Saturday, August 8, 2009
Expert on baseball caps
Follow my blog for updates on classic baseball caps. My favorite is the 1969 Seattle Pilots and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates. Cooperstown Collection and New Era Cap companies are among the best in the business.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Resume: Ronald Joseph Hollowell
RONALD JOSEPH HOLLOWELL
10010 Kile Road · Hambden Township OH 44024 · ron7@windstream.net · 440-285-8273
SKILLS
Marketing Communications · Business-to-Business Sales · Community Events Planning · Writing and Editing · Public Speaking · Media Relations · Crisis Management
Directed multiple public relations and community outreach programs during tenure with a community hospital system and metropolitan daily newspaper. Planned and implemented sales and marketing strategies for a global medical equipment manufacturing company, an independent high school, and a business-to-business trade exchange and Web site development company. Work well in a team environment and add positive energy to the group. Computer skills include Adobe Dreamweaver, Front Page, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Publisher, and PowerPoint.
CORE COMPETENCIES
· Oversee multi-channel product distribution and marketing for start-up and growth organizations
· New market identifier in three states for multimillion dollar marketing company
· Ghostwriter of case studies, speeches, white papers; media trainer for chief executive officer and senior management level personnel
· Diverse writing ability useful in crafting collateral materials, brochures, op-ed pieces
· Research, develop, revise, proofread, and complete clear and accurate written materials that support company objectives
· Demonstrate initiative in obtaining additional required background context and information through appropriate research and interviews
· Passion for clarity and customer service; identify and appropriately question materials that appear incomplete, unclear, or uncoordinated with ongoing efforts to support business and communication strategies
· Create and implement crisis communications plans
· Responsive to no-holds-barred press inquiries
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
· Developed, produced, and managed sales and marketing collaterals, Web site content
· Devised, budgeted, and directed all communications plans and publications for independent high school
· Media buying and advertising placements
· Promoted physicians, services, programs, and directors to help to increase patient volume for two hospital systems
· Generated nearly $1.25 million in free, positive media coverage for two hospital systems during a 3 ½-year period
· Key decision-maker for story and photo positioning in daily and weekend editions of Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
· Influential in establishing three news bureaus – Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, and Geauga counties, increasing circulation by 12 percent – for Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT
· Instrumental in start up of new Web site development company; created and managed proposals, content, graphics, artwork, and functionality
· Advise clients on effective e-marketing and e-commerce strategies; offer insight on the use of site hosting, search engine optimization (SEO), and subject directories
· Provide client support, training once their site is completed
MANAGEMENT
· Brokered 250 business-to-business client accounts, transacting business in excess of $6.3 million annually
· Directed a staff of five people, two photographers, and an external printing company as editor of Marconi Systems Today, a global publication that served employees worldwide; saved $10,000 in budget costs by writing, editing, designing and laying out pages, and proofreading content myself
· Supervised a staff of 10 reporters and five photographers for Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
RECOGNITION
· Top salesman, September 2006, selling $10,000 of Web site showcase pages on the telephone
· Two-time winner (2005 and 2006) of the National Association of Trade Exchanges’ Distinguished Service Award
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
ATX The Barter Company and The 411 Companies, Mentor, Ohio December 2003 to present
Director of Marketing and Promotions
Hawken School, Gates Mills Village, Ohio May 2002 to December 2003
Director of Communications
Philips/Marconi Medical Systems, Cleveland, Ohio June 2000 to May 2002
Senior Public Relations Specialist
University Hospitals Extended Care Campus, Chardon, Ohio January 1999 to June 2000
Public and Community Relations Specialist
Lake Hospital System Inc., Painesville, Ohio February 1996 to January 1999
Media Relations Specialist
The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio May 1990 to January 1999
Community Editor and Assistant City Editor
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
Bachelor of Arts, Marketing and Liberal Arts · Lake Erie College, Painesville, Ohio
Associate Arts Degree, Journalism and Communications · Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, Ohio
Graduate, Class of 2000 · Leadership Geauga County
Professional Associations:
National Association of Trade Exchanges, Assistant Executive Director (2003 - present)
10010 Kile Road · Hambden Township OH 44024 · ron7@windstream.net · 440-285-8273
SKILLS
Marketing Communications · Business-to-Business Sales · Community Events Planning · Writing and Editing · Public Speaking · Media Relations · Crisis Management
Directed multiple public relations and community outreach programs during tenure with a community hospital system and metropolitan daily newspaper. Planned and implemented sales and marketing strategies for a global medical equipment manufacturing company, an independent high school, and a business-to-business trade exchange and Web site development company. Work well in a team environment and add positive energy to the group. Computer skills include Adobe Dreamweaver, Front Page, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Publisher, and PowerPoint.
