By Teri Knight, News Director
The Northfield Hospital Auxiliary held its Winter meeting at the newly remodeled headquarters of Emergency Medical Services. Combined with dollars from Mary Freeman, the Auxiliary’s generous donations covered the costs to upgrade EMS’s training space and equipment so that can do more realistic simulation-based training. EMS Director, Brian Edwards said, “and you’ve given us a gift that allows us now to do that”. The
room is outfitted with the exact same equipment they have in an ambulance. They also have simulated mannequins, including one donated last year by the Auxiliary, that can talk and hear, “and we can replicate cardiac disturbances, we can make that person have shortness of breath, have obstructed airway, we can give that person, that mannequin a lot of injuries and illnesses that that EMS crew will then have to figure out what’s going on”. They offer a variety of levels of medical training throughout the area. Edwards said, “we graduated over 20 EMTs last Spring and this Spring we have 16 coming into the program. These people could either go on into this as a career field. In a lot of cases our First Responders or the MR training is firefighters and law enforcement officers”. Mary Freeman passed away in 2016 at the age of 100 but left a long legacy of providing for Northfields Emergency Medical Services. Her niece and caregiver, Sue Malecha, was on hand to accept a plaque from Edwards. Mary donated thousands of dollars for a LUCAS device that performs automatic chest compressions and, Edwards added, “after her death, through her estate, she donated a large sum of money to EMS so we could serve others. That was really the only direction, to serve others. Whatever you do with this, you do it so that you serve others. And we felt a great way to honor that legacy was to put together a training facility and equipment that we will be able to train people for many many years down the road”. And the Northfield Auxiliary stepped up with additional dollars to make it all happen. Co-Presidents of the Northfield Auxiliary Sue Garvey and Joan Pralle.
Wayne Eddy Day and bonding approved
The Northfield Council proclaimed yesterday as Wayne Eddy Day. Councilor DeLong read a long list of his accomplishments, adding, “now therefore be it resolved by the City Council in the City of Northfield that the City Council gratefully acknowledges the contributions Wayne Eddy has made to the Community and to the City of Northfield and hereby proclaim Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, as Wayne Eddy Day in Northfield”. Eddy thanked the Council and gave them a brief history lesson of Northfield. Final Resolution for Wayne Eddy Day They held a public hearing on bonding $1.5 million for the roundabout project at Hwy 246 and Jefferson Pkwy. Only one resident spoke and she was against it. Council approved the bonding 6 to 1 with DeLong a no vote due to cost. There was a lengthy discussion regarding the Housing and Redevelopment Authority going from five members to seven. We’ll have more on that and the entire meeting throughout the week. Mayor Pownell and Administrator Martig were in studio this morning. Their interview is HERE.
Public comment sought on Elko New Market commercial project
The Adelmann family owns 242 acres on the west side of the I-35 / CSAH 2. The City of Elko New Market and the Scott County Community Development Agency have been working with the family to develop an overall concept plan for the property expected to serve as an important gateway to the community. The family hired a team of engineers, architects, and commercial real estate brokers to assist in their planning efforts and drafted an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR), a planning tool that local governments use to understand how development scenarios will affect the environment of the community before and after a development occurs. There is a public comment period now through March 4th. Click on the link for all the details.
