Sedgwick County, Kansas EMS
Honor Guard
General:
The Sedgwick County EMS Honor Guard officially organized on April 13th, 2005.
Currently and since its inception, there are 17 active members who are all full
time and part time Paramedics employed by SCEMS.
Background:
For several years now, a few SCEMS paramedics have sought to create an
Honor Guard to appropriately represent our service in honoring deceased friends
and family. Unfortunately due to budget constraints, their efforts had been
unsuccessful, leaving these few medics to attend funerals of fellow public
service employees on their own, unofficially representing EMS.
Early in 2005, a Paramedic Lieutenant Jay Finney, employed at SCEMS for 8
years died. While his death was not in the line of duty, it had a major impact
on many medics as well as fire fighters, police and other community service
members, not to mention friends and family. His funeral was highly attended as a
sign of respect and honor to his memory and dedication. Wichita Fire Department
and Sedgwick County Fire Department were represented by their respective Honor
Guards as well as the United States Marine Corps; although most of Sedgwick
County's Paramedics were in attendance of the funeral, we did not have an
official Honor Guard nor did we have any protocol for such an event. In light of
this, several Paramedics began to reevaluate the need and possibility for an EMS
Honor Guard. A few months later through the generosity of EMS administration,
what before was only a considerate thought was now a reality.
Purpose:
Since the official organization of the SCEMS Honor Guard, in light of Lt.
Finney's death, the Honor Guard wanted to ensure that the spirit of honor,
reverence and respect would not be an afterthought of our organization. Since
the inception, several members have worked together to describe the purpose of
the Guard so that its mission is clear and perpetuated. The following are the
five-fold purposes as outlined by the Sedgwick County EMS Honor Guard policies
and procedures:
- The purpose of the Honor Guard is to represent Sedgwick County EMS in an
effort to show our respect, gratitude, pride and integrity as a public
service of the community.
- To honor and respect SCEMS employees, public servants and lay people by
a showing of our service’s decorated, uniformed participants.
- To create unity among public services including the Fire Departments,
Police Department, Sheriff Department, and other public service and public
safety entities.
- To portray an image of discipline and professionalism and to teach
non-Honor Guard personnel guidelines for conduct at uniformed events
requiring such conduct (i.e. funerals, parades, special events, etc)
- To raise public awareness of EMS as a part of the services provided and
dedicated to the interests of the community.
Accomplishments:
In the mere 6 months of its operation, the Sedgwick County EMS Honor Guard
has overcome several hurdles and made significant progress with respect to
fulfilling the purpose of the Guard, all of which could not have been possible
without the sincere dedication and selflessness of its members as well as the
benevolence of Tom Pollan (Director, SCEMS), Garry Tolle (Asst. Director) and
Greg Schuessler (Support Services). Following is a brief timeline of the SCEMS's
short history:
- April 13, 2005: 1st Honor Guard meeting, establishment of
purposes, direction and leadership.
- April 19, 2005: Purchase of the Honor Guard uniforms is approved.
- April 28, 2005: 1st drill meeting.
- April 30, 2005: Drill meeting
- May 6, 2005: HG marches for the first time in the annual Wichita
River Festival's Sundown Parade and is received with heartfelt gratitude
from all of the parade goers.
- May 27, 2005: Honor Guard members attend funeral services in
unofficial capacity for Wichita Fire Department Captain Chuck Eberhard.
- May 31, 2005: Drill meeting
- Early June: SCEMS Honor Guard receives its first donation from
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Pippen. An Honor Guard account is established.
- June 6, 2005: HG marches in the Derby Days Parade. This event was
a true test of dedication and military-like discipline as the HG held and
never broke formation as several inches of rain deluged down on the parade
in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, the parade was cancelled shortly
after it began, nonetheless, the spirit of the unit was revealed.
- July 1, 2005: HG uniforms are distributed to all members. First
uniform inspection.
- Early July: SCEMS Honor Guard assists Support Services in
revising uniform protocols for the SOG which includes definitions for the
Class A, B and C uniforms. EMS administration agrees to include a cover in
the Class A uniform for all employees.
- Mid July: SCEMS Honor Guard is contacted and invited to enroll on
the official list of Kansas Honor Guards.
- July 4, 2005: 4th of July parade in Derby, KS.