CORE COMPETENCIES
· Oversee multi-channel product distribution and marketing for start-up and growth organizations
· New market identifier in three states for multimillion dollar marketing company
· Ghostwriter of case studies, speeches, white papers; media trainer for chief executive officer and senior management level personnel
· Diverse writing ability useful in crafting collateral materials, brochures, op-ed pieces
· Research, develop, revise, proofread, and complete clear and accurate written materials that support company objectives
· Demonstrate initiative in obtaining additional required background context and information through appropriate research and interviews
· Passion for clarity and customer service; identify and appropriately question materials that appear incomplete, unclear, or uncoordinated with ongoing efforts to support business and communication strategies
· Create and implement crisis communications plans
· Responsive to no-holds-barred press inquiries
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
· Developed, produced, and managed sales and marketing collaterals, Web site content
· Devised, budgeted, and directed all communications plans and publications for independent high school
· Media buying and advertising placements
· Promoted physicians, services, programs, and directors to help to increase patient volume for two hospital systems
· Generated nearly $1.25 million in free, positive media coverage for two hospital systems during a 3 ½-year period
· Key decision-maker for story and photo positioning in daily and weekend editions of Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
· Influential in establishing three news bureaus – Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, and Geauga counties, increasing circulation by 12 percent – for Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT
· Instrumental in start up of new Web site development company; created and managed proposals, content, graphics, artwork, and functionality
· Advise clients on effective e-marketing and e-commerce strategies; offer insight on the use of site hosting, search engine optimization (SEO), and subject directories
· Provide client support, training once their site is completed
MANAGEMENT
· Brokered 250 business-to-business client accounts, transacting business in excess of $6.3 million annually
· Directed a staff of five people, two photographers, and an external printing company as editor of Marconi Systems Today, a global publication that served employees worldwide; saved $10,000 in budget costs by writing, editing, designing and laying out pages, and proofreading content myself
· Supervised a staff of 10 reporters and five photographers for Cleveland metropolitan daily newspaper
RECOGNITION
· Top salesman, September 2006, selling $10,000 of Web site showcase pages on the telephone
· Two-time winner (2005 and 2006) of the National Association of Trade Exchanges’ Distinguished Service Award
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
ATX The Barter Company and The 411 Companies, Mentor, Ohio December 2003 to present
Director of Marketing and Promotions
Hawken School, Gates Mills Village, Ohio May 2002 to December 2003
Director of Communications
Philips/Marconi Medical Systems, Cleveland, Ohio June 2000 to May 2002
Senior Public Relations Specialist
University Hospitals Extended Care Campus, Chardon, Ohio January 1999 to June 2000
Public and Community Relations Specialist
Lake Hospital System Inc., Painesville, Ohio February 1996 to January 1999
Media Relations Specialist
The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio May 1990 to January 1999
Community Editor and Assistant City Editor
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
Bachelor of Arts, Marketing and Liberal Arts · Lake Erie College, Painesville, Ohio
Associate Arts Degree, Journalism and Communications · Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, Ohio
Graduate, Class of 2000 · Leadership Geauga County
Professional Associations:
National Association of Trade Exchanges, Assistant Executive Director (2003 - present)
Wellness Centers Help Businesses Improve Employee Health
By Ron Hollowell
It’s a dilemma that has had business owners scratching their head for years. How do you corral stampeding health care costs caused by unproductive employees who log untimely sick days, or whose poor health causes their illness to linger for extended periods of time?
If Gloria Treister has her way, she will be glad to let business owners in on a secret that could bring them measurable savings to their health care costs. Treister is the owner of Wellness Evolution, a Mayfield Village-based health and wellness center. She and her team of practitioners – which includes two naturopathic physicians and licensed acupuncturists, one medical doctor, massage therapists, and an aesthetician -- are committed to providing a reliable, single source where businesses complement their medical care with holistic modalities, alternative therapies, and good lifestyle practices.
Treister, who has more than 27 years of health care experience in Northeast Ohio, empowers business owners and their employees to work with her practitioners to enhance quality of life, increase productivity and vitality, reduce the incidence of illness, and ultimately save the company time and money.
