Island Dispatch, 1993-03-12

              ISLAND DISPATCH Happy St. Patrick's Day ! To true Irish Islanders & all those who purport to be on March 17. SERVING THE GRAND ISLAND COMMUNITY SINCE 1944 With The GRAND ISLAND NEWS GRAND ISLAND, NY (716) 773-7676 24 PAGES VOL. 49 • NO. 50 MAR. 12, 1993 Chamber To Honor 1992 Citizens Of The Year Marion E. Klingel Special Award Recipient FEW have made such a postive impact on the Grand Island community over the years as Town Historian Marion Klingcl. This active senior citizen, who two years ago was selected Erie County's Senior Citizen of the Year, became a resident of Grandyle Village in 1942. Taking leadership roles in the Grand Island Fire Co., her late husband Theodore was Fire Chief and Marion served as fire dispatcher from 1944 to 1963 when she was awarded a life membership in the Company. Through her talents as a writer/reporter, Marion has been filing news stories on Grand Island for the Buffalo News since 1950, was Dispatch editor from 1959-66 and continues to provide news and historical features for the community weekly. An Excellence in English Award in her name is presented to a deserving student each year through the Grand Island Teachers Assoc, of which Marion is an honorary member. Named Town Historian in 1962, she founded the Grand Island Historical Society in that year and is also actively involved in ZontaClub, the GI Fire Company Paramedic Unit Outstanding Organization ChLZ SLTtKZtlnnf BSSSfSSSfJ <stanItS?)l.Ga!'Lazcnby- Jiuncs Sugar. Robert Cleveland, Daniel McMahon. MnTa!„ pm'q r VAJ?"igd seated) R,chard Byron- j°" Cinelli. Chief David Tolcjko, Deputy Chief Steven SSISSir. P«,i r"£UIn HPMn .Sto»ter'WiMiun Wilson, Medical Director Dr. Edward Rayhill. Missing from photo are f£ DaWdl * Directors Dr. Roger Kaiser. Dr. Joseph Maddi. Dr. Uc Ruotsi and IT ACTUALITY all started in the mid 19705. Through the first half of die decade, the Fire Company's number of New York State certified emergency medical technicians grew dramatically. Many of the firemen who had gone through the training craved more, but there wasn't any more. At that time, paramedics were a new breed, very new. The State Health Department was only just beginning the process of certifying advanced EMT's or paramedics. So the Fire Company EMTs waited and they kept looking. In 1975, Lance Kohn, the Fire Company's long-time first aid captain, resigned and moved to the Town of lonawanda so that he could begin paramedic training with the Town Police's newly formed Emergency Medical Unit. Meanwhile, the Fire Company waited. When Lance became certified in late 1976, he immediately began looking toward establishment of an Advanced Life Support Unit on Grand Island through the Fire Company. A dialogue was begun with the state and, finally, in mid 1978, the Grand Island Fire Company began paramedic training under the direction of Unce J. Kohn Sr. io-7oCt 3nd lllursday evenings (6:30 to 11 P.M.) were spent at the Grand Island Middle School from August 1978 through July 1979, not to mention the 300+ clinical hours that were completed at Kcnmore Mercy, ECMC, the morgue, VA and other area facilities. Finally, class and clinical work were completed. Tests were taken and passed. Nine new paramedics became the founding members of the Grand Island Fire Company Advanced Life Support Unit. Those "original nine" were Andrew J. Beyer IV. Thomas J. Connell, Charles W. Goss, Gail J. Lazcnby, James B. Linenfclser, Daniel B. McMahon, Ronald E. McTiguc, David C. Tolejko and Gregory R. Zilliox. Of the nine, four remain as active members of the paramedic team, while another four are non-practicing life members of the lire Company. The AI.SU went on line in October 1979. Since that lime, thousands of patients have been treated by Grand Island lire Company paramedics. The Unit receives its medical direction from a dedicated team of Grand Island physicians, all members of the Fire Company. Dr. Kdward A. Rayhill serves as the Medical Director and he is assisted by Drs. David N. Johnson, Roger E. Kaiser, Lee J. Ruolsi and Joseph Maddi. 'Die ALSU is affiliated with The above named join six others, who were featured in previous editions of the Dispatch. All will be recognized at the Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year Dinner Thursday, March 18 in the Buffalo Launch Club. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PACE 2