect http://www.sierracountyprospect.org
Dear Editor,
I am disappointed that a 2/3rds majority for Measure C was not achieved in the Downieville Fire Protection District. The Sierra City Fire District was successful with a terrific 2/3rds response but as you know the Measures B&C needed to pass in both Districts. It is not difficult to understand why we lost in Downieville and I have specific thoughts about that. Goodyears Bar overwhelmingly did not support the Measure. Downieville achieved a simple majority but we needed a 2/3rds majority and so it failed by 30 votes overall.
I want to first confirm that I remain hopeful and optimistic about our future. We remain committed to having a Paramedic based EMS system in western Sierra County. We have funding for this year and will work on funding for the following year. Our first priority remains to sustain full scope ALS services and will do what we can to support that effort. We will continue to rely on the generosity of the community to support our efforts informally through the Sierra Frontier Medical Resources Paramedic Fund.
I want to thank all of you who believed in this effort and who did what they could. To those who for one reason or another find it difficult to support this, I understand. We did not make the case in Downieville or Goodyears Bar. I respect the process and accept the community’s decision.
I ask for your continued support of our EMS efforts to find ways to continue to meet the community’s medical care needs.
Thank you,
Frank Lang
May 21, 2018
May 9, 2018
Ambulance Paramedic Hired
Downieville Fire Protection District and Sierra Frontier Medical Resources are pleased to announce the hiring of Wayne Martin (“Marty”) Creel as a full-time paramedic. The new paramedic position will be funded by donations to SFMR for one year.
Marty has extensive experience as a paramedic/firefighter and has been employed by both public and private ambulance services. His emergency services and firefighting career spans 24 years, and along with a vast amount of volunteer work, includes teaching EMS and Fire Science both at the department and the community college levels. He was employed full-time as the EMS officer for South Lake Tahoe Fire and Rescue.
Marty and his wife Jackie have two grown children, and the couple share a fondness for alpine settings. Marty expresses a strong volunteer ethic and enjoys participating in fundraisers. He pledges to, “attend events to promote the continued ability of Downieville Fire Protection District to meet the needs of its communities and visitors to the area”.
Marty will be based on the Downieville Ambulance and will work with the dedicated volunteer EMTs and advanced EMTs of the Downieville and Sierra City Fire Departments. The paramedic position was developed by Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc., a local-non-profit whose goal is to expand life-support services and ultimately sustain year-round, 24/7 community-wide emergency medical coverage.
The first paramedic, Rachel Defibaugh, was hired in 2017 under a six-month pilot project. She completed the project, extended her stay by a few months, and then moved on to pursue career goals. After the new paramedic’s one-year commitment funded by SFMR is fulfilled, the group hopes the community will support Measures B & C to continue the program.
Marty and his wife Jackie have two grown children, and the couple share a fondness for alpine settings. Marty expresses a strong volunteer ethic and enjoys participating in fundraisers. He pledges to, “attend events to promote the continued ability of Downieville Fire Protection District to meet the needs of its communities and visitors to the area”.
Marty will be based on the Downieville Ambulance and will work with the dedicated volunteer EMTs and advanced EMTs of the Downieville and Sierra City Fire Departments. The paramedic position was developed by Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc., a local-non-profit whose goal is to expand life-support services and ultimately sustain year-round, 24/7 community-wide emergency medical coverage.
The first paramedic, Rachel Defibaugh, was hired in 2017 under a six-month pilot project. She completed the project, extended her stay by a few months, and then moved on to pursue career goals. After the new paramedic’s one-year commitment funded by SFMR is fulfilled, the group hopes the community will support Measures B & C to continue the program.
February 21, 2018
Yuba Expeditions Donates $6,600 to
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources. Downieville bike shop commits to annual funding for full-time Paramedic
Yuba Expeditions, a mountain bike-specific shop and shuttle
service based in Downieville recently presented Sierra Frontier Medical
Resources, (SFMR) with a check for $6,600 to help fund a local, full-time
Paramedic servicing the emergency medical needs of the community. A non-profit
501(c)(3) organization, SFMR’s specific purpose is “to acquire and support the
development of financial and other resources to assure the availability of
medical and health services, including primary, urgent and emergency care to
the residents of and visitors to western Sierra County.”