Wellness Evolution also provides advanced skin care and cosmetic laser therapies to help people look and feel better. Through a collaborative and integrative approach, Treister helps people find their way to better health.
“Alternative therapies are not meant to replace conventional medicine, but to enhance optimal health in a safe and effective way,” Treister said. “We offer both individual, group and corporate wellness programs to blend complementary modalities into health, wellness, and beauty strategies.”
A golden opportunity for businesses
Wellness Evolution offers business owners a unique Gold Corporate Program, which provides an array of special benefits. Employees receive a special membership card embossed with their company’s name and a list of the program’s benefits, which includes a savings on medi-spa services, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, and therapeutic massages.
“The program is a great way for employers to supplement their current health care offerings or to reward key employees and executives with holistic-based therapies, and medicine to improve their physical condition and their overall appearance,” Treister said.
Wellness Evolution helps employees with innovative weight loss solutions, as well as natural and organic skin care treatments for acne and wrinkles. “Business owners should look at us as an adjunct in addition to the health care benefits they provide to their employees,” Treister said.
Businesses slowly catching on
Like Treister, Betsy Bartter Muller, founder and president of the Indigo Connection in Strongsville, has more than 25 years of offering life-balancing experiences to professional business women. Bartter Muller is a certified energy health practitioner, and she applies energy psychology techniques in her role as an energy coach.
She continually challenges her clients to consider their unique life purpose, and to work with her to develop goals and plans that are consistent with the sources of joy in their daily life. Bartter Muller employs her techniques in a wide range of business roles, providing her clients with a wealth of ideas for harnessing energy and spiritual healing.
When presenting to business owners, Bartter Muller uses an innovative Emotional Freedom Technique as her primary coaching tool. The Emotional Freedom Technique is a simple, easy to learn, self-administered treatment that can be used by people of all ages on a wide variety of issues. The technique also is effective when used in private counseling and coaching sessions. Rooted in the ancient principles of acupuncture, EFT is based on the theory that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption or blockage in the body's energy system.
Bartter Muller also wants to see alternative forms of medicine gain popularity as a viable health care solution for employees. Despite her efforts as a personal business trainer for professional business women, a personal coach, and an energy coach, Bartter Muller feels that business owners in Northeast Ohio still aren’t getting the message about alternative health care.
“Our business community is tough,” Bartter Muller said. “There are certain businesses devoted to wellness and they encourage their employees to seek alternative forms of medicine and they bring in speakers like me. But I would not be correct if I said alternative health care solutions are catching on here. They should be, because what I’m teaching is self care as health care.” Bartter Muller said companies see a true dollar benefit when an employee loses weight or stops smoking. When a person decides to lose weight they know the benefits, but they run into the ‘yes, buts’ that tend to impede their progress. That’s where her coaching techniques come into play. “A principle of coaching is you have to have the person know what the problem is and admit that they have a problem,” she said.
What’s on the horizon
Alternative health care is a $50 billion a year industry, Treister said. Northeast Ohio continues to trail states such as California, Colorado, and New York in terms of progressively incorporating alternative health care practices into the business world, but she’s confident the future is bright for her field of health care.
“We recently did a presentation for a major Cleveland law firm on how toxins affect our health and we had 25 people sign up,” Treister said. “Forty people attended, which was a pleasant surprise. Once people understand what alternative medicine and wellness is all about, and they make the shift in the paradigm to take control of their own good health, they will realize the benefits both for themselves, their families, and consequently their employers.”
It’s a dilemma that has had business owners scratching their head for years. How do you corral stampeding health care costs caused by unproductive employees who log untimely sick days, or whose poor health causes their illness to linger for extended periods of time?
If Gloria Treister has her way, she will be glad to let business owners in on a secret that could bring them measurable savings to their health care costs. Treister is the owner of Wellness Evolution, a Mayfield Village-based health and wellness center. She and her team of practitioners – which includes two naturopathic physicians and licensed acupuncturists, one medical doctor, massage therapists, and an aesthetician -- are committed to providing a reliable, single source where businesses complement their medical care with holistic modalities, alternative therapies, and good lifestyle practices.
Treister, who has more than 27 years of health care experience in Northeast Ohio, empowers business owners and their employees to work with her practitioners to enhance quality of life, increase productivity and vitality, reduce the incidence of illness, and ultimately save the company time and money.
