A team of American professionals is in Anguilla for a week-long training of Medical, Health and Emergency Medical Technicians, and other personnel, in the Health Authority in various areas of work at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The visiting Physicians, Emergency Medical Technicians and other medical and health personnel are from the World-wide International Emergency Medical Services/Howard University Hospital Outreach Programme. The team is led by the President, Mrs Doreen Gumbs-Vines, a Chief EMT Officer and Paramedic in Washington DC. who is originally from French Quarter, St Martin, with family connections in Anguilla; and her husband, Mr James Vines Jr. Chief Operating Officer.
“This team originated from a vision shared by Steve MacDowell, a paramedic and one of the supervisors in the Ambulance Department at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, and me,” Mrs Gumbs-Vines told The Anguillian on Tuesday. “We actually met at an international conference in St Martin which was another of my visions.” She said arrangements for the training were made with Dr Kennedy Simmonds, the former Director of Medical Services, and Mrs Meridith Gumbs who at the time was in charge of Human Resources.
The training covers basic and advanced cardiac life support or CPR; EMT re-certification; paediatric advanced life support, neonatal resuscitation and other related services.
Mrs Gumbs-Vines, who is a national registered paramedic in the United States, expressed much appreciation for the level of medical and health services on the island. “I can say that in terms of wanting to be in the forefront, Anguilla may be a small island but it has done some big things in terms of keeping ahead with the medical component, and we are here to give our support for Anguilla to do that,” she said. “I have learnt over the years that if you have a legacy to leave behind, let it be something that you know you can help somebody with. That is pretty much my motto. There are twelve of us in the team. We made arrangements to come to Anguilla and the team includes nurses, physicians, paramedics and individuals who are qualified to do this type of training. They have come ready, willing and respectful of where they are.” According to her, the visiting team has over a hundred years of experience together.
She stressed that while paying attention to all of the advanced technologies, there was a need to concentrate on the basics without which “the advanced training means nothing.” Mrs Gumbs-Vines added that she and the rest of the team were delighted to be of service in Anguilla with which she has much family affiliation.
In addition to Mr and Mrs Vines, the visiting team includes Dr Wendell Jones, Chief Medical Officer at VA Hospital in Dallas, Texas; Dr Norman Rice, Chief Anaesthesiologist also in Dallas, Texas; Mr Robert Powell a former EMT Coordinator in the Department of Health in Washington, DC; Mr Arthwin Bradley, a Paramedic Instructor at the US Pentagon; Mr Larry Dury, a Neonatal Resuscitation Programme Instructor; and Nkechi Ileka, Director Nursing, both at Laurel Regional Hospital in Michigan.