In 2014 western
Sierra County lost 40 years of integrated 24/7 EMS Services after Western
Sierra Medical Clinic (WSMC) reduced clinic hours and terminated emergency
services, SFMR was formed to address the lack of emergency care, but depends on
the financial support of residents, organizations and businesses in Sierra
County to employ a full-time Paramedic.
This lack of
emergency care couldn’t come at a more critical time, as Downieville has grown
into an international destination for mountain biking thanks to the legendary
Downieville Downhill and the Downieville Classic held annually the first
weekend in August. Not only is it legendary for its 16-mile, 5,500 vertical
foot descent, but it’s also legendary for claiming rider injuries in need of
emergency medical care.
To show its commitment to the community, the Yuba Expeditions bike shop – owned and operated by another local 501(c)(3), the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) – recently presented a check for $6,600 to SFMR to help fund a full-time Paramedic.
To show its commitment to the community, the Yuba Expeditions bike shop – owned and operated by another local 501(c)(3), the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) – recently presented a check for $6,600 to SFMR to help fund a full-time Paramedic.
“The figure came
from a percentage of shuttles we drove to the top of Packer Saddle in 2017,”
said Christian Feucht, SBTS Managing Director. “We care about the health of the
local community that supports us as well as those who visit the Lost Sierra,
and we want to do everything possible to make sure critical medical services
are offered.”
Yuba Expeditions
will continue its commitment to SFMR, taking a portion of proceeds from each
shuttle seat sold in 2018 and putting it towards the SFMR fund.
SFMR Chair, Ingrid
Larson, said “SFMR is honored to receive SBTS’s generous donation and future
commitment to support the Advanced Life Support that a permanent local
Paramedic employee and committed emergency medical care volunteers can provide
in medical emergency situations,” said Ingrid Larson, SFMR Chair. “It takes the
entire community, residents, property owners, and visitors alike to support
this vitally need program.”
Further funding of
the Paramedic and Emergency Medical Services will be presented to the voters on
the June 5th ballot. Measure B in Sierra City Fire District and Measure C in
Downieville Fire Protection District each require a 2/3rds vote; both have to
pass; if one fails, both fail. The permanent funding of a Paramedic position is
of utmost importance. It is a vital necessity for us all!
June 21, 2017
PARAMEDIC HIRED FOR WESTERN SIERRA COUNTY
Sierra Frontier Medical Resources, Inc., (SFMR) and
Downieville Fire Protection District (DFPD) announce the employment of a
paramedic in Western Sierra County for this summer. Rachel Defibaugh from Fairfax
County, Virginia has a background in advanced life support and firefighting.
This highly qualified woman is a graduate of the Paramedic Program at Virginia
Commonwealth University, holds an Associate of Arts degree in Psychology, and
is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer,
with extensive experience as a massage therapist in a chiropractic office and
sports industry. Rachel describes the six years working with Fairfax County
Fire and Rescue Department as the most rewarding time of her life, and she
feels it’s where she developed her passion for paramedicine.
Rachel enjoys outdoor activities
and hopes to spend her days off hiking, trail running, camping, and exploring
Sierra County’s many beautiful areas. She recently bought a mountain bike and
hopes to “learn a thing or two” about the sport here in Downieville. She’s an
avid reader and advocate for health through fitness and nutrition. Her hope is
to be engaged with the community and is “excited to meet everyone and
explore her new home”.
Rachel was hired through SFMR’s
Western Sierra County Paramedic Pilot Project which was created in
collaboration with the DFPD and the Downieville Volunteer Fire Department
members to expand life-support services and ultimately achieve year-round, 24/7
community-wide coverage with paramedic positions. Rachel and any future
paramedics will work with the dedicated volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians
and Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians of the DFPD Ambulance System.
