The Rappahannock EMS Council was honored to host Virginia's top EMS leadership on December 18th for a tour of our region's emergency medical services. This visit was the final stop in a series of eleven council tours across the Commonwealth, demonstrating the state's commitment to understanding and supporting EMS operations at every level.
Distinguished Guests
The tour brought together key decision-makers from across Virginia's EMS system:
- Christopher Lindsay, VDH Chief Operating Officer
- Dr. Maria Beermann-Foat, OEMS Director
- Kevin Dillard, Chair of the Governor's State EMS Advisory Board
- Wayne Perry, REMS Executive Director and OEMS Deputy Director of EMS Operations
A Day Across the Region
Over 11 hours, the group visited eight locations representing different EMS service models in our region. The tour started at Caroline County Company 10 at Carmel Church, a municipal agency, before moving to Fort A.P. Hill Fire & EMS to see the military installation's emergency response operations. The group then visited King George Fire & Rescue, a municipal and combination agency, where a lunch break provided opportunity to discuss the challenges and successes of combination service models.
The tour continued to Fredericksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad to see the volunteer agency's operations, followed by a stop at Angel Rides to observe private EMS service delivery. The afternoon continued with a visit to a FBI facility in Stafford County to explore federal law enforcement emergency medical capabilities. The group then toured Stafford County Company 12 to observe county-level municipal operations. The tour included a dinner stop at LifeCare, a private agency, which allowed continued dialogue about private sector EMS challenges and innovations. The day concluded back at Caroline County.
Special Thanks
REMS extends sincere appreciation to all agencies that opened their doors and shared their stories with state leadership. Special recognition goes to:
- Dan Cianci from Lake of the Woods for expertly driving the delegation throughout the day
- Orange County Fire and EMS for providing the transportation van
This tour gave state leaders firsthand perspective on the different operational models, challenges, and innovations happening across Virginia's EMS system. The insights gained will help inform policy decisions and resource allocation to better support emergency medical services statewide.
Chief David Moody, Christopher Lindsay, Kevin Dillard, Dr. Maria Beermann-Foat, Wayne Perry, Lt. Matthew Russell
Christopher Lindsay, Dr. Maria Beermann-Foat, Kevin Dillard, Wayne Perry
Christopher Lindsay, Dr. Maria Beermann-Foat, Tanya Ison, President of Angel Rides, Kevin Dillard, Wayne Perry
Chief Ryland Kedrick, Christopher Lindsay, Kevin Dillard, Dr. Maria Beermann-Foat, Assistant Chief Brian Frankel, Wayne Perry