- August 3, 2005: Honor Guard attends and participates in official
capacity at funeral services held for Wichita Police Department Police
Officer Wayne Gilmore.
- Early August: Members receive the SCEMS Honor Guard membership
commendation pin.
- August 6, 2005: Parade in Andale, KS.
- August 16, 2005: Drill meeting
- September 9, 2005: SCEMS and the SCEMS Honor Guard are honored
and participate along side the Sedgwick County Fire Department Honor Guard
and SCFD Chief Gary Curmode at Learjet to recognize the sacrifice of those
who died in the 9/11 tragedy of 2001 as well as those who continue to
sacrifice in providing public services.
- September 26, 2005: HG attends funeral services for Turon, Kansas
volunteer Fire Chief Ed King.
- October 9, 2005: Honor guard participates in the annual Kansas
Fallen Firefighter's Memorial for the first time.
- December 2005: Honor Guard presents plaque to Garry Tolle and
Greg Schuessler commemorating the inception of the Honor Guard.
- January 5, 2006: Honor Guard posts the colors at Jim LeBaron's
retirement reception.
- January 16, 2006: Majority vote of members approve official Honor
Guard Policies and Procedures.
- January 18, 2006: Honor Guard participates in official capacity
at memorial services for Jason Johnson, Rose Hill Volunteer FF.
- March 4, 2006: Honor Guard participates in official capacity at
memorial services for Wichita Fire Department Captain Michael Vann.
- March 12, 2006: Honor Guard participates in Wichita River Festival
Sundown Parade.
-
May 12, 2006: Honor Guard participates in LODD
funeral of Officer/EMT Tim Buckman, Macksville PD & Stafford
County EMS
- June 9, 2006: Honor Guard members attend memorial services for
Virginia Shearrer, Larned, Kansas EMS Director
- July 4, 2006: Garden
Plaine 4th of July Parade
- July 6/9, 2006: Annual HG
Administrative Meeting
- August 12/18, 2006: Drill
practice/ Flag folding
-
September 7/8, 2006:
Drill practice
-
November 16/17, 2006:
Drill practice
-
December 1, 2006:
Honor Guard participates and stands casket guard for funeral
services of EMT/RN Sherri Harris, Chase County EMS
-
January 25, 2007:
HG requested/ participates in Hutchinson Community College pinning ceremony
for graduation of paramedic students
-
February 20, 2007: Honor Guard
participates in funeral services of Firefighter/EMT Rick McFarlane, Newton
Fire/EMS
-
August 17, 2007:
HG requested/participates as color guard in opening ceremonies of KEMSA Last
Blast of Summer conference
-
May 15, 2007: Honor Guard
participates in LODD funeral of Brandon Dailey, Rose Hill Fire Department
-
March 31, 2007:
HG drill/ flag folding with Ellis county, WFD, SCFD, WPD, and Kansas HP
-
August 20, 2007: Honor Guard
participates in LODD funeral of Capt Tony Cox, Topeka Fire Department
-
September, 28, 2007:
HG participates among others at SCFD line-of-duty funeral
-
January 11, 2008: HG invited/ participates
in first Sedgwick County EMS promotional/ new hire ceremony.
-
January 17,
2008: Presentation of colors at the Hutchinson Community
College paramedic graduation ceremony.
-
March 10, 2008:
Drill & orientation of recruits
-
March 14, 2008:
Drill & orientation of recruits
-
March 22, 2008:
Drill & orientation of recruits
Current Members:
Honor Guard Pin:
This
is the Commendation Pin that is given only to Honor Guard members. This pin can
be worn on all uniforms as an outward display of pride, honor, unity and
remembrance.
Accolades / Correspondence Received:
$500
donation received from SCEMS patient
3/21/08
My
name is G.C. and I am a 15- year NYC paramedic. I am not sure if
you are familiar how EMS works in NYC, but we
are made up of FDNY EMS, hospital-based EMS and commercial-based EMS
and volunteer agencies, and we all work in the 911 system.
Therefore, when there is a death of a EMS person, he or she may
actually work in several agencies. FDNY EMS has a small EMS honor
guard, but if you do not work for FDNY, there is no EMS honor guard.
I would like to change that and would appreciate any and all
assistance to start this project.
thanks and good work on your honor guard. It looks really good.
