WICOMICO COUNTY HOSTS FIRST RESPONDER APPRECIATION DINNER

In partnership with Narcan® survivors and the community, the Wicomico County Intervention Team hosted their first-ever First Responder Appreciation Dinner at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center on April 9, 2019. The event aimed to express community gratitude to the first responders working on the front lines of the opioid crisis, and recognize individuals and agencies for their roles in addressing the local opioid epidemic in Wicomico County.

Heather Brown, RPsyA, Training and Operations Director at Eastern Shore Psychological Services and her husband, Corporal Matt Brown from the Fruitland Police Department, provided the keynote speech addressing compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is prevalent among first responders and is defined as “a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper" (Compassion Fatigue.org).

One of the most impactful moments of the evening occurred when individuals whose lives were saved by the life-saving medication, Narcan®, were able to come forward and express gratitude to the first responders who saved their lives for the very first time. First responders were able to see the positive impact of Narcan® administration can have on individuals. Jennifer Larmore from the Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department shared the following about her experience, “It was a great pleasure to actually meet the person that you had a hand in saving. It is hard to imagine when you have not been in that situation or lived in someone else's shoes just how easy it is to get addicted. In our profession, we don't typically see the outcomes of our patients. This dinner gave me an opportunity to really open my eyes a think about the battle these patients have after we leave.”

The Wicomico County Health Officer, Lori Brewster, and Emergency Management Director, David Shipley, presented each agency in Wicomico County with an award plaque, recognizing their efforts in addressing the local opioid crisis. County Executive Certificates of Recognition were also awarded to individual first responders who went above and beyond the call of duty.

The following first responders were recognized for their service:

• · Firefighter/Paramedic Captain Chris Truitt
• · First Sergeant Jessica Murphy
• · Firefighter/Paramedic Ginger Phippin
• · Firefighter/Paramedic Sergeant Thomas Moore Sr.
• · Deputy First Class Aaron Hollar
• · Deputy First Class Jeffrey Heath
• · Deputy First Class Dave Goldberg
• · Chief Engineer Bill Ehrisman
• · EMS Lieutenant Jennifer Larmore.

For more information about the local opioid crisis or Narcan® trainings, visit the Wicomico County Health Department’s website at www.wicomicohealth.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram (WicomicoHealth) or Twitter (@WicomicoHealth).