From Connie Harris

To the Beaver Island Community:

I am a former Nurse Practitioner to the Beaver Island Community approximately 10 years ago.  During the time spent, I had the opportunity to work closely with the EMS staff on various emergencies that occurred on the island.  There was a cooperative spirit and each entity understood their roles in providing quality, appropriate health care.  With the physicians at the Charlevoix ER providing guidance during the emergency situations, things went smoothly.

After leaving Beaver Island, I went to a rural clinic in southwest Michigan, where again services are limited for patients.  We have had people walk in off the street in the midst of having a heart attack, to people having significant breathing issues.  As a provider I can treat these people initially, however, further services are necessary and a timely transfer to a more advanced facility is necessary.  The EMS providers are the ones to provide this next step in the care system.

When there is a complete team of health care providers, each having a specific role, then quality healthcare is provided.  Being in a community with limited resources, your EMS department is often the first healthcare provider to reach the scene where services are necessary.   There are various levels of EMS providers, basic, specialist, and paramedic, all having an essential role.  In a life threatening incident, the paramedic role allows necessary life saving medications and services to instantly be provided.

One makes a choice to live on an island or a remote community.  Knowing that there are routine and emergent healthcare services often influence the decision on where to live.  As my husband and I still live on the island part time at the present time, knowing that appropriate emergent care will influence our decision on whether to stay full time in the future.

Quality health care is important to all, I hope that the continued presence of a full-time paramedic as part of the EMS system will be acknowledged and supported as the important part of the health care team that it is.

Connie Harris, FNP-BC

Christmas Bazaar

Community Forum on EMS Ballot Proposal

Saturday, October 22, 2016, at 2 p.m.

at the Beaver Island Community Center

Meeting Attendance

Approximately fifty people attended the meeting today at the Community Center. Twenty-eight (28) unique IP addresses viewed the live stream, and it is unknown how many people listened on WVBI or on WVMI.net.

The meeting was very imformative, well presented, and, if there was any disappointment, it was the absence of three of the five BIESA board members. Although the BIESA could not participate in promotion of the millage meeting or invest any funds in this meeting, it was perfectly acceptable for them to attend the meeting.

The program was designed by Bob Anderson, representing the Beaver Island Association, and the panel included Brian Meade, BIEMS paramedic since January and current EMS Director, Dr. Jim Fix, and Dr. Brad Grassmick. No one on the panel was representing either BIEMS or the BIESA at this meeting due to the legal restrictions. Bob Anderson read some questions that had been submitted to the BIA, and the panel commented as asked and as the answer came to them. Questions were also taken from the audience as well as comments from the attendees.

The bottom line of this meeting was very serious. If the millage does not pass, there will be no EMS on Beaver Island after the end of the year.

View a gallery of pictures from today's forum HERE

View video of the meeting HERE

BIESA Minutes

September 29, 2016

Dave Adams Obituary

David Adams, father, papa, brother, and friend, passed away on October 15, 2016, in Charlevoix, MI. He was 62.

David Wheeler Adams was born February 5, 1954, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to John and Laurene Adams. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 1977. David moved to Beaver Island in the early 1980s, where he raised his family. He worked in construction, was a long time employee of the Charlevoix County Road Commission and a devoted member of the Beaver Island Fire Department. He also served many years as chairman of the St. James Zoning Board of Appeals.

An avid wood worker, David enjoyed making many special pieces for his beloved children and grandchildren. David also loved to garden and to share his veggies with neighbors and friends.

David is survived by his three children: Abigail (Chad) Hart of Charlevoix, MI, Joan (Christopher) Kolinski of Traverse City, MI, and Emma (Bryant) Tuthill of Holland, MI; his six grandchildren, Caleb Hart, Braxton Hart, Ashton Hart, Molly Tuthill, Maxwell Kolinski, and brand new baby Oliver David Kolinski; five siblings Connie Wojan, Mary Adams, Ann Adams, Molly Adams and John Adams; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Laurene and John Adams.

A wake will be held at the Holy Cross Church on November 11, 2016, at from 5-7 pm. A funeral service will be on November 12, 2016, at 11am at Holy Cross Church, with a luncheon to follow at Holy Cross Hall. All are welcome to attend and celebrate David’s life. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Beaver Island Fire Department, PO Box 77, Beaver Island, MI 49782.

Please visit David’s guestbook at www.winchesterfuneralhome.com

Ballots for Election Day

Here are the preview ballots for both townships that you will be voting for on the November election. The information came directly from the Charlevoix County Clerk website and the postings for the ballots throughout the county. These are just the pages for St. James and Peaine Township.

St. James Ballot

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Peaine Ballot

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BIESA Minutes

January through August 2016

View these minutes HERE

Doug Tilly Running for Peaine Supervisor

My name is Doug Tilly and I am running for Peaine Township Supervisor on November 8th.  I have been actively involved with the Beaver Island community for over three decades.  During that time I have worked effectively with the Department of Natural Resources and successfully completed improvements for recreation projects and trails around the island.  I have been a member or chaired the Planning Commission for 20 years and acted as the Island's Zoning Administrator for four years. 

