WINCHESTER FIRE/EMS 3rd Platoon. To: All Personnel From: Battalion Chief Schroedel Date: August 8, 2014 Re: Retirement For the past several months it has been no secret that I intended to retire. I have been waiting for all my paperwork to finalize before I submitted finale notification of my departure. I am happy to say that all my documents are in order and that my last day will be August 31. My first exposure to Winchester Fire-EMS was during my paramedic internship. That was the summer of 1994. Prior to that time I did not know that Winchester existed on the map. My first days here as a student were met with enthusiasm and a willingness to teach by all the staff members. My first day of internship I missed a multi-vehicle collision with multiple fatalities. I learned that day that if you want to be involved show-up early and leave late. Chris Lockard was my first preceptor. He was an outstanding teacher and an aggressive airway magician. