Three Alexandria medics were honored for heroic lifesaving efforts in the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Councils Call of the Quarter awards on October 24 in a ceremony at Fire Station 208.

Paramedics Joshua Weissman and Donald Scott and Emergency Medical Technician Tracy Eichelberger were honored for their teamwork, ability to think under a particularly stressful situation, and their use of accepted medical protocols when they saved the life of a 20-month-old male who was having a non-convulsive seizure with twitching eyes and rigid upper extremities, along with a high fever. The situation was critical, and complicated by the fact that the patients parents did not speak English, making communication nearly impossible.

A series of difficult and delicate medical procedures were administered to stabilize the child, who was then transported to Inova Alexandria Hospital without further incident.

This incident was one of many scenarios that the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council reviewed. It is difficult to select just one team and one incident to honor with the Councils Call of the Quarter award, Pamela Copley, Chair of the EMS Council said. This particular incident best exemplified the qualities of teamwork, the use of accepted medical protocols, and the qualities of thinking and acting clearly under pressure. This team of medics saved the life of a child who would not have survived without the skills which they have learned from Alexandrias Medical Director, Dr. James Vafier.