Wellness Evolution also provides advanced skin care and cosmetic laser therapies to help people look and feel better. Through a collaborative and integrative approach, Treister helps people find their way to better health.
“Alternative therapies are not meant to replace conventional medicine, but to enhance optimal health in a safe and effective way,” Treister said. “We offer both individual, group and corporate wellness programs to blend complementary modalities into health, wellness, and beauty strategies.”
A golden opportunity for businesses
Wellness Evolution offers business owners a unique Gold Corporate Program, which provides an array of special benefits. Employees receive a special membership card embossed with their company’s name and a list of the program’s benefits, which includes a savings on medi-spa services, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, and therapeutic massages.
“The program is a great way for employers to supplement their current health care offerings or to reward key employees and executives with holistic-based therapies, and medicine to improve their physical condition and their overall appearance,” Treister said.
Wellness Evolution helps employees with innovative weight loss solutions, as well as natural and organic skin care treatments for acne and wrinkles. “Business owners should look at us as an adjunct in addition to the health care benefits they provide to their employees,” Treister said.
Businesses slowly catching on
Like Treister, Betsy Bartter Muller, founder and president of the Indigo Connection in Strongsville, has more than 25 years of offering life-balancing experiences to professional business women. Bartter Muller is a certified energy health practitioner, and she applies energy psychology techniques in her role as an energy coach.
She continually challenges her clients to consider their unique life purpose, and to work with her to develop goals and plans that are consistent with the sources of joy in their daily life. Bartter Muller employs her techniques in a wide range of business roles, providing her clients with a wealth of ideas for harnessing energy and spiritual healing.
When presenting to business owners, Bartter Muller uses an innovative Emotional Freedom Technique as her primary coaching tool. The Emotional Freedom Technique is a simple, easy to learn, self-administered treatment that can be used by people of all ages on a wide variety of issues. The technique also is effective when used in private counseling and coaching sessions. Rooted in the ancient principles of acupuncture, EFT is based on the theory that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption or blockage in the body's energy system.
Bartter Muller also wants to see alternative forms of medicine gain popularity as a viable health care solution for employees. Despite her efforts as a personal business trainer for professional business women, a personal coach, and an energy coach, Bartter Muller feels that business owners in Northeast Ohio still aren’t getting the message about alternative health care.
“Our business community is tough,” Bartter Muller said. “There are certain businesses devoted to wellness and they encourage their employees to seek alternative forms of medicine and they bring in speakers like me. But I would not be correct if I said alternative health care solutions are catching on here. They should be, because what I’m teaching is self care as health care.” Bartter Muller said companies see a true dollar benefit when an employee loses weight or stops smoking. When a person decides to lose weight they know the benefits, but they run into the ‘yes, buts’ that tend to impede their progress. That’s where her coaching techniques come into play. “A principle of coaching is you have to have the person know what the problem is and admit that they have a problem,” she said.
What’s on the horizon
Alternative health care is a $50 billion a year industry, Treister said. Northeast Ohio continues to trail states such as California, Colorado, and New York in terms of progressively incorporating alternative health care practices into the business world, but she’s confident the future is bright for her field of health care.
“We recently did a presentation for a major Cleveland law firm on how toxins affect our health and we had 25 people sign up,” Treister said. “Forty people attended, which was a pleasant surprise. Once people understand what alternative medicine and wellness is all about, and they make the shift in the paradigm to take control of their own good health, they will realize the benefits both for themselves, their families, and consequently their employers.”
Orthopedic Procedures Help With Flat Feet
By Ron Hollowell
It’s not unusual for children to decide against pursuing an extracurricular activity at school because the additional hours they must devote to the activity may cramp their style.
If your child is avoiding activities because of constant fatigue and cramping in their legs, then it’s time to pursue an orthopedic surgeon who can properly diagnose and correct the problem.
Fatigue and cramping in the legs are usually symptomatic of a child with flat feet. Flat feet and in-toeing are two of the most common children’s foot problems. Children who have flat feet generally show signs of the problem between the ages of 3 and 4, said Dr. Atta J. Asef, a podiatric surgeon with Sole Perfection Cosmetic Foot Surgery in Willoughby. Children may outgrow the condition, but those who do not must be evaluated and have the problem corrected by a podiatric surgeon.
