Sheldon, Iowa — The Sheldon Community Ambulance Team has received an award for how they treat their paramedics and EMTs.
We talked to Sheldon EMS Coordinator and Director of the Sheldon Community Ambulance Team, Krysten Haan, and she says they didn’t even know they had been nominated.
She tells us about the “FirstNet Built With AT&T Wellness & Resilience Award.”
She says that it ties into her day-to-day job.
She tells us how she and the SCAT members felt when they heard they had received the award.
Haan tells us SCAT was nominated for the award by former SCAT member and current Northwest Iowa Community College Emergency Services Education Coordinator Kevin Miller.
SCAT will be featured at the World EMS Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 19th and 20th. Haan says that along with the plaque, SCAT will also receive $2,200 toward the team.
She shared with us this write-up about SCAT that she was sent.
Embodying the spirit of the Wellness and Resilience Award, Sheldon Community Ambulance Team (SCAT) runs 800 calls per year with a staff of 25 members and three EMS vehicles serving residents in and around the town of Sheldon in northwest Iowa. “SCAT recognizes the importance of prioritizing the wellness and resilience of its staff,” says Kevin Miller, emergency services education coordinator at Northwest Iowa Community College.
“They have implemented proactive programs to support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their personnel.” SCAT offers wellness initiatives such as fitness challenges, health screenings, and access to resources for stress management and mental health support. SCAT also provides access to health care benefits for its providers including regular medical checkups, counseling services, and employee assistance programs, and encourages its staff to prioritize self-care and take necessary steps to maintain their well-being. “By promoting a healthy work-life balance and providing the necessary resources, SCAT ensures that its personnel are supported in maintaining good physical and mental health,” says Miller. Understanding the importance of addressing the emotional impact that critical incidents can have on their staff, Sheldon Community Ambulance Team has implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs) that prioritize peer or professional debriefing sessions following critical incidents. Despite its small size, SCAT empowers its employees to identify and participate in solutions to agency challenges. The service’s commitment to wellness and resilience makes them a deserving candidate for the Wellness and Resilience Award, concludes Miller.
