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By Galen C. McBride
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
What does a vivacious second grade teacher have in common with such folk as the county animal warden, a man of the cloth, and six spirited teenagers? Like other members of the Sperryville Rescue Squad who hail from all walks of life, these people share a passion for medical rescue work and wholehearted commitment to their community.
Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Captain Geraldine Payne runs her organization like any other business. It’s customer-oriented, goal-driven, and, with its emphasis on mentoring and teamwork, has its own recognitibn-and-incentive plan. ; Said Payne with justifiable pride, “Years ago, the only qualifications for ambulance crews were a driver’s license, muscular strength, and general good health. All that has changed. (Throughout the country), that crew has been replaced by highly trained emergency medical technicians who provide care on the scene and serve as the eyes and ears of the physician.” ; Payne and her squad, along with other volunteer squads in the county, want to increase public awareness of what EMS provides, as well as teach members of the community emergency skills that they can use to help care for themselves.
This means a lot to Payne personally. Almost eight years ago, her 11-year old son Matthew was critically injured in a four-wheeler accident. She believes that the professional training and quick response of the volunteers who came to help were responsible for saving Matthew’s life. Two months later, Payne signed up for a “first responder” class and the rest is squad history.
The independent Sperryville Rescue Squad split from its parent fire company over 20 years ago. Though both organizations are frequently called out together, particularly for traffic accidents or fires, only the rescue squad handles medical emergencies.
According to Payne’s meticulous record-keeping, the squad answered 205 calls since January. Many are fairly commonplace but a large percentage of calls are life- threatening.
Serious car accidents, heart attacks, respiratory problems, and allergic reactions to bee stings occur regularly in the county. Payne also recalls how she and her team aided a Madison.County man who was attacked by a bear while coon hunting off Route 707. Though severely bitten on his hands and leg, the man was saved from further injury by his courageous dog.
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