“A flatfoot condition should not be taken lightly,” Dr. Asef said. “Eventually, a child with this condition will develop knee and back problems as well. About 70 percent of adults who have a knee surgically repaired had some type of flat foot problem as a child.”
Most children with flatfoot have no symptoms, but some children have one or more symptoms, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. When symptoms occur, they vary according to the type of flat foot.
A child with a flat foot condition has toes that point outward. When the child stands straight, a dropped arch can be detected and there is a lumpy appearance to the inside of the foot. As a child grows, their bones get larger, yet the condition of the feet does not change. Dr. Asef said the medical community places little emphasis on the importance of having children properly examined for foot disorders.
“We take our children to the dentist twice a year and to the eye doctor for a yearly exam,” Dr. Asef said. “But no one is telling parents to have their child’s feet examined yearly, or in some cases semiannually.”
A typical examination with a podiatrist includes a basic study of how a child walks. While watching the child walk, Dr. Asef looks to see if the child has a dropped arch or lumpiness on the inside of their foot. The problem of flat feet generally can be corrected with custom-made orthotics. If a child’s condition does not respond to orthotics, then he or she may be a candidate for flatfoot reconstructive surgery.
Flatfoot reconstruction consists of raising and realigning the foot to the lower leg. The realignment process is accomplished by means of fusing bones in the foot through triple arthrodesis, isolated fusion, or by placing an implant in the subtalar joint.
“A majority of the children who have flat feet, I’d say 95 percent of them, do not need any form of reconstructive surgery,” Dr. Asef said. “These children seem to do well with the implant that we put into the subtalar joint in the foot.”
The implant holds together the major joint in the foot so the foot can remain in one position. As the foot grows, the muscle tissue and bone grows into the correct position of the foot. Children who have flatfoot reconstruction require custom-molded orthotics that they must wear for the rest of their life.
“Flatfoot reconstruction is classified as either flexible or rigid,” Dr. Asef explained. “There are several flatfoot procedures available to pediatric patients The flexible form is more commonly seen in pediatric patients while the rigid form is seen in the adult population.” The surgical option for a subtalar joint implant is a small soft-threaded titanium device that is inserted into an opening called the sinus tarsi. The placement of the implant restores the arch by preventing the displacement of the talus and by preventing the foot from rolling in. Tissue grows normally around the implant and helps to hold the implant in place. The outcome of the procedure is proper anatomical alignment of both extremities and reduction of muscle fatigue and weakness. After the surgery has been performed, children are much more able to pursue extracurricular activities because they no longer have the fatigue and cramped feeling that they experienced before surgery.
So if extracurricular activities literally cramp your child’s style, procedures are available to help them to get a leg – or a foot -- up on the competition.
Dr. Asef has been in private practice since 1998. He is Board Certified in Podiatric Surgery and is a member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and a diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. Asef's specialties are podiatric surgery, trauma and foot and ankle cosmetic and reconstruction surgery.
It’s not unusual for children to decide against pursuing an extracurricular activity at school because the additional hours they must devote to the activity may cramp their style.
If your child is avoiding activities because of constant fatigue and cramping in their legs, then it’s time to pursue an orthopedic surgeon who can properly diagnose and correct the problem.
Fatigue and cramping in the legs are usually symptomatic of a child with flat feet. Flat feet and in-toeing are two of the most common children’s foot problems. Children who have flat feet generally show signs of the problem between the ages of 3 and 4, said Dr. Atta J. Asef, a podiatric surgeon with Sole Perfection Cosmetic Foot Surgery in Willoughby. Children may outgrow the condition, but those who do not must be evaluated and have the problem corrected by a podiatric surgeon.
“A flatfoot condition should not be taken lightly,” Dr. Asef said. “Eventually, a child with this condition will develop knee and back problems as well. About 70 percent of adults who have a knee surgically repaired had some type of flat foot problem as a child.”
Most children with flatfoot have no symptoms, but some children have one or more symptoms, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. When symptoms occur, they vary according to the type of flat foot.
A child with a flat foot condition has toes that point outward. When the child stands straight, a dropped arch can be detected and there is a lumpy appearance to the inside of the foot. As a child grows, their bones get larger, yet the condition of the feet does not change. Dr. Asef said the medical community places little emphasis on the importance of having children properly examined for foot disorders.
“We take our children to the dentist twice a year and to the eye doctor for a yearly exam,” Dr. Asef said. “But no one is telling parents to have their child’s feet examined yearly, or in some cases semiannually.”
