Main Sections

Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association Is Best In Vermont For 2007

photo by Mike Cameron (LtoR) Wedge Murdock, Penny Supernaw and her husband Scott Supernaw at MVAA Headquarters on Elm Street in Middlebury.

Tuesday April 10, 2007

By Mike Cameron

    The Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association has been recognized as the best of the best here in Vermont.

    On March 31st, MVAA won close to half of the seven statewide awards presented at the annual Vermont Emergency Medical Services Conference and Awards Banquet held at the Sheraton Conference Center in South Burlington.

    Local (EMS) volunteers and Certified Paramedics  were awarded “2007 Vermont Ambulance Service of the Year.”  The prestigious honor was the high point of the banquet but MVAA personnel would also bring home two more coveted testimonials presented by their peers.

    George “Wedge” Murdoch, MVAA president and charter member of MVAA received the first ever Vermont System Improvement Award which is a testament to Murdoch’s lifetime of service to the EMS profession, his ability to adapt to changing EMS technology and his ability to apply that technology to care for his patients.  “I was completely caught off guard and proud of all of us here at MVAA.  We work together and care about each other and we understand how important that is when it translates into patient care,” the soft spoken Murdoch explained during a recent interview at MVAA headquarters in Middlebury.  Murdoch is considered an icon in the medical services community and one of the true pioneers that have shaped the local ambulance service over the years.  A registered nurse who has extensive experience in home health care, Murdoch says that he enjoys working with seniors and attending to their special needs.  He has also logged thousands of volunteer hours of service as an EMT at MVAA.  “A lot of people put their shoulder behind the wheel.  We all work together,” he said after being asked about the awards.

    Penny Supernaw was equally humble when asked about her reaction to  receiving the 2007 Vermont Advanced Life Support Provider of the Year award.  Supernaw, a Certified Paramedic and her husband Scott also a Certified Paramedic and former Emergency Services Educator of the Year both understand the sacrifices involved in the service.

    Penny says, “It’s not about the money.  It’s about the people we serve and their appreciation for what we do.”  Both Scott and Penny are required to complete 72 hours of training in 12 advanced skills to maintain their certification.

    EMT’s like Wedge are also  required to attend training every month and are bound by a similar hourly number of classes to maintain their EMT status.  “We soak it up like a sponge because we realize how important it is,” he explained.

    Penny sums it up by explaining that, “We are involved in a team effort, we care for the patient no matter what.”  

Printer Friendly

Top

Advertisements

Search our Archives