LAKE CHELAN HEALTH EMS RECEIVES REGIONAL EMS AWARDS AND ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO BE PREPARED TO SAVE A LIFE
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers from a variety of EMS agencies gathered at Wenatchee Valley Fire Station #4 (WVF) in East Wenatchee, WA, for the annual EMS awards presentation on Friday May 29, 2026. The Greater Wenatchee EMS (GWEMS) Council and Dr. Lance Jobe, EMS Medical Director for Chelan and Douglas Counties, presented the awards.
Emergency response members received excellence awards in recognition of their superior patient care skills, being effective advocates for patients and their families,
working with peers to foster a positive work environment, and demonstrating professional interactions with patients, their families, and other medical professionals.
Cendie Dietrich, an Emergency Medical Technician with Lake Chelan Health (LCH) EMS, was awarded the 2025 EMT of the Year Award for her profound clinical excellence, superior patient care, patient and family advocacy, collaboration with peers to foster a positive work environment, and professionalism in interacting with patients, their families, and other medical professionals. (photo: Cendie Dietrich)
In the EMS agency category awards presentations, Lake Chelan Health EMS received the 2025 Best CPR by an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Agency award. LCH EMS outperformed all other ALS EMS agencies in Chelan and Douglas Counties during High-Performance CPR skills testing, completed by the GWEMS Council’s Quality Improvement Officer, for both team and individual performance.
The GWEMS Council also recognized EMS providers with the Lifesaving Award for their contribution to saving the life of a patient who experienced an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in 2025. LCH EMS members Megan Nelson, Celeste McTaggart, Brian Slater, Tanner Long, Linda Nunez, and Chelan County Fire District #7 members Sam Belsky and Tyler Rice received the Lifesaving Award.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 300,000 OHCA events occur each year in the United States. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating, and death quickly follows if a normal heartbeat is not established within minutes.
left photo: L/R: Eddie Shilaita, Jacob Moore, Ray Eickmeyer, Olivia Smoke, Nina Ravenstein, Doug Pinski, Cendie Dietrich.
right photo: Eddie Shilaita, Jacob Moore, Cendie Dietrich, Olivia Smoke, Nina Ravenstein, Austin Diamond, Doug Pinski.
In the first few minutes following OHCA, swift implementation of five critical actions, known as the “chain of survival,” can substantially increase the chance of survival. The five critical actions are:
- Early or rapid activation of EMS by calling 911,
- Early initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),
- Early defibrillation, or application and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED),
- Early access to advanced life support by EMS providers, and
- Early post-resuscitative care.
The first two can be initiated by anyone, as can the third if an AED is available.
Survival rates vary widely across the United States. The likelihood of surviving an OHCA is about 10%, according to the American Heart Association. In 2011, EMS agencies throughout Chelan and most of Douglas Counties instituted a new approach to resuscitation, which utilizes a precisely choreographed method to minimize interruptions in compressions while emphasizing the importance of the basic concepts of chest compressions. We believe this has significantly improved survival from cardiac arrest in Chelan and Douglas Counties. This approach is most effective when at least 6–10 EMTs can respond to a cardiac arrest 911 call.
To improve survival for patients suffering cardiac arrest, Lake Chelan Health EMS is encouraging everyone living or working in Chelan and Douglas Counties to learn how to perform CPR by the end of the year. Additionally, early defibrillation through the application and use of an AED is another critical link in the chain of survival. Lake Chelan Health EMS encourages larger businesses to consider purchasing an AED that could be used to help save the life of someone suffering from an OHCA.
For CPR and AED training classes, or to learn about the Public Access Defibrillation program, including how to register or obtain medical oversight for an AED, contact Lake Chelan Health EMS at cpr@lcch.net or visit LakeChelanHealth.org
For more information, contact.
Ray Eickmeyer, Director of LCH EMS
509-670-2441 • reickmeyer@lcch.net
LakeChelanHealth.org