3/19/08
Wow, how do I put this briefly yet concisely. I have just finished
reading your link page from the NAEMT Honor Guard mention recently.
I am relieved to know that other EMS agencies are structured and
developed so that I have a bit of a template to command from. I work
for EMSA in OKC and we have had an Honor Guard as long as I have
been working here but it has had little formal structure. I have
vowed to change that and get a program a bit more formal and pride
bearing.
Your company and guard have inspired me to move on and find our
place in EMS Honor Guard history. Thanks so much for what you have
started, stand for, and strive to do for the EMS community. Good
luck and send our best in OKC to your brethren.
Field Operations
Supervisor
EMSA
I'm writing to obtain some information in regards to forming an EMS
honor guard in
South Dakota. I'm a paramedic in
Sioux Falls, South
Dakota's largest city. I greatly recognize the need to form an elite
group of fellow paramedics to form a professional EMS honor guard.
I'm writing for your advice on how to get the group off the ground. I
have several fellow paramedics/EMTs that are willing to take part in
the group. I've volunteered to pilot the formation of the group and
seek outside advice on how to get things started. I have several
ideas for funding, etc. Where do you begin with uniforms, etc.
Would you please inform me of any information you have or any advice?
I read your EMS Funeral protocol over the internet this morning. Your
insight into the need for an Honor Guard is most refreshing. The
Richland County Emergency Services of Richland County, located in Columbia ,
South Carolina will bury Lieutenant W . K . this afternoon. Lieutenant K.
collapsed during a stabbing call on Saturday, August 05, 2006. A Last Call
will be given over our radio system and broadcast through a vehicle public
address system. Any wording you have used for the Last Call in the past
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
R. B.
Communications Supervisor
Richland County Emergency Services
I am a Paramedic with County Rescue Services in Green Bay Wisconsin. We
recently had one of our helicopter pilots die in the line of duty and while
we were able to put together a wonderful tribute to his life, we did not
have our own honor guard to represent our organization at his funeral. We
had to rely on the Coast Guard and various other Fire/Police organizations
to provide an honor guard for this dedicated family man and pilot.
I have been charged with getting together a group of people to form our
honor guard. While looking for some suggestions for formation, I came across
your web page.
Do you have any suggestions for the proper implementation of a respectful
honor unit? Any things that you've done that you would do different? Any
help that you could give would be appreciated. We have a few military people
that are willing to help as well as the commander/trainer from a neighboring
honor guard to help, but he inherited an already established honor guard.
Please let me know if you can help at all.
Thank You,
J.S.V.Z.
County Rescue Service, Inc.
Ellis County EMS is in the process of establishing an Honor Guard. We
would like to talk with you about how to get started. If you could provide
us with a phone number, I would have Mr. A.T. contact you. He is our
technician who is in charge of the project.
Thanks for your assistance.
K.M
On
behalf of the Hutchinson Honorguard I would like to thank all of you for your
support, ideas and presence at the funeral. We could not have done it with out
you all. You all did an outstanding job and received great feed back from the
family and other department members present.
Rex Albright, Hutchinson FD Honor Guard Commander, Hutchinson, Kansas
Tom please extend my thanks to those who gave of their time to
support the County's River Festival activities. The EMS Honor Guard proudly lead
the way in the parade and were well appreciated by the crowd--Great Job. That
positive visibility is an important reminder to the community of the wonderful
service EMS provides. Lest I forget--my thanks to those who ride the ambulance
everyday, delivering high quality, compassionate care.
Regards, Bob
Mr. Robert Lamkey, Director of Public Safety Division, Sedgwick County,
Kansas -
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Pippen - $50.00 donation
I live in Derby and was at the 4th of July parade. The
Honor Guard looked very impressive!! I was VERY proud!!!!
P.B.
Derby, Kansas
Honor Guard Pictures and Procedures
Honor Guard Pictures
Honor Guard Policies and Procedures
U.S. Flag and Flag Folding Information:
http://www.usflag.org/foldflag.html
Sedgwick County EMS Honor Guard Contact Information:
Paul Misasi, Honor Guard
Commander
1015 Stillwell
Wichita, KS 67203
©, Copyright, 2008 Sedgwick County Emergency Medical
Service
last update:
03/26/08
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