Illinois Department of Public Health Recognizes the Village of Barrington Fire Department for Excellence in Pediatric Care

Ron W. Lee, M.D. Pediatric Care Award – Community Service
 
SPRINGFIELD– The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program are honoring the Village of Barrington Fire Department with a special pediatric Community Service Award for its contributions to childhood care.  The Ron W. Lee, M.D. – Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are given annually by IDPH and EMSC to recognize those dedicated to pediatric emergency care and childhood injury prevention initiatives.  Individuals or organizations can be nominated in one of three award categories - Lifetime Achievement, Clinical Excellence, and Community Service.
 
“The Village of Barrington Fire Department has been a great partner to Barrington Community Unit School District 220 and the students it serves,” said IDPH Acting Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.  “The fire department has helped schools with safety drills, trained school faculty on emergency response, and is a member of the School Safety and Security Committee.  For its continued engagement with students and staff,  I am happy to award the Village of Barrington Fire Department with the Ron W. Lee, M.D. - Excellence in Pediatric Care Community Service Award.”
 
“Members of the Barrington Fire Department consistently go above and beyond the scope of normal duties for our students and staff in the Barrington Schools,” said Dr. Craig Winkelman, Assistant Superintendent of Operations and K-12 Schools.  “In addition to providing excellent emergency medical care on a daily basis for our children in grades K-12, the Fire Department has truly partnered with our School District to expand our training and improve instruction and services in a variety of areas.”
 
The Village of Barrington Fire Department has assisted schools with weather and safety drills that have reached more than 9,000 students in eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school.  Fire department members also participated in creating a public service announcement that supported a community-wide Safety Week program.
  
While the school district conducted drills on how to respond during a crisis/active shooter situation,  the fire department taught more than 500 teachers and staff how to provide emergency first aid bleeding control in the event of an injured student or staff.  Fire department members provided hands-on instruction for using emergency medical supplies to apply dressings and tourniquets to control bleeding until professional help arrives.
 
Working with the local Rotary Club, the Village of Barrington Fire Department was able to secure a donation to pay for emergency first aid kits for classrooms throughout the school district.
 
The Ron W. Lee, M.D. Excellence in Pediatric Care awards are presented each May.  Dr. Lee was the medical director for the Division of Emergency Medical Services and Highway Safety at IDPH, as well as the director of emergency medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing and fostering the EMSC program in Illinois.  He passed away in 1998.
 
The Illinois EMSC program is currently a collaborative effort between IDPH and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.  It was established in 1994 to ensure the emergency medical care needs of children are adequately addressed.