A typical examination with a podiatrist includes a basic study of how a child walks. While watching the child walk, Dr. Asef looks to see if the child has a dropped arch or lumpiness on the inside of their foot. The problem of flat feet generally can be corrected with custom-made orthotics. If a child’s condition does not respond to orthotics, then he or she may be a candidate for flatfoot reconstructive surgery.
Flatfoot reconstruction consists of raising and realigning the foot to the lower leg. The realignment process is accomplished by means of fusing bones in the foot through triple arthrodesis, isolated fusion, or by placing an implant in the subtalar joint.
“A majority of the children who have flat feet, I’d say 95 percent of them, do not need any form of reconstructive surgery,” Dr. Asef said. “These children seem to do well with the implant that we put into the subtalar joint in the foot.”
The implant holds together the major joint in the foot so the foot can remain in one position. As the foot grows, the muscle tissue and bone grows into the correct position of the foot. Children who have flatfoot reconstruction require custom-molded orthotics that they must wear for the rest of their life.
“Flatfoot reconstruction is classified as either flexible or rigid,” Dr. Asef explained. “There are several flatfoot procedures available to pediatric patients The flexible form is more commonly seen in pediatric patients while the rigid form is seen in the adult population.” The surgical option for a subtalar joint implant is a small soft-threaded titanium device that is inserted into an opening called the sinus tarsi. The placement of the implant restores the arch by preventing the displacement of the talus and by preventing the foot from rolling in. Tissue grows normally around the implant and helps to hold the implant in place. The outcome of the procedure is proper anatomical alignment of both extremities and reduction of muscle fatigue and weakness. After the surgery has been performed, children are much more able to pursue extracurricular activities because they no longer have the fatigue and cramped feeling that they experienced before surgery.
So if extracurricular activities literally cramp your child’s style, procedures are available to help them to get a leg – or a foot -- up on the competition.
Dr. Asef has been in private practice since 1998. He is Board Certified in Podiatric Surgery and is a member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and a diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. Asef's specialties are podiatric surgery, trauma and foot and ankle cosmetic and reconstruction surgery.
With A Little Help From Her Friends
Former Mentor Dispatcher Trained To Provide CPR Instruction
Finds Herself On The Receiving End of Life-Saving Care
By Ron Hollowell
In the eye of the storm, Deb Kloski always was a stalwart – a calming voice of reassurance as she provided crucial lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions to 9-1-1 callers to the Mentor Fire Department. The dispatcher with nearly 20 years of experience never imagined that she would one day find herself in a life or death situation and her Mentor Fire Department Station 3 cohorts frantically working to save her life.
Yet this circumstance presented itself on Nov. 5, 2006 when Kloski found herself not feeling right. She still cannot fully explain the nature of what ailed her that Sunday evening, only that she wasn’t in pain but was feeling extremely anxious. Call it intuition, but Kloski decided to telephone her friends at Station 3 and asked that they stop by her Deepwood home in Mentor to monitor her condition.
What paramedics Brent Luthanen, Dan Garey, Pete Surckla, and Lt. Ron Zak thought would be a routine call turned out to be anything but. Each was stunned by what they encountered upon entering their friend’s home. They discovered Kloski in a seated position on the floor with her head tilted and her back against a couch. She was unresponsive when they called her name. The paramedics quickly realized that the 39-year-old dispatcher was unconscious and in a state of ventricular defibrillation -- the result of a massive heart attack.
Ventricular defibrillation is a condition in which the heart's electrical activity becomes disordered, Zak said. When this type of activity occurs, the heart's lower pumping chambers contract and shake in a rapid, unsynchronized manner. The heart pumps little or no blood.
When efforts failed to resuscitate Kloski using CPR, she was placed on a heart monitor and the paramedics administered nine separate electrical shock treatments. The paramedics’ desperate attempt to save Kloski offered a glimmer of hope – her heart was shocked into a state of asystole, or a standstill with no cardiac output.
While the Mentor emergency medical services team transported Kloski to LakeWest Hospital in Willoughby, she was intubated. She also received intravenous fluids and medications to improve her condition. Within minutes of arriving at LakeWest Hospital, Kloski was shocked again, this time with some degree of success. Her heart had a regular rhythm.
“We got her back,” Zak said. “I’ve been in a lot of difficult situations during my 16-year career, but trying to save Deb was one of the toughest. We ran this call just like we would on any other Mentor resident, but this one in particular affected us because it involved someone we worked with and knew well.”
Teamwork the key to survival
When the Mentor EMS squad arrived at LakeWest Hospital’s Emergency Department, Kloski immediately received proper care and treatment to stabilize her condition. Although she wasn’t out of the danger zone, she was comfortable and positioned for a recovery.
The communication and teamwork between the Mentor EMS squad and LakeWest Hospital’s ER staff provided for a seamless transition in Kloski’s care. Her teammates with the Mentor Fire Department and LakeWest Hospital didn’t fail her. They saved her life.
Patti Willson, RN, Lake Hospital System’s EMS coordinator and a paramedic, knows how integral teamwork is to helping patients survive medical emergencies. She conducts monthly informational sessions with the EMS squads throughout Lake County so that each knows what is going on at LakeWest Hospital and LakeEast Hospital in Painesville. Her updates include overviews of the latest hospital procedures.
Willson spends three days each month visiting with every shift at fire stations throughout Lake County to conduct these sessions. She also meets with the fire chiefs to share similar items of information that help to build the rapport between Lake Hospital System and the departments.
In an effort to further strengthen the working relationship with each fire department, Lake Hospital System implemented a Mobile Intensive Care Nursing (MICN) program. The program requires all ER nurses and technicians to complete eight hours of class work and eight hours of ride time with an EMS squad, Willson said. Nurses and technicians must complete this program before they can answer calls into the ER.
“This program enables the ER staff to see what the job is like from the EMS squad’s perspective,” Willson said. “The program also helps to build and to strengthen the relationship between the nurses, techs and the EMS workers.”
By building a cohesive bond between the fire departments and their EMS units, Lake Hospital System helps to ensure quality care and procedures are administered at every step along a person’s care path the moment they become ill.
A reversal of roles
Kloski found herself in the ironic position of being on the receiving end of the medical attention that she regularly provided to callers in emergency situations. Prior to her own medical emergency, Kloski said she always tried to eat well and get plenty of exercise; a heart attack was the farthest occurrence from her mind.
“All I can say is that I wasn’t feeling quite right that night,” said Kloski, who is now retired and suffers from memory loss. “I just wanted the squad to come by and check my condition. These same guys that I work with every day were now in a position to save my life. They didn’t expect to find me nearly dead on the floor. They thought they were simply coming over to help me out.”
Kloski said that any time a person doesn’t feel normal, they should immediately seek medical attention. This action could save their life.
‘They gave me back my life’
When it comes to expressing her heart-felt appreciation for the expedient care she received at LakeWest Hospital, Kloski admits that she doesn’t know where to start dispensing her gratitude. From her former colleagues at the Mentor Fire Department who worked on her en route to LakeWest Hospital to the expert medical care provided by the ER staff once she arrived at the hospital, Kloski embraces everyone who worked so diligently to save her life.
“I owe my life to the people in LakeWest Hospital’s ER,” Kloski said. “I don’t know all of the people and I don’t know all of their names. But they didn’t give up on me even though I was dead. They took excellent care of my family and me throughout my hospital stay. The nurses continually provided my family with updates on my condition and were simply terrific.
“Not only did the people at LakeWest Hospital help to bring me back to life, but they gave me back my life.”
Finds Herself On The Receiving End of Life-Saving Care
By Ron Hollowell
In the eye of the storm, Deb Kloski always was a stalwart – a calming voice of reassurance as she provided crucial lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions to 9-1-1 callers to the Mentor Fire Department. The dispatcher with nearly 20 years of experience never imagined that she would one day find herself in a life or death situation and her Mentor Fire Department Station 3 cohorts frantically working to save her life.
Yet this circumstance presented itself on Nov. 5, 2006 when Kloski found herself not feeling right. She still cannot fully explain the nature of what ailed her that Sunday evening, only that she wasn’t in pain but was feeling extremely anxious. Call it intuition, but Kloski decided to telephone her friends at Station 3 and asked that they stop by her Deepwood home in Mentor to monitor her condition.
What paramedics Brent Luthanen, Dan Garey, Pete Surckla, and Lt. Ron Zak thought would be a routine call turned out to be anything but. Each was stunned by what they encountered upon entering their friend’s home. They discovered Kloski in a seated position on the floor with her head tilted and her back against a couch. She was unresponsive when they called her name. The paramedics quickly realized that the 39-year-old dispatcher was unconscious and in a state of ventricular defibrillation -- the result of a massive heart attack.
