* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Austin-Travis County EMS Awards Ceremony] [00:00:43] OH, UNIFORM PERSONNEL. CRE HO CAN SEE WHAT SO PROUD DRIVES EVERY RIDE. STARS THROUGH THE STAR SPAN HOME DETAIL. PREPARE TO POST THE COLORS. READY HOST. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS UP NEXT, SO THERE YOU GO. . UH, I I HAVE A, I'M SUPPOSED TO READ THIS PRAYER AND I'M GONNA DO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO ME. AND, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, AT CHIEF LU SWEARING IN, I SHARED THIS WITH YOU AND I WANNA SHARE THIS WITH YOU AGAIN. EMS IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE THIRD AGENCY. CORRECT? WE'RE THE THIRD SERVICE, UH, WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT BEING FIRST, FIRE DEPARTMENT BEING SECOND, EMS THIRD. WELL, AS A PASTOR, I HAVE STUDIED HISTORY TO A GREAT LENGTH, AND I HAVE AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THAT AND I WANNA SHARE THAT WITH YOU. IF WE GO BACK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS ALL ABOUT LAWLESSNESS. SO WHERE WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT? THEY WEREN'T THERE, RIGHT? THEN. THERE'S A WHOLE ISSUE OF THE BURNING BUSH THAT NEVER GOT PUT OUT. THERE'S THAT, THE EMS, WE WERE ACTUALLY THERE, AND I WANNA SHARE A PASSAGE WITH YOU FROM SECOND KINGS FOR, IT SAYS THIS, WHEN ELISHA, AND BY THE WAY, ELISHA IS THE ORIGINAL PARAMEDIC, CAME INTO THE HOUSE, HE SAW THE CHILD LAYING DEAD ON HIS BED. SO HE WENT IN AND SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND THE TWO OF THEM AND PRAYED TO THE LORD. THEN HE [00:05:01] WENT UP AND LAY ON THE CHILD, WHICH REMINDS US THAT BODY, HEAT AND TRAUMA IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THIS IS A FIRST EXAMPLE. THEN HE WENT UP AND LAY ON THE CHILD, PUTTING HIS MOUTH ON HIS MOUTH, HIS EYES ON HIS EYES, HIS HANDS ON HIS HANDS, AND HE STRETCHED HIMSELF UPON HIM. THE CHILD OPENED HIS EYES, AND WE HAD THE VERY FIRST CARDIAC ARREST SAVED. EMS. WE ARE FIRST. AMEN. AMEN. ALL RIGHT. I AM GOING TO READ TO YOU THE PARAMEDIC'S PRAYER, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT I PRAY FOR YOU ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, SOME OF YOU BY NAME, ALL OF YOU, BY, UM, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DO, UH, THAT EVERY DAY. AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THAT YOU ARE NEVER OUT OF OUR MINDS. YOU'RE NEVER OUT OF OUR THOUGHTS. YOU'RE CERTAINLY NEVER OUT OF OUR PRAYERS. AND I SO ADMIRE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS. AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I MISS BEING IN THE FIELD AND I LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH ALL THE GREAT STUFF THAT YOU'RE DOING. LET'S PRAY. DEAR LORD, THE JOB I HAVE CHOSEN OFTEN SHOWS ME THE WORST OF WHAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER. IT IS DURING THESE TIMES I PRAY, LORD, I'M ABLE TO GIVE MY BEST, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, BUT IN MY CARING AND COMPASSION. HELP MY LOVED ONES TO UNDERSTAND LORD, WHEN MY HEART IS FILLED WITH SADNESS, AND TO CELEBRATE WITH ME WHEN I FEEL JOY IN WHAT I, I WAS ABLE TO DO THIS DAY. I THANK YOU, LORD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND UNDERSTAND THAT I AM ONLY ONE PERSON IN THIS WORLD, BUT SOMETIMES I AM THE WORLD TO ONE PERSON, AND IT'S IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE CAUSE I'M GONNA GO OFF SCRIPT AND I JUST WANNA SAY HOW AMAZING IT IS AND HOW AWESOME IT IS. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UH, WE ARE HERE STANDING IN A STANDING ROOM ONLY, UM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, FOR AN EVENT THAT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS AN ORGANIZATION AND TO RECOGNIZE THE GREAT WORK THAT EACH ONE, UH, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU DOES, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS. AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH AND TELL YOU JUST HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TAKE THIS AFTERNOON TO CELEBRATE YOU ALL, UM, DURING THIS WONDERFUL EMS WEEK, PAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY STRESSFUL FOR US AS WE'VE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. UM, AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS I RELOCATED HERE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND SO I, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WARM WELCOME. UM, AND THIS IS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE STANDING UP HERE AT THIS AWARD CEREMONY, UH, ONE OF WHICH I HOPE WILL BE, UH, THE BEGINNING OF MANY, MANY MORE TO COME. BEFORE I MOVE ON, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I RECOGNIZE A FEW DISTINGUISHED GUESTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, AND I APOLOGIZE WITH SUCH A CROWDED ROOM. I HOPE I DON'T MISS ANYONE HERE. UH, BUT A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN, WHO'S JOINED US HERE TODAY. TRAVIS COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHUCK BROTHERTON AND CHIEF DEPUTY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, EXECUTIVE, UH, EMERGENCY SERVICES. PATRICK PHILLIPS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE SERVE NOT ONLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT ALSO TRAVIS COUNTY, AND IT IS VERY EXCITING THAT, UH, UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY WERE ABLE TO JOIN US HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I RECOGNIZE THE ENTIRE, ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT SUPPORT US ON A DAILY BASIS, ALL OF OUR CITY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND, UH, CITY MANAGER WHO WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY HERE TODAY. SO, UH, A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT AS WELL. FINALLY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I RECOGNIZE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER. UM, WE'RE JOINED HERE TODAY WITH, UH, DEPUTY, UH, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER HEIDI, UH, HEIDI ABRAHAM, CAN'T SEE WHERE YOU ARE, AND I SEE AS WELL, UH, DEPUTY MEDICAL OFFICER, DEPUTY CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UH, ANDREW CHOW. THANK YOU FOR COMING. I'M MISSING SOMEONE. I'M GETTING A LOOK THAT THERE'S SOMEONE HERE I DON'T SEE . OH, THANK YOU, . AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU. UH, BRUCE MILL'S INTERIM, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO'S JOINED US AS WELL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THIS EVENT TODAY. WE HAVE A LOT TO GO OVER, UH, SEVERAL YEARS WORTH OF AWARDS AND VERY EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I'M SURE, UH, YOU ALL KNOW. UH, KATIE CURY IS THE MORNING METEOROLOGIST AT K X A N, I'M SORRY, KRISTEN CURRY. MY APOLOGIES, , I GOT MY GLASSES ON. . UH, KRISTEN STARTED HER ON-AIR CAREER IN 2013 IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS, WHERE SHE FORECASTED EVERYTHING FROM DUST STORMS AND TORNADOES TO ICE AND SEVERE WIND EVENTS. AFTER THAT, SHE JOINED THE AFFILIATE IN [00:10:01] ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, AND SPENT SEVERAL YEARS AS THE MORNING METEOROLOGIST FORECASTING FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, SOUTHERN COLORADO AND NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA. KRISTEN IS NOW BACK IN TEXAS AND IS EXCITED TO BE EXPLORING ALL AUSTIN HAS TO OFFER. SHE'S A BIG FOODIE AND IS ADVENTURING THROUGH AUSTIN'S FOOD AND WINE SCENE. EVERYONE, PLEASE WELCOME KRISTEN CURRY. ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF LUTZ FOR THE INTRODUCTION. UM, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AT, YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS KRISTEN CURRY AND I'M THE ONE ON THE, UH, MORNING NEWS DOING THE WEATHER FOR YOU. UM, AND I DON'T TYPICALLY READ A SCRIPT, SO I, FOR FORGIVE ME IF I SKIP WORDS OR MESS UP YOUR NAME. UH, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU TODAY. THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT. SO THIS IS GONNA BE A FUN AFTERNOON, UH, RECOGNIZING YOUR GUYS' WORK. I, I KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT THE COMMUNITY RELIES ON YOU, AND PERSONALLY I ADMIRE EACH ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. I'M NO EXPERT ON EMS, BUT I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET THE GRATEFULNESS AND THE THANKFULNESS THAT YOU SHOULD. UH, SOMETIMES THE COMMUNITY PROBABLY HAS A WEIRD WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU. AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, I, I'M ON THE BACKSIDE OF THINGS. YOU GUYS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES. YOU SEE THE BAD DAYS, YOU SEE PEOPLE LIVING THE WORST OF THE WORST. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU UP THERE ON THE FRONT LINES DOING THAT. UM, AND, AND TODAY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE THE GOOD THAT YOU GUYS DO. THE, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE ACHIEVEMENTS, UH, FROM AN OUTS OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE HAS SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF. UH, AND AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, I THANK YOU READING OVER SOME OF THE AWARDS. MAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HALF THE STUFF THAT YOU GUYS DO, AND I REPORT ON IT EVERY DAY. SO THIS, THIS IS SUCH A COOL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO GET RECOGNIZED. UM, I KNOW IT'S A SELFLESS JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING. Y YOU PROBABLY HAVE EVEN WEIRDER HOURS THAN I DO. WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, STAYING UP LATE, EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. UH, WHAT YOU DO IS INCREDIBLE. AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU NOT ONLY TO YOU, BUT TO YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL. MY DAD WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 25 PLUS YEARS, SO I UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICE, UH, OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. KNOW THAT EVERYTHING YOU DO DAY IN, DAY OUT IS APPRECIATED. UM, AND, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK. WERE YOU GUYS READY TO GET STARTED? YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. LET'S DO IT FIRST AND FOR FOREMOST, WE GOTTA, WE GOT A VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION. WE ARE GOING TO HONOR THE MILITARY PERSONNEL HERE. WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH PAST AND CURRENT MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO SERVED NOT ONLY THIS CITY BUT OUR NATION. WE APPLAUD THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE. PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THEIR SERVICE. WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HERE TODAY. SO, JORDAN, IF YOU'D PLEASE COME ON UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS EXPLORER POST WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER, 2010 AS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN AT T C E EM S AND THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA'S LEARNING FOR LIFE PROGRAM. POST 2 47 PROVIDES A LINK, UM, BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC AND THE CAREER WORLDS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS. PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP A WIDE VARIETY OF REAL WORLD SKILLS, INCLUDING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SELF-CONFIDENCE, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. THE POST ALSO PROVIDES A NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AMONG PEERS, ACCESS TO VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND ENCOURAGES GROUP COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK. THE 2021 EXPLORER OF THE YEAR AWARD GOES TO AN EXPLORER THAT HAS DEDICATED OVER THREE YEARS OF SERVICE TO POST 2 47 AND HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING AS POST COMMANDER, THE HIGHEST YOUTH POSITION WE HAVE. THIS EXPLORER HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT THE POST OPERATES EFFICIENTLY AND THAT THE NEEDS OF ALL MEMBERS ARE BEING MET BY POST 2 47, SHE'S AN ADVOCATE FOR HER PEERS. A TREMENDOUS HELP ON RIDE ALONGS AND AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF EXPLORER POST 2 47. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 EXPLORER OF THE YEAR RECIPIENT. KAYLA VASQUEZ. THANK YOU. [00:15:04] THE 2022 EXPLORER OF THE YEAR AWARD GOES TO MICHAEL CHEN, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS STEPPED UP AND SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE A NATURAL LEADER SINCE HIS FIRST DAY IN OUR PROGRAM. MICHAEL EARNED HIS EMT PATCH THIS MONTH DURING HIS SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AND PLANS ON SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY BEFORE COMING BACK TO AT T C E EMS TO WORK ALONGSIDE US. HE UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY AS HE IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING MILITARY ENTRANCE PROCESSING TODAY. UM, HERE TO ACCEPT THE 2022 EXPLORER OF THE YEAR AWARD ON BEHALF OF MICHAEL CHEN IS EXPLORER KIA NOBLE. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, OLIVER. ALL RIGHTY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. UH, ONE THING I DO WANNA MAKE A MENTION OF, IF I DO PRO MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, PLEASE MAKE SURE AND CORRECT ME THESE AWARDS ARE TOO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BUTCHER IT. SO, UH, COME ON UP, SAY SOMETHING TO ME AND I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE TO GET THAT CORRECT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO, UH, DEPARTMENTAL DEPARTMENTAL CITATIONS. THESE RECOGNIZED SPECIFIC EVENTS OR MILESTONES RELATED TO THE CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE OF E M S OPERATIONS. WE BEGIN WITH THE UNIT CITATION, WHICH IS GRANTED FOR UNIT ACHIEVEMENT IN SUCH AREAS AS INNOVATION, EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS PROJECTS AND UNIT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS, AND MAY BE AWARDED TO ANY TEAM STATION, COMMAND DISTRICT, ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT, OR AN ENTIRE SHIFT. CHRIS MARKS AND YVETTE SAMPA, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD. THE JOB OF E M S IS SADLY FRAUGHT WITH TRAGEDY AND NO MATTER HOW LONG ONE HAS DONE THE JOB, AN INJURED CHILD ALWAYS CARRIES A HEAVY TOLL ON A CREW. IN THIS INSTANCE, THE CREW WAS FACED WITH A SERIOUS GUNSHOT WOUND, CERTAINLY NOT THEIR FIRST, BUT IN A WORLD OF TRAUMATIC EVENTS, THIS CALL STOOD OUT TO PEERS. TIME ELAP TIME ELAPSED FROM DISPATCH TO ARRIVAL TO THE HOSPITAL WAS 18 MINUTES WITH WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS BOTH FLAWLESS AND LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT. A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE BY THE CREW OF MEDIC FIVE. WE'LL NAIL IT. , NIKKI ALSTON, TYLER GREEN, KATHERINE PHILLIPS, AND KEN RENARD. IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD. THIS TEAM WORKED FOR OVER A YEAR TO DEVELOP A FAIR AND BALANCED SCHEDULE FOR EMS COMMUNICATIONS IN THE FACE OF ONGOING STAFFING SHORTAGES AND CHANGING SHIFTS. BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFORTS, WE CAN ALL REST EASY KNOWING THAT ANYTIME DURING THE DAY OR NIGHT, YOUR NINE ONE ONE CALL WILL BE ANSWERED BY THE BEST. JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE COMMUNICATIONS SCHEDULING WORK GROUP, AARON MAXWELL, DAVID LECLAIR, MATT CLARK, ANDREW ASTON, JAMES DANIS, MARCO VILLAS, ANDOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD EVERY SO OFTEN. THERE IS AN INNOVATION FOR E M S THAT HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON PRE-HOSPITAL CARE. BEGINNING IN APRIL OF 2021, THESE FINE PEOPLE HAVE WORKED ON A PROGRAM TO STOCK WHOLE BLOOD FOR USE IN THE FIELD. HOWEVER, CHANGE ALSO BRINGS PROBLEMS. NEW EQUIPMENT PROTOCOLS, FINANCING, CONTRACTING, DOCUMENTATION, STORAGE, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. BUT THEY HAVE WORKED THROUGH ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES AND MADE THIS PROGRAM A REALITY. THE END RESULT IS TRULY LIFESAVING CARE FOR PATIENTS. THOSE IN MAINE, AUSTIN IS NOW ONE OF THREE MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS TO CARRY WHOLE BLOOD AND ITS BENEFIT WILL BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WE ALL OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT. IF DONALD ROSE, JACOB PALMER, AND LUPE MORES ARE PRESENT, PLEASE COME JOIN ME. MOST MEDICS WILL SPEND OVER A THIRD OF THEIR CAREERS IN AN E [00:20:01] M S STATION, WHICH MAKES IT A SECOND HOME. THE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS COLLECTIVELY REALIZED ONE STATION IN PARTICULAR WAS IN NEED OF SOME ATTENTION USING THEIR OWN FUNDS AND LABOR. THE QUARTERS WERE GIVEN AN EXTREME MAKEOVER, WHICH INCLUDED DEEP CLEANING, A COFFEE BAR, AND THE EVEN ADDED SOME SPECIAL WAX FOR THE AMBULANCE. THIS EFFORT BENEFITED EVERYONE ASSIGNED THERE. THANK YOU FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE. THERE'S NO WAY Y'ALL ALL DOING THIS WITHOUT COFFEE, RAY. THERE'S GOTTA BE A COFFEE BAR IN EVERY, IN EVERY STATION. ALL RIGHT, NOW TO INDIVIDUAL CITATIONS. THEY'RE GRANTED FOR SINGULAR ACHIEVEMENT IN SUCH AREAS AS INNOVATION, EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS, INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS AND PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS. COURTNEY MEYER, PLEASE COME FORWARD. COURTNEY HAS REALLY TAKEN THE CONCEPT OF TRAINING TO HEART BY BECOMING AN F T O AS SOON AS SHE COULD, PUTTING EXTRA EFFORT INTO TEACHING HER CADETS, TEACHING DEPARTMENTAL CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC. SHE ALSO BECAME A DRIVING FORCE IN PROMOTING THE STOP THE BLEED PROGRAM WITH AUSTIN'S LGBTQ QIA A PLUS COMMUNITY. COURTNEY ALSO REGULARLY WORKS RESCUE TASK FORCE ASSIGNMENTS OVER THE WEEKEND, WHICH ARE HER ONLY DAYS OFF. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR GRATITUDE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO PAY IT FORWARD. IF I COULD HAVE BRIAN RASMUS AND KYLE SHOOT, JOIN ME PLEASE. WOO . WE GOT SOME FANS IN THE ROOM. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE SIMPLEST TASK CAN BE THE MOST DAUNTING EACH DAY? THE DEPARTMENT IS FACED WITH STAFFING 45 UNITS, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ANY SPECIAL EVENTS THIS CITY MAY HAVE. WHILE A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT IS PUT INTO ROTATING STAFF BETWEEN BUSY AND SLOW STATIONS, IT DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK OUT THAT WAY. THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE EARNED REPUTATION FOR PUTTING OTHERS FIRST. THEY READILY ACCEPT LAST MINUTE ASSIGNMENTS AND OFTENTIMES EVEN GOING SO FAR AS TO REQUEST A LESS DESIRABLE STATION IN ORDER TO HELP ANOTHER MEDIC GET SOME REST. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. CAN I PLEASE HAVE KIMBERLY GRIFFITH, KENNY PAS AND JUSTIN CHANDLER. COME TO THE FRONT PLEASE. THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO IDENTIFY AND ASSIST THOSE WHOSE NEEDS DO NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE A 9 1 1 RESPONSE, BUT WHO HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TERM. WHILE IT MAY HAVE STARTED OUT AS AN EXPERIMENT, THE C H P RAPIDLY BECAME A PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT RELIES ON SAVING PRECIOUS AMBULANCE HOURS THROUGH INTERVENTION. THE TEAM WAS FACED WITH A CONUNDRUM. ADDITIONAL TRAINED MEDICS WERE NEEDED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE CASELOAD MADE TRAINING DIFFICULT. THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO BASICALLY DOUBLE THEIR WORKING HOURS IN ORDER TO STILL HELP THEIR CLIENTS AND COMMIT TO LONG HOURS OF EDUCATION TO ADD MORE PROVIDERS. AND WITHOUT THEIR EFFORTS, COMMUNITY HEALTH WOULD NOT BE THE RESOUNDING SUCCESS IT IS TODAY. CONGRATULATIONS. DON'T RELAX. TRIPOD . I LOVE IT. THAT'LL MAKE KICKS SAYING NEWS AT SIX . WE GOT OUR CREW IN THE BACK, SO MAKE SURE YOU SMILE. BING . WE NEXT RECOGNIZE NANCY MONSON AND LORETTA MOONEY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD. THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC PRODUCED UNPRECEDENTED PROBLEMS FOR EVERY PART OF THE E M S SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WAS HOW TO MITIGATE THE FLOOD OF CALLS FROM FRIGHTENED CITIZENS. THE CITY'S MEDICAL OPERATIONS CENTER ESTABLISHED A TRIAGE LINE THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME THE COVID O D CLINICAL CONSULT LINE TO TRIAGE AND PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE OVER THE PHONE FOR A NEW VIRUS, TOTALLY NEW GROUND FOR THE DEPARTMENT. TWO CLINICAL SPECIALISTS. COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC CASE MANAGERS AGREED TO LEAVE THEIR DAYTIME WORK SCHEDULE AND STAFF POSITIONS ON THE NIGHT SHIFT. THEY PROVIDED COVERAGE FOR THE VERY BUSY CALL LINE OVERNIGHT, PROVIDED INSIDE AND HELPED TO DEVELOP [00:25:01] THIS NEW POTENTIALLY RISKY APPROACH. THIS