I am asking for you to consider voting for me as Peaine Township Supervisor on November 8th.  I promise to pay attention to township business and listen to taxpayers' concerns as they affect life on Beaver Island. 

If you wish to vote for me, this is what you need to do:  Fill in the circle under the Supervisor position and write my name, Doug Tilly.  Thank you.

St. James Township Sewer System Rate Study Documents

Support for EMS from Prior Provider

To Whom It May Concern,

I had the unique opportunity to serve the residents of Beaver Island for about 5 years as their health care provider.  During that time, I developed a strong collaborative relationship with all the individuals involved with providing emergency services to the residents of Beaver Island in particular the Emergency Medical Services.  During my time on Beaver Island, the EMS system was an integral part of my ability to provide the best services I could to residents and visitors to the island.  All emergency calls were triaged carefully and appropriately utilizing emergency evacuation procedures to transport critically ill/injured individuals directly to an acute care facility under the care of trained individuals.  At times, this procedure bypassed bringing a critically ill/injured individual to the medical center which was appropriate.  There are many cases when the "golden hour" is a standard of care in treatment for acute conditions.  This was always in the mind thought of the emergency team and was part of the decision making.

This care was additionally augmented when some members of the team became ALS certified.  This allowed them to provide care in the field that I could not and provided them with advanced assessment skills to determine if the patient could be treated in the clinic or required evacuation to provide acute hospital care in a timely matter.  Many times this was done in my absence from the island as I was the sole care provider.  I depended heavily on these individuals and their skills during times of emergencies.

I would find it difficult to support the tourist industry that the island provides without knowing that there was an emergency team in place to handle any unforeseen acute illness or injury.  I had many discussions of this nature with people calling the clinic asking about services available before coming to the island.  I could, without reserve, recommend the care that was provided by our emergency services.

Respectfully submitted,

Penelope R. Kiss APN-BC

Former BI FNP Supports ALS for EMS

As a former relief care provider at the Rural Health Center and as an island property owner (Peane Twp), I am saddened by the recent discussions that involve implementing a backward movement in EMS care for residents and visitors of this remote island. I cannot support the loss of paramedics on this island because with them comes a higher level of care that is under control of the Charlevoix Medical Authority. This is evidenced based practice level of care that is standard and provided by highly trained individuals.

Why would the board and community consider discarding this higher level of care in order to have BLS only providers that move a sick or injured patient to the Rural Health Center? The health center is a clinic, not an ER, and therefore is a delay in getting the patient to a definitive care setting-ie Munson Charlevoix ER.

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Most of you probably don't know my background so I will fill you in. I have been part of this island's health care on a regular basis from 1998-2008 when I filled in for the regular care providers. I have been involved in numerous emergent care situations where a patient needed quick evacuation from the island, and in most cases, bringing them to the medical center was a delay in critical care treatment, so I was happy to have the paramedics (Mr. Joe Moore) there to help facilitate a rapid and safe departure on Island Airways to Charlevoix Hospital.

We did call North Flight Air from time to time but there is always a delay in getting them here because the crew has an hour to respond for the fixed wing flights if they are not at base. The fixed wing (King Air) may be needed in the UP or Alpena or any where else in Northern Michigan and just not available. Also, perhaps North Flight cannot make it in due to low minimums on the approach to the island airport and they may not be able to land. I understand this because I am a licensed pilot with instrument landing endorsement. I have flown over on Island Airways medical transport with patients who could not have waited for Northflight because they were too critically ill. The patients received excellent care from the time of intercept until handoff in Charlevoix and the care was not delayed until the patient arrived in Charlevoix.

The medical center NPs do a great job caring for patients but paramedics who are current in their skills and protocols are a different aspect of medical care and their role is absolutely essential to a good outcome in most medical emergencies. The evidence is there if you look at the stats for emergency outcomes in ACLS and the Journal of Emergency Medicine.

I know that the cost for the fixed wing is, I believe, be around $10,000 for a flight to and from the island. This may not be true now and all insurances do not cover this cost. Island Airways can deliver faster transport at a lower cost. Paul Welke has worked hard and spend a lot of money on the air medical certification for his air ambulance service. That certification is hard to earn and he does keep to the standards of that certification. Island Airways emergency air transport is here and the pilots know the intracacies of this crazy island weather. Utilize them and our amazingly talented and caring paramedics (if we can keep some!-that is for another discussion on failure to put a paramedic on the Peane Twp ballot.)

I also am an EMT-S and a former flight nurse with North Flight Air from 1988-2004. I know how medical control can help guide our standardized care. I also worked at Munson ER as a nurse from 1987-1998 so I saw numerous transports from all over the state, including Beaver Island. Coast Guard and NorthFlight transfers were lengthy. NorthFlight provides excellent care but it takes so long to transfer.

I am currently practicing at Munson Urgent Care in Traverse City as an NP.
Jo Hendrix, EMT-S, FNP-C
nppilot@charter.net

32 Miles of Water

A Documentary by Philip Michael Moore

As appropriate today as it was then!

 

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