New EMS captain pushes for CPR education at Great Valley High

EAST WHITELAND >> If Quintin Lotz, newly elected EMS captain of East Whiteland Volunteer Fire Association, gets his wish, the life-saving techniques of cardiac pulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillation will be incorporated into the curriculum of Great Valley Area High School.

“I’ll be more than happy to make a presentation to the faculty as to why it’s important for students to learn these skills,” said Lotz. “Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age and any place; it can happen in a classroom; it can happen to a friend outside of the classroom; it can happen to a parent at home. Cardiac emergencies don’t discriminate. What’s important is knowing what to do when an emergency occurs and, by knowing, possibly saving a friend or relative’s life.”

Adding a course in CPR and other life-saving techniques is just one of the objectives that the newly elected EMS officer has in

mind for East Whiteland ambulance in the months ahead.

It’s been two years since the East Whiteland Fire Co. moved into its new state-of-the-art facility on Conestoga Road. The previous building on Planebrook Road lacked space for emergency service personnel to train and practice their skills. As a result, firefighters and EMS personnel often trained at the same time.

This meant much of the training was generic, applicable to both firefighters and EMTs. “That meant we couldn’t do a lot of specialized training – just for EMS members,” Lotz continued. “With the new fire station, there’s plenty of room for firefighters and EMS personnel to train separately, which means “ambulance personnel can now train by ourselves in either

the ambulance bay or in the training room and we can target subjects that are specific for EMTs. For example, each Monday night, which is drill night, could focus on a specific activity, such as learning CPR, bandaging and splinting, performing different EMS scenarios, and learning about the different types of pediatric emergencies.”

Although he is only 21, Lutz already has a lot on his plate. As EMS captain, he puts in over 30 hours of volunteer time at EastWhiteland performing routine operations, overseeing ambulance maintenance, ensuring that the ambulances are well stocked with medical supplies, and filling out medical reports and billing. If that weren’t enough, Lotz works fulltime as a firefighter and EMT at Tinicum Township Fire Department in Delaware County and part time at Aston Township Fire Department and Good Fellowship Ambulance in West Chester.

GIL COHEN — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Quintin Lotz is the newly elected EMS captain of East Whiteland Volunteer Fire Association.