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Island’s Medical First Responders: Not a 9 to 5 Job
These are the men and women who operate the ambulance and usually provide the first medical assistance to people in emergencies. The ambulance service is operated by Allied EMS Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, under contract with the City of Mackinac Island. For the seven EMTs on the Island, scheduling is a challenge. Each of them have other jobs and two people are on per shift, either from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. They work as “paid volunteers,” which means, they say, they do it because they like it. According to Rick Linn, “being an EMT is not a 9-to-5 job.” State law requires two licensed EMTs be on every ambulance call, so when extra help is needed or two EMTs are not available, Nona Tacey calls Mark Wilk, the Allied EMS Systems team leader for Mackinac Island and St. Ignace, and he will send over EMTs from St. Ignace. That isn’t often. Mr. Wilk said that the EMTs on Mackinac Island “really give it their all” and that extra help is needed only about 10 or 12 times a summer. The EMTs on the Island, he said, are close-knit and take it upon themselves to make sure that things go smoothly. The mix of new and seasoned EMTs on the Island, he added, is a good balance and makes for an effective team. Bad weather creates the biggest challenge to emergency service on Mackinac Island, Mr. Wilk said, especially when a patient needs to be transferred to the mainland. While state law requires EMTs to respond to calls within 10 minutes, Mrs. Tacey said that the EMTs on the Island are able to make it within four to eight minutes. When on a run, the ambulance on Mackinac uses lights, but no siren, since a siren could scare the horses. Also, since anywhere on the Island is only minutes away from the medical center, most patients do not receive major medical treatment on scene, although they are stabilized before transport. According to Mrs. Tacey, each season comes with it’s own set of injuries. In the spring, bike accidents and head injuries comprise most of the calls that they receive. In the fall, cardiac problems are more common, and in the summer, allergies, asthma, and heat-related problems abound.
Meet the EMT’s Sam Barnwell Sam Barnwell’s family owns the Iroquois Hotel on the Waterfront and he is the night manager there. He received a culinary degree from Grand Rapids Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a major in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Denver. He took classes last winter and has been an EMT for two months. “I needed something to do for the winter on Mackinac,” he said, but also enjoys the work because it is fast paced, always different, and he enjoys learning new things, which comes with every patient. He also likes the fact that he can be involved in the community and has an escape from the everyday pace of Island life.
Alan Burt Alan Burt is originally from Bedford, Indiana, and received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Indiana University. He moved to the Island in 1996, he said, as “a huge leap of faith.” He is the manager of the Mackinac Island Water Filtration Plant, which makes drinking water for the Island, but decided to take EMT classes during one winter when he was between jobs. Mr. Burt has both EMT and firefighter training and says that, while he no longer does runs for the fire department, the skills he has learned helps “with communication between the two departments.” “EMS is a comfortable fit for me,” he said, “probably because I've been training for it since I was about 11 years old.” He said that his years as a Boy Scout and his father’s naval training gave him an interest in first aid. Of the Island, Mr. Burt said that, “I enjoy the schizophrenic personality of the Island. The sheer difference between Summer and Winter is like living in two different towns.”
Pamela Lach Pam Lach is originally from Northern Indiana. She has been certified as an EMT for 10 years and works full-time at it. She attended Indiana University and Purdue University in pursuit of becoming a history professor, but her love of writing has become a priority. She has written eight books since her first was published in 1983. She also went to nursing school for two years, worked for a small daily newspaper, and currently writes for Mackinac Living Magazine. Of her job as an EMT, Ms. Lach says that she enjoys the mystery that comes with every run, the use of instinct and intellectual challenge, and being able to make a difference for the Island community.
Rick Linn Rick Linn was born in San Antonio, Texas, but was reared in St. Louis, Michigan. He was graduated from Central Michigan University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a major in accounting. He first came to Mackinac Island in the summer of 1976 to work at the Island House and was a summer resident until 1993, when moved here permanently. Mr. Linn became an EMT in 1998, after taking the classes with his brother and found the classes intriguing. While he had no intention of entering the emergency medical field, he said, “The more I did it, the more interested I got.” He said he enjoys being an EMT because he likes having to think on his feet and enjoys helping people. Mr. Linn is currently the City Treasurer and works at the Mackinac Island Medical Center, along with serving as an EMT.
Christine Roguska Christine Roguska is originally from Grand Rapids and received a degree in telecommunications from Michigan State University. She worked for three television stations before coming to the Island and has been a year-around Island resident for the past six years. Although she always thought being an EMT sounded like an interesting job, her interest was spurred when she was asked to drive the bus for Mackinac Island Public School. With the training that was needed to do that, she decided to become certified as an EMT. She said that the Mackinac Island community has done so much for her, this is just one of the ways that she can serve her community in return. “It is very satisfying to know that you’ve helped someone in the course of your day,” she said. Mrs. Roguska is one class away from being able to teach Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid classes. She and her husband own Lifestyle Homes in Petoskey and she lives near British Landing with her husband and four children.
Tony Spata Tony Spata has spent every summer on the Island since 1969 and he resides here from April through November and in Traverse City the rest of the year. He attended Michigan State University, where he received a degree in education and taught for 28 years in Lansing, his hometown. He has five children and said that he has “always been interested in medical fields,” but it was not until one of his sons suggested that they both become EMT’s that he considered got serious about it. “So, we took the course together,” he said. “It’s a way that I can contribute to the community.” Mr. Spata and his wife, Loretta, own several gift shops on Mackinac Island.
Nona Tacey Nona Tacey is originally from Essexville and has live on the Island year-around since 1976. She said she has always been interested in medicine and wanted to be a doctor, but after working as a nurses aid, she decided being a doctor or a nurse was not for her. Maintaining an interest in emergency medicine, however, she took classes at Lansing Community College to become an EMT. “It’s always a good feeling when you make a difference,” she said of her work with the ambulance corps on Mackinac. “Once you get into it, you crave that adrenaline rush.” Mrs. Tacey also works at Arnold Transit, where she does freight entry work. She has a daughter and a son. (Photograph courtesy of Sam Barnwell)
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