Fourteen. That’s how many EMS agencies attended the most recent EMS Lecture Series event in January on the Angleton Danbury Campus.
Held quarterly since late 2022, these gatherings have grown over the years. The most recent one was the best attended to date.
“We had more than 30 medics from 14 area agencies,” said Richard Arocho, a physician liaison and marketing associate tasked with, among other things, fostering the bond between UTMB and the EMS partners in the area.
“Of course, we had lots of representation from the local groups in Angleton, Friendswood, League City and more, but we also had folks attending from as far away as Bolivar, Richmond and Liberty,” Arocho said.
The brainchild of Arocho and Neuroscience Service Line Director Michelle Vu, the events rotate across the UTMB hospital campuses and usually include slide presentations and hands-on skills training from UTMB faculty, in addition to lunch and continuing education credits for attendees.
Helping ensure each of these happenings goes off without a hitch is a team of individuals from a variety of areas including trauma, stroke and emergency medicine and more. The diverse group meets monthly to discuss event details and other news on the EMS front.
“It’s so great seeing individuals from so many different disciplines, programs and professional backgrounds come together for this cause,” said Adriana Skinner, service line operations manager.
All 2024 lecture dates are on the books, with the next one slated from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 19 on the Clear Lake Campus.
Individuals such as Lucille Maes, chief at the Angleton Area Emergency Medical Corps, have attended some of these events and appreciate all that’s done to make them worthwhile for attendees.
“It’s just a great chance to not only learn something new or brush up on skills but also connect with partners from the field,” said Maes, who was able to use the built-in breaks during the recent event in Angleton in January to mingle with folks she knows well within the UTMB system, as well as other EMS agencies like PHI Air Medical.
While the names or brands on their uniforms may differ, at the core of each of these teams is a shared desire to care for the communities we serve, and that unifying sentiment is what keeps Arocho passionate and committed to what he and his colleagues do.
“Nurturing these partnerships is so important,” Arocho said. “Without them, some of these patients would never encounter the critical, often lifesaving care we provide. That’s really what all of this is about, helping get the right care to the right people at the right time.”
Above: Richard Arocho, UTMB Health physician liaison and marketing associate, with Angleton Area Emergency Medical Corps Chief Lucille Maes
Above: More than 30 medics from 14 EMS agencies around the area joined in the most recent EMS Lecture Series event in January.