WOULD BECOME A SIX MONTH ASSIGNMENT FOR THEM. AND OUT OF THE 1900 PATIENTS EVALUATED, ONLY ONE WAS ULTIMATELY TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. WE'LL GIVE THEM BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. IF I COULD HAVE LESLIE, STANFORD AND ANGELA WHERE HES, JOIN ME UP FRONT PLEASE. MAYBE NOW THIS ONE GOT ME DELIVERING AN INFANT IN THE FIELD. WOO. NERVE WRACKING. BUT IT CAN BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST JOYS IN EMS. BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE DOING IT OVER THE PHONE USING OLD NEAR VOICE AND EXPERIENCE. THAT WOULD BE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, RIGHT? ENVISION TRYING TO INSTRUCT SOMEONE ON HOW TO DO IT AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN THERE. NOW, WHAT TRULY MAKES THESE EVENTS EXTRAORDINARY IS THAT BOTH HAD MAJOR COMPLICATIONS TO CONTEND WITH AND YET HAD POSITIVE OUTCOMES. THANKS TO SKILLS AND CALM DEMEANOR OF THESE COMMUNICATIONS. MEDICS SHOULD DEFINITELY, UH, MAKE FOR SOME GRANDPARENTS OR MAYBE A NAME F FOR THE CHILD. YOU KNOW, A MIDDLE NAME, WELCOME, MIDDLE NAME. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE CHRISTINA PENA, YOU HERE GIRL. WE'RE GONNA GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT. ANYWAYS. FORTUNATELY, CHRISTINA WAS ON DUTY WHEN ANOTHER COMMUNICATIONS MEDIC EXPERIENCED A CONSULT FAILURE WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CALL. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN BAD ENOUGH IF IT HAD BEEN A SO-CALLED NORMAL NINE ONE ONE RESPONSE. BUT THE CALL TAKER WAS DIRECT, UH, DIRECTING A RESUSCITATION BY FAMILY MEMBERS. CHRISTINA QUICKLY RECOGNIZED A PROBLEM AND WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE ALL NEEDED INFORMATION HAD BEEN ENTERED IN A UNIT DISPATCHED, THEN TURNED HER ATTENTION TO GETTING THE CONSOLE BACK ONLINE, ALL WHILE THE ORIGINAL MEDIC CONTINUED TO WORK THE CALL. A TRUE EXAMPLE OF HAVING A COOL HEAD USING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND FOCUSING ON THE PROBLEM TO HELP A FELLOW EMPLOYEE ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION. MISSION. THANK YOU. CHRISTINA. DAVID LECLAIR YOU HERE. THERE HE IS. NOW, THIS PARTICULAR CITATION IS UNIQUE IN THAT THE AWARD COMMITTEE SINGLED OUT MR. LECLAIR FOR ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION BEYOND THE UNIT. CITATION PRESENTED SHOULD TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON HAVING SUCH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON A PROGRAM WITH PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON OUTCOMES IN PRE-HOSPITAL CARE. CONGRATULATIONS MR. LECLAIR. ALRIGHTY. THE MCI DISASTER MITIGATION CITATION IS GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF EMPLOYEES DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS IN RESPONDING TO AND RESOLVING A MASS CASUALTY SITUATION OR DISASTER. THIS YEAR WE HAVE TWO INCIDENTS THAT RESULTED IN MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS. THE FIRST HAPPENED ON STATE HIGHWAY ONE 30 ON JANUARY 1ST, 2019. A DENSE FOG MIXED WITH SMOKE CAUSED BY FIREWORKS CREATED CONDITIONS OF ALMOST ZERO VISIBILITY RESULTING IN THE COLLISION. AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY E M S EVALUATED A TOTAL OF 56 PATIENTS. NINE OF THOSE PATIENTS WERE TRANSPORTED AND ONE WAS A REFUSAL. EMPLOYEES INVOLVED INCLUDE JJ BARR, DANIEL BROWN, JOHN COSTANTINO, JC FERGUSON, TYLER GREEN, RACHEL GREEN, ESME HARVEY, KIMBERLY HIGGINS, MICHAEL MASON, WESLEY MOONEY, KINTA, PHILLIPS, VIRGINIA, WRANGLE HERNANDEZ, RUSTY REISINGER, BRIAN RMUS, EDWIN SA RODRIGUEZ, JESSICA SIMMONS TERRACE, SPENCER BRENNAN STUTZMAN, AND JAMES YARBOROUGH. PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. ARE ANY OF THOSE GUYS HERE? GUYS, GUYS, COME ON UP. OH, THERE YOU GO. IF YOU'RE HERE, COME UP [00:30:09] NOW. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2020 AND IN THE AREA OF DELL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, TWO CRANES COLLIDED AND BECAME ENTANGLED. 22 PATIENTS WERE EVALUATED. 16 OF THEM WERE TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL AREA HOSPITALS. THOSE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED ARE RICARDO AGUILAR, SCOTT ANDERSON, ROSE BEAN, DANIEL BROWN, ROSS BUMPUS, TREVOR BURER, BLAKE FOSTER, HECTOR GARCIA, TERESA GARDNER, JONATHAN KOWSKI, VIVIAN MANIAS, DARREN NOAC, LEE NOODLEMAN, DARREN ROGERS, MEGAN ROSSI, CRAIG SMITH, TYLER SMITH, CHRISTUS, DEADMAN, REN, VINA, ANGELA WARES, AND ANDREW WESTBY COMING UP, Y'ALL I'M GONNA HAVE TO, WE MAY HAVE TO LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS WHILE ON THIS. GOOD ON UP. YEAH. ROSS, THIS IS YOU BUDDY. ALRIGHT. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. EITHER, OH, IS THIS ME? HERE WE GO. ROSS IS THAT ONE GOING ON THE EM S CHRISTMAS CARD? , ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF EMS IS THE ACT OF GIVING OF ONESELF. THE HUMANITARIAN CITATION IS A REFLECTION OF AN EVENT OR ACTION OF A PERSONALIZED NATURE THAT REFLECTS POSITIVELY UPON THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE DEPARTMENT. THIS MAY AFFECT A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, FAMILY OR INDIVIDUAL. MELISSA HALL, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME JOIN ME UP HERE. WELL, LEMME TELL YOU ABOUT MELISSA AS A FIELD COMMANDER, MELISSA WAS CITED BY HER CREW AS BEING THE PERSON WHO THEY CAN NOT ONLY COUNT ON FOR BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND MEDICAL SUPPORT, BUT WHO THEY COULD APPROACH WITH ANY PROBLEM. NOW, I CANNOT SUM UP HER NOMINATION BETTER THAN WHAT HER STAFF SAID ABOUT HER, WHICH WAS QUOTE, MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. HAVING SOMEONE TO FALL BACK ON SOMEONE YOU TRUST AND SOMEONE YOU FEEL GENUINELY CARES ABOUT YOU AS AN EMPLOYEE. SO THANK YOU FOR CARING COMMANDER HALL, KATIE LORENZ, KATIE LORENZ. ARE YOU HERE NOW? KATIE TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO FORM AND CHAMPION THE FEMALES IN S OR F E M S PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING. DID I SAY IT WRONG? FEM FEMS. OH, F E M S. SORRY. . I TOLD YOU. YEAH. AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE NAMES. FEMS FEMS PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF WOMEN AND PUBLIC SAFETY. SHE HAS DEVOTED COUNTLESS HOURS TO A NETWORK PROMOTING POSITIVITY, HEALTHY LIVING, AND PHYSICAL FITNESS. KATIE IS CHANGING THE VERY CULTURE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND BOTH HER ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES, AND WE CERTAINLY APPLAUD HER FOR HER EFFORTS. Y'ALL WERE JUST GONNA LAUGH AT ME TOO AND NOT EVEN TELL ME. . ALL RIGHT. UM, NETTA LA FUENTE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. NETTA COMMANDER LA FUENTE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP. SOMEONE WHO HAS EARNED THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF HER STAFF. SHE DOES NOT HESITATE TO GET IN THE TRENCHES, OFFER AN EAR OR A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON IN THE DAILY GRIND OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE A NEVER ENDING CALLS AND REQUEST FOR EXTRA DUTIES. NETTA HAS REMAINED STEADFAST [00:35:01] AS A POINT OF THOSE SECURITY AND DIRECTION, NOT FOR STAFF WHO SURRENDER HER, BUT RATHER THOSE WHO SERVES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION, . ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE THE LIFESAVING CITATION. I KNOW THIS SEEMS IRONIC WHEN THE, UH, MISSION OF EMS IS SAVING LIVES, BUT IT ALSO INDICATES HOW EXTRAORDINARY THE EVENT MUST BE. THIS IS GIVEN AN RECOGNITION OF EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS TAKEN BY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES THAT DIRECTLY RESULT IN SAVING LIFE AND OR KEEPING THE PATIENT FROM HAVING A DETRIMENTAL OUTCOME. THE PATIENT WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THEIR ILLNESS OR INJURY WITHOUT THEIR ACTIONS. IF I COULD HAVE JOHN MILBURN AND KENNY PALES, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SO A FRIEND WHO WAS OUTTA TOWN CONTACTED THE CREW SEEKING ADVICE ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT HIS MOTHER, WHO HE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT, RATHER THAN JUST TELLING HIM TO CALL 9 1 1. AFTER CONSULTING WITH THEIR SUPERVISOR, THEY INITIATED A RESPONSE THROUGH EMS COMMUNICATIONS, AND AFTER FORCING ENTRY INTO THE RESIDENCE, FOUND THE ELDERLY MOTHER VERY MUCH IN NEED OF MEDICAL CARE AND TRANSPORT. THE FAMILY FULLY CREDITS JOHN AND KENNY FOR SAVING HER LIFE. AND WE STAND THANKFUL THAT IN A WORLD OF OVER 400 EMS CALLS A DAY, THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO CREATE ONE MORE. IF I COULD HAVE ANDREW HEWITT COME TO THE PODIUM IN THE WORLD OF CHAOS, THAT IS EMS, HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHOSE ACTIONS MAKE THEM STAND APART? WELL, IN THIS INSTANCE, IT'S JUDGMENT FROM YOUR PEERS, THOSE WHO WERE THERE AND ARE ABLE TO SAY HE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HIS CALL. NOW, WHILE PART OF A JOINT RESCUE TASK FORCE IN SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, HE WAS SUDDENLY FACED WITH THREE VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE, ALL WITH LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. THIS SITUATION WAS MADE WORSE BY BLOCKED STREETS AND ONE PATIENT WHO WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE DESPITE THEIR WOUNDS. THROUGH IT ALL, HIS CALM DEMEANOR WAS NOTED BY OTHERS WHO CREDITED HIS COMMAND SKILLS AS BEING INSTRUMENTAL IN SAVING ALL THREE PATIENTS. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT GUY THAT DOES IT FOR ME. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR HAVING ME. I BELIEVE I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO, UH, TOLU CRITS HERE FOR THE REST OF THEM. ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, JUST BRIEFLY BEFORE I MOVE ON WITH THE PRESENTATION, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OTHER, UH, DISTINGUISHED GUEST THAT WAS HERE WITH US, UH, TONIGHT OR THIS AFTERNOON. AND THAT'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ZO CADRE, UH, AND LET ME THANK HIM VERY MUCH FOR HIS SUPPORT. OKAY. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE AWARD PRESENTATION, I WANNA MAKE, TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AN EMPLOYEE FROM ONE OF OUR FELLOW PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES. FIREFIGHTER KEVIN CARLO WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF REINVIGORATING OUR EFFORT TO TEACH STOP THE BLEED CLASSES AROUND OUR COMMUNITY. FOLLOWING THE ATTACK AT THE Q NIGHTCLUB IN COLORADO SPRINGS FIREFIGHTER CARRO, ALONG WITH CAPTAIN SHANNON KUSTER AND FIELD TRAINING OFFICER COURTNEY MYERS SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE OUTREACH IN OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITIES WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF BEING TARGETED IN AN ACTIVE ATTACK SUCH AS THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS BUSINESSES IN THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. TOGETHER, THE GROUP SOUGHT OUT ASSISTANCE FROM CAT RACK, AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM. TO DATE, THEY HAVE HELD FIVE STOP THE BLEED COURSES AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE MANY MORE PLANNED. WHAT IS ESPECIALLY COMMENDABLE IS THAT FIREFIGHTER COROLLA HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS PREPARING FOR CLASSES, ENGAGING IN OUTREACH TO GET THE WORD OUT, AND TEACHING CLASSES ALL ON HIS OWN TIME. FIREFIGHTER CARLO BELIEVES SO STRONGLY IN THE MISSION THAT HE HAS BEEN WILLING TO PUT IN A CREDIBLE AMOUNTS OF EFFORT AND TIME COMPLETELY VOLUNTARILY. WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE PARTNERS LIKE FIREFIGHTER CARO AND I CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT HE'S DONE. [00:40:08] ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO THE AWARDS DEPARTMENT. AWARDS ARE USED BY AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT WEREN'T RECOGNITION AND HONORED BY DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC. THEY'RE ALSO USED TO RECOGNIZE EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE BY INDIVIDUALS AND UNITS RELATED TO EITHER SPECIFIC EVENTS OR LONG-TERM PAT PATTERNS OF PERFORMANCE. THE RANDY TRINKLE PERSEVERANCE AWARD GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT ONLY DEDICATED AND COMMITTED, BUT WHO SELFLESSLY AND GRACIOUSLY MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WITH HONOR, DIGNITY, COMPASSION, AND PROFESSIONALISM WHILE MAINTAINING HIGH STANDARDS. ANDREW HEWITT, CAN YOU JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM? ANDREW RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE LOSING PATIENCE PRIOR TO EMS ARRIVAL DUE TO A LACK OF BASIC TRAINING IN TREATING TRAUMATIC INJURIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE SUFFERING ACUTE BLOOD LOSS. USING THEORIES AND TECHNIQUES FROM THE TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE CURRICULUM, CAPTAIN HEWITT BEGAN EDUCATING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN PROVIDING LIFESAVING CARE WORD QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGH THE REGION, THAT BY THE END OF 2018, HE HAD LITERALLY TRAINED HUNDREDS. HIS REPUTATION BECAME SUCH THAT HE WAS ASKED TO AUDIT THE NEW ACTIVE ATTACK INTER-AGENCY RESPONSE COURSE, AND HE HELPED TO MODIFY IT INTO THE MULTI-AGENCY INITIATIVE THAT WE KNOW TODAY. THE SUCCESS WAS NOTED BY THE FBI, WHO IN TURN CREATED A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM CALLED THE ADVANCED LAW ENFORCEMENT RAPID RESPONSE TRAINING COURSE. BUT THE STORY BY NO MEAN ENDS HERE, ANDREW IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OUR LOCAL CASMED AND RESCUE TASK FORCE. IN THE INFAMOUS EVENTS OF 2020, THERE WERE 11 GUNSHOT WOUND, UH, PATIENTS. ANDREW'S TEAM WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH RESULTED IN A 100% SURVIVAL RATE AMONG THE VICTIMS. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, CRAIG FAIR. BROTHER, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD. WOO. RIGHT NOW YOU'RE LOOKING HERE AT ONE OF THE FATHERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM, WHICH REALLY STARTED AS A PILOT TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF ASSISTING THOSE PERSONS IN NEED, WHICH DID NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE A 9 1 1 RESOURCE. MOST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD NO OTHER RESOURCES AT THE TIME AND HAD LITERALLY FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS IN TERMS OF EITHER PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTHCARE. CRAIG'S DEDICATION TO THE MISSION COMBINED WITH HIS SEEMINGLY ENDLESS PATIENTS TOWARD THE PILOT PROGRAM INTO A DEPARTMENTAL NECESSITY AND HAS SAVED COUNTLESS HOURS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING MORE APPROPRIATE CARE. THIS EFFORT EVOLVED INTO OUR COVERAGE FOR AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, WHICH IS NOW MIRRORED IN OTHER REGIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CRAIG IS ALSO KNOWN IN HIS ROLE IN THE COMMUNICATIONS C4 RESPONSE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS TASKED WITH COVID 19 SCREENING AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC. HE'S WELL KNOWN FOR BOTH HIS BOTTOMLESS POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AS WE ALL KNOW, HIS COMPASSION AS WE ALL KNOW, AND FOR GIVING THE BEST HUG IN THE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CRAIG. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. COWBOYS. HUH? THE MICHAEL BECKER HUMANITARIAN AWARD IS GIVEN TO RECOGNIZE THE SELFLESS ACTS OF AN EMPLOYEE WHO VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT, I'M SORRY, THE, THE RECIPIENT FOR THIS YEAR'S, UH, CEREMONY IS CLINICAL SPECIALIST ARISTA LEWIN. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME IF YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE [00:45:01] THE CRISIS FACING HOMELESS, UH, PERSON'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, AND MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE NATION. ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WAS ADAPTED BY THE CITY WAS THE COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE. IT PROVED SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT DEMAND EXCEEDED GROWTH, AND IT RAPIDLY BECAME A TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD INTO ITSELF. BUT WITH THE EXPANSION COMES NEED, AND IN THE SPRING OF 2019, ARISTA PRESENTED THE IDEA OF A MEDICAL STAFF FOR THE VILLAGE. SHE WANTED TO CREATE A PROCESS WHERE EVERY NEW RESIDENT WOULD BE SEEN AND EVALUATED BY HER TO TRIAGE THEIR NEEDS, A PROCESS THAT WOULD CONNECT THEM TO PREVENTATIVE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE COACH INDIVIDUALS TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE AND BE LESS RELIANT ON EMERGENCY SERVICES. IN OUR FIRST SIX MONTHS, CALL VOLUME TO THE VILLAGE DECREASED BY 40%, AND THIS WAS WITH HER WORKING PART-TIME AT THE VILLAGE. THESE, THESE EFFORTS TRULY DEFINE THE NATURE OF THE AWARD, AND WE STAND HUMBLED BY HER EFFORTS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THE OUTSTANDING UNIT AWARD IS GIVEN TO ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS WHICH HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES BY EXCEPTIONALLY MERITORIOUS SERVICE OR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT THAT CLEARLY SHOWS IN THE TEAM'S PERFORMANCE, PRODUCTS, OR INNOVATIVE APPROACH. BEAR WITH ME AS THIS, AS THIS IS A LARGE GROUP. IF I COULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS JOIN US. CARRIE SINNA, DAN CUMMINGS, BO DURHAM, CRAIG FAIRBROTHER, RILEY FLANAGAN, BRIAN GREEN, RODNEY HAYNES, MATT HIGGINS, GREG HANK N LA FUENTE, CHRIS LESTER, NANCY MUNSON, LORETTA MOONEY, KEVIN PARKER, SIMON POWELL EVANS, MIKE SASSER, RICH SCHNEIDER, DOUG SCHULTZ, ANDRE THOMPSON, KATIE THORNHILL, JOSH TODD, CASEY TRUO, RYAN WALTERS, GABE WEBER, STEVE WHITE, AND LIZ YANKER. PLEASE JOIN ME WHILE THEY'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER. THE COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER, OR C4, INITIALLY STARTED AS A ROUGH IDEA TO ASSIST 9 1 1 WITH COVID. 19 SCREENINGS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC IMPROVED ITS MERITS VERY EARLY BY INTRODUCING A TRIAGE PROCESS TO BETTER DIRECT INDIVIDUALS TO MORE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES, RATHER THAN FLOODING OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOMS. SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS EVOLVED INTO A SYSTEM NECESSITY SINCE JULY OF 2021. THE C FOUR TEAM HAS HANDLED OVER 8,700 PATIENTS, INCLUDING OVER 4,500 IN 2022 ALONE, WITH ALMOST HALF SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED WITHOUT THE USE OF AN AMBULANCE. THE PROGRAM HAS COORDINATED TELEHEALTH, VISITS, TREATMENT IN PLACE, TRANSPORT TO CLINICS, HOSPICE, ENROLLMENT, INPATIENT REHAB, AND A MYRIAD OF OTHER RESOURCES. DURING OUR UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER EVENTS, C4 WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN COORDINATING SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS. AND DURING ICING OF ROADWAYS WHERE THE LIFELINE, UH, DURING AND DURING ICING OF ROADWAYS WERE THE LIFELINE FOR DIALYSIS PATIENTS AND PROVIDED ALMOST 100 OXYGEN BOTTLES TO RESIDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY WHO WERE DEPENDENT ON THEM. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ADEQUATELY MEASURE HOW MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED, PEOPLE THEY HAVE HELPED, AND AMBULANCES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP IN SERVICE FOR OTHERS WITH, WITH MORE SIGNIFICANT EMERGENCIES. THEY REALLY ARE THE FUTURE OF PRE-HOSPITAL CARE AND AS A COMMUNITY, THEY DESERVE OUR THANKS. WHILE THEY'RE ALL GETTING HERE, I'M AGAIN GONNA SAY SOMETHING. THIS IS THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY, IS THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS AND THE INNOVATION THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH EVERYONE HERE AT AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, AND THE GREAT WORK OF THIS TEAM IN ORDER TO HELP US APPROACH A RAPIDLY GROWING COMMUNITY, UM, IS JUST ABSOLUTELY ON THE CUTTING EDGE. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HOW MANY PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. UM, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE RIGHT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. SO THANK YOU. GOOD. WELL DONE POST SILLY ONE. THANK YOU. [00:50:02] THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD IS GIVEN FOR AN EVENT OR ACTION OF PARTICULAR COMMENDABLE SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH REFLECTS POSITIVELY UPON THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE DEPARTMENT COULD CAPTAIN JEREMY DAVIS JOIN ME. EMS IS OFTEN ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED, THE UNANTICIPATED, THIS CALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE A THOUSAND OTHER TRAFFIC INJURIES FOR CAPTAIN CAPTAIN DAVIS, BUT HE SAW SOMETHING THAT NO ONE ELSE DID AS THEY ARRIVED. UNBELIEVABLY, AN INDIVIDUAL, ALTHOUGH INJURED, THOUGH INJURED WAS OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO SCALE AN EMBANKMENT IN AN EFFORT TO THROW HIMSELF OFF THE BRIDGE. WITHOUT HESITATION, HE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED HIS UNIT, JUMPED OUT AND GRABBED THE PATIENT WHO MIGHT HAVE EASILY PULLED CAPTAIN DAVIS OVER WITH HIM PREVENTING FURTHER HARM OR PROBABLE DEATH. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE TEACH OR THAT YOU CAN TRAIN FOR. WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE A SPLIT SECOND TO DECIDE YOUR COURSE OF ACTION, EVEN IF IT MAY RESULT IN YOUR OWN INJURY. JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING HIS QUICK THINKING AND SELFLESS ACT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IF I COULD HAVE RYAN WALTERS AND DYLAN KINGSBURY JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM. THIS IS ANOTHER INJURY PREVENTION, WHICH SEEMS MORE LIKE A TELEVISION DRAMA THAN REAL LIFE. A MALE WAS THREATENING SUICIDE BY JUMPING OFF A 30 FOOT BRIDGE. I'M NOT SURE HOW THE EFFORT WAS PLANNED BETWEEN THEM, BUT USING BYSTANDERS AND THE POLICE TO HELP HIDE THEIR INTENTION, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO PHYSICALLY LUNGE AND GRAB THE PATIENT, PINNING HIM AGAINST THE RAIL UNTIL OTHERS QUICKLY MOVED IN. I'M TOLD THAT THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE IS QUITE AMAZING. AS ARE THE TWO OF YOU. WE STAND IN ALL OF THAT EFFORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD JOB, GUYS. ALL RIGHT. LUIS AMAR AND TYLER SMITH. COULD YOU JOIN ME IF YOU'RE HERE? ALL RIGHT. THE ROUTE TO A LOW PRIORITY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT HAD THE CREW GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHERE THEY NOTICED A LANE BLOCKED BY A POLICE OFFICER CONDUCTING IT APPEARED TO BE A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP. THAT IS UNTIL THE VI VIOLATOR PULLED A WEAPON, FORCING THE OFFICER TO DO THE SAME, AND LITERALLY TRAPPING THE CREW IN PLACE. LUIS AND TYLER THEN SURPRISED ALL BY CALMLY INFORMING COMMUNICATIONS OF THEIR PREDICAMENT AND THE IN INABILITY TO CONTINUE ON THE ASSIGNED CALL. THE SHOOTER THEN RAN TOWARDS A NEARBY GAS STATION, AND THE CREW WAS THEN CONFRONTED BY THE OFFICER ASKING IF THEY WOULD WATCH HIS UNIT, WHICH CONTAINED A PRISONER FROM THE STOP WHILE HE RETRIEVED HIS RIFLE. TO FURTHER PURSUE THE ARMED TO DANGEROUS SUSPECT, ADDITIONAL GUNFIRE WAS EXCHANGED, RESULTING IN A CRITICALLY INJURED CRIMINAL WITH A ASSISTED RESTRAINING AT THE REQUEST OF THE OFFICER BEFORE STARTING TREATMENT. ULTIMATELY, THEY ENDED UP TRANSPORTING CODE THREE TO A TRAUMA CENTER, LEAVING EVERYONE INVOLVED IN AWE WITH BOTH THEIR CALMNESS AND FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND. I AM FIRST AND FOREMOST THANKFUL THAT THEY WERE NOT INJURED, GIVEN THE EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE MEDICS IN OUR SYSTEM, SUCH AS THEY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. CAN I HAVE KENNY PAS RETURN TO THE PODIUM? YES. THIS IS YET ANOTHER ALL TWO SIDE OCCURRENCE OF A PATIENT EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS COMBINED BY BOTH THEIR YOUTH AND STATUS. AS A STUDENT AT A PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY, KENNY WAS THE POINT PERSON IN TRYING TO TALK HER OFF THE TOP LEDGE OF A PARKING GARAGE, BUT SHE WOULD REPEATEDLY LET GO BEFORE GRABBING THE EDGE OVER AND OVER. THE KEY HERE WAS TO BE CALM, NON-JUDGMENTAL, NON-THREATENING, BUT MOST OF ALL PATIENT. WHEN SHE FINALLY TURNED HER BACK TO HIM AND MADE THE SPLIT SI, HE MADE THE SPLIT DECISION SPLIT SECOND DECISION TO GRAB HER, PULLING HER OFF THE LEDGE INTO THE FLOOR. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS WAS A GREAT RISK TO HIMSELF AS HE COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CARRIED, BEEN CARRIED OVER WITH HER TO THE STREET BELOW. IN THESE CASES, YOU HAVE [00:55:01] TO ASK YOURSELF, HOW FAR AM I WILLING TO GO? MR. PALES CLEARLY SHOWED US THIS DECISION, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THE WOMAN IS ALL RIGHT. IT'S GOTTEN THE CARE SHE'S NEEDED, AND I AM THANKFUL THAT SHE WAS TREATED BY YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD IS GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WHO CONSISTENTLY OVER TIME, DEMONSTRATE AND DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OR DEPARTMENT. THAT IN TURN REFLECTS POSITIVELY ON THE EMPLOYEE AND THE DEPARTMENT. MR. CRAIG FAIRBROTHER, WOULD YOU PLEASE GRACE US WITH YOUR PRESENCE? ONE MORE TIME. , THIS PRESENTATION IS ALSO A REFLECTION OF A LONG AND PRESTIGIOUS CAREER, BUT NOT JUST WITH OUR ORGANIZATION. CRAIG FIRST SERVED WITH HONOR FOR THE US NAVY, THEN WITH THE FEDERAL FIRE ACADEMY DURING HIS TENURE WITH AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. HE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL TO THE PEER SUPPORT GROUP, OUR INTERNAL SUPPORT NETWORK FOR EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY'RE TROUBLED. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM, ROUTINELY GOING OVER CLIFFS. NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO, WANTED TO, OR JUMPING INTO WATER. MOST WOULD AVOID AT ALL COSTS. YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT HIS ROLE IN COMMUNITY HEALTH, BUT HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HONOR FLIGHT PROGRAM, WHICH FACILITATES OUR ELDERLY VETERANS TRAVELING TO WASHINGTON. AND FINALLY, HE CROSS-TRAINING COMMUNICATIONS. SO WHAT HASN'T HE DONE? . I'M READING THE SCRIPT HERE. FRANKLY, MY FRANKLY, MY JOB, BUT I WOULD NOT PUT IT PAST HIM SOMEDAY. , THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . THANKS. ALL RIGHT. THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD IS NOT OFTEN PRESENTED. IT IS INTENDED TO RECOGNIZE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OR SPECIAL EFFORTS SIGNIFICANTLY BEYOND REGULAR DUTY REQUIREMENTS AND DIRECTLY RELATED TO FULFILLING THE E M S MISSION. THE SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS AWARD MAY IN MAY BE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP NOMINATIONS, AND MAY NOT BE AWARDED EVERY YEAR. RECIPIENTS MAY RECEIVE THIS AWARD NOT ONLY WITH FOR THEIR ACTIONS, BUT ALSO OR PERFORMANCES OR PAST EXPECTATIONS UNDER NORMAL, UH, I'M SORRY. UNDER EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. IF I COULD HAVE ROBERT ANDERSON, KATHLEEN ANDRE LASHONDA, BRADFORD, SHANNA BROSTROM, AND COLBY MOCKLER. PLEASE JOIN ME. THANK YOU. ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF LEADERSHIP IS MEETING THE MISSION. IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY, OUR SCHEDULING TEAM IS TASKED WITH MANAGING OUR NUMEROUS SHIFTS, HUNDREDS OF STAFFED PAYROLL, COUNTLESS EMAILS, AND ARE TRULY THE UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR, OF OUR OPERATIONS. I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT IT NEVER ENDS EACH AND EVERY DAY. WE DEPEND ON THEM TO KEEP OUR AMBULANCES STAFFED. OVER THESE YEARS, THESE PAST VERY STRENUOUS YEARS, WE HAVE FACED WITH CHALLENGES THAT WOULD MAKE MOST WEEP. WE SUFFERED A MAJOR CRASH IN, IN OUR SCHEDULING SOFTWARE IN 2021, FORCING A PAPER BACKUP SYSTEM. DURING THE SAME YEAR, THE WINTER STORM KNOCKED OUT OUR POWER, AND THEY HAD TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP THEIR COMPUTERS CHARGED SOMEHOW TO KEEP AMBULANCES STAFFED. ADD ON TOP OF THAT, A STAFF SHORTAGE WAS NECESSITATED SOME WORKING 16 HOURS OR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND, AND YET SOMEHOW IT WAS ALL ACCOMPLISHED. THE TRUE THE TEAM TRULY EPITOMIZED THAT FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION, AND WE STILL, WE ALL STAND HUMBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU, [01:00:19] CONGRAT. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. OUR FINAL AWARD THIS AFTERNOON IS CIVIC RECOGNITION. CIVIC RECOGNITION AWARD IS GIVEN FOR THOSE ACTIONS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE UNITED STATES, OR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. DANIEL OWENS, COULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE POEM PODIUM? DANIEL HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE AUSTIN EMS ASSOCIATION AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS EMS PROFESSIONALS. AND AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, DAN HAS SPENT MORE THAN SIX YEARS WORKING TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PARAMEDICINE IN TEXAS WITHIN HIS COMMUNITY WORKPLACE, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE ON HIS DAYS OFF. DAN OWEN OWENS REMAINS INVESTED IN HIS COMMUNITY. AS AN EXAMPLE, DURING THE RECENT PROTEST IN AUSTIN, FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, RATHER THAN TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PROTESTORS BASED ON WHAT HE SAW ON TV, DAN WALKED THROUGH THE PROTEST A COUPLE OF TIMES TO SIMPLY ENGAGE WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND LEARN A BETTER PERSPECTIVE. YOU WOULD'VE, YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A MEDIC AT AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, TO SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT. DAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MM-HMM. . OKAY, I THINK, ARE WE DONE? NOT DONE YET. I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE. YES, WE DO. WE HAVE ONE MORE. WE HAVE ONE MORE, UH, RECOGNITION TO DO HERE TODAY. COULD MELISSA WARREN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE, COME ON UP. WE COULDN'T WRITE A SCRIPT FOR THIS BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONE THAT HELPED US WITH THE SCRIPT. SO I, THIS ONE I HAVE TO DO OFF THE CUFF, BUT, UM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH. I WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ORGANIZATION. WE'RE NOT FROM MELISSA, UH, TO BE SO WELCOMING AND KIND TO ME AND HELPING ME, UH, GET MY FEET UNDER ME AND HELPING ME PREVENT, KEEPING ME FROM MAKING SOME REALLY BIG MISTAKES IN MY FIRST FEW MONTHS HERE. UM, THERE'S NO ONE MORE THAT HAS HELPED ME OUT AND HAS HELPED THE EXECUTIVE TEAM OUT MORE, UM, THAN MELISSA. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HERE, WE'RE RECOGNIZING YOU WITH YOUR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. . THANK YOU, MELISSA. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. ALL RIGHT. AS WE BRING THIS PROGRAM TO THE CLOSE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO THIS, UH, CEREMONY. FRANK U VIVIAN HOLMES, LISA SEPULVEDA, MELISSA WARREN SPENT MANY, MANY LONG DAYS, COUNTLESS HOURS, GETTING EVERYTHING PUT TOGETHER, EVERY PICTURE, EVERY VIDEO, EVERY AWARD, EVERY FRAME. ALL OF IT WAS THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK, THE PRECISION, THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, AND OF COURSE, THE GENUINE LOVE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ORGANIZATION. IT'S BEEN REFLECTED IN WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE TODAY. PLEASE JOIN ME WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. OF COURSE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE AWARDS COMMITTEE, MELISSA HALL, ROSS COPELAND, PATRICK SWIFT, RILEY FLANAGAN, JONATHAN KALINOWSKI, JOHN DONAHOE, CRAIG FAIRBROTHER, RICHARD MURRAY, LINDSEY RUTLEDGE, TYLER GREEN, AND MELISSA WARREN FOR WORKING TO PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER. AND LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I RECOGNIZE, UH, A SPECIAL GUEST THAT WHO'S JOINING US HERE TONIGHT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE RETIRED EMS CHIEF ERNIE, ERNIE RODRIGUEZ. WHAT'S THAT? THANK YOU. I COULDN'T SEE HIM. THERE HE IS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE. WHAT WE SAW HERE TONIGHT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. AS I, AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE AWARDS AND WE LISTEN TO ALL OF THE GREAT WORK [01:05:01] THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY, UM, IT'S JUST A REMINDER FOR ALL OF US, THE GREAT WORK, UM, AND THE GREAT EFFORTS THAT THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS COMMUNITY DOES AND PROVIDES TO THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY. UM, THIS COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY BLESSED TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY, UM, AND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU OUT ON THE FIELD EVERY DAY. UM, THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE, A CUTTING EDGE ORGANIZATION THAT IS TRULY SETTING THE STANDARD FOR EMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UM, WE ARE BEING WATCHED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE FOLKS WATCHING US RIGHT NOW FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. WHAT WE DO IS WATCHED. WE ARE SETTING TRENDS HERE, AND THE ONLY WAY WE DO THAT IS THROUGH THE GREAT WORK AND EFFORT THAT YOU ALL, THAT YOU ALL DO EACH AND EVERY DAY, YOUR IDEAS THAT YOU BRING FORWARD, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CHALLENGE US, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND SAY, WE CAN DO THIS DIFFERENTLY, IS WHAT HAS MADE US ABSOLUTELY SO SUCCESSFUL. YOU COUPLE THAT WITH AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS US EACH AND EVERY DAY THROUGH OUR CITY MANAGEMENT, THROUGH OUR, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, AND ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL ORGANIZATION. I AM SO PROUD TO BE YOUR CHIEF. I AM SO PROUD TO SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU OUT THERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING. UM, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT FOLLOWING THIS, THERE WILL BE A RECEPTION AT THE INDEPENDENT 3 0 1 WEST. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT HERE? THIRD, THIRD, THIRD, THIRD, WEST AVENUE. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN US FOR, UH, SOME REFRESHMENTS AFTER THIS. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK, THAT'S IT. WHERE'S KENNY? * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.