Ventricular defibrillation is a condition in which the heart's electrical activity becomes disordered, Zak said. When this type of activity occurs, the heart's lower pumping chambers contract and shake in a rapid, unsynchronized manner. The heart pumps little or no blood.
When efforts failed to resuscitate Kloski using CPR, she was placed on a heart monitor and the paramedics administered nine separate electrical shock treatments. The paramedics’ desperate attempt to save Kloski offered a glimmer of hope – her heart was shocked into a state of asystole, or a standstill with no cardiac output.
While the Mentor emergency medical services team transported Kloski to LakeWest Hospital in Willoughby, she was intubated. She also received intravenous fluids and medications to improve her condition. Within minutes of arriving at LakeWest Hospital, Kloski was shocked again, this time with some degree of success. Her heart had a regular rhythm.
“We got her back,” Zak said. “I’ve been in a lot of difficult situations during my 16-year career, but trying to save Deb was one of the toughest. We ran this call just like we would on any other Mentor resident, but this one in particular affected us because it involved someone we worked with and knew well.”
Teamwork the key to survival
When the Mentor EMS squad arrived at LakeWest Hospital’s Emergency Department, Kloski immediately received proper care and treatment to stabilize her condition. Although she wasn’t out of the danger zone, she was comfortable and positioned for a recovery.
The communication and teamwork between the Mentor EMS squad and LakeWest Hospital’s ER staff provided for a seamless transition in Kloski’s care. Her teammates with the Mentor Fire Department and LakeWest Hospital didn’t fail her. They saved her life.
Patti Willson, RN, Lake Hospital System’s EMS coordinator and a paramedic, knows how integral teamwork is to helping patients survive medical emergencies. She conducts monthly informational sessions with the EMS squads throughout Lake County so that each knows what is going on at LakeWest Hospital and LakeEast Hospital in Painesville. Her updates include overviews of the latest hospital procedures.
Willson spends three days each month visiting with every shift at fire stations throughout Lake County to conduct these sessions. She also meets with the fire chiefs to share similar items of information that help to build the rapport between Lake Hospital System and the departments.
In an effort to further strengthen the working relationship with each fire department, Lake Hospital System implemented a Mobile Intensive Care Nursing (MICN) program. The program requires all ER nurses and technicians to complete eight hours of class work and eight hours of ride time with an EMS squad, Willson said. Nurses and technicians must complete this program before they can answer calls into the ER.
“This program enables the ER staff to see what the job is like from the EMS squad’s perspective,” Willson said. “The program also helps to build and to strengthen the relationship between the nurses, techs and the EMS workers.”
By building a cohesive bond between the fire departments and their EMS units, Lake Hospital System helps to ensure quality care and procedures are administered at every step along a person’s care path the moment they become ill.
A reversal of roles
Kloski found herself in the ironic position of being on the receiving end of the medical attention that she regularly provided to callers in emergency situations. Prior to her own medical emergency, Kloski said she always tried to eat well and get plenty of exercise; a heart attack was the farthest occurrence from her mind.
“All I can say is that I wasn’t feeling quite right that night,” said Kloski, who is now retired and suffers from memory loss. “I just wanted the squad to come by and check my condition. These same guys that I work with every day were now in a position to save my life. They didn’t expect to find me nearly dead on the floor. They thought they were simply coming over to help me out.”
Kloski said that any time a person doesn’t feel normal, they should immediately seek medical attention. This action could save their life.
‘They gave me back my life’
When it comes to expressing her heart-felt appreciation for the expedient care she received at LakeWest Hospital, Kloski admits that she doesn’t know where to start dispensing her gratitude. From her former colleagues at the Mentor Fire Department who worked on her en route to LakeWest Hospital to the expert medical care provided by the ER staff once she arrived at the hospital, Kloski embraces everyone who worked so diligently to save her life.
“I owe my life to the people in LakeWest Hospital’s ER,” Kloski said. “I don’t know all of the people and I don’t know all of their names. But they didn’t give up on me even though I was dead. They took excellent care of my family and me throughout my hospital stay. The nurses continually provided my family with updates on my condition and were simply terrific.
“Not only did the people at LakeWest Hospital help to bring me back to life, but they gave me back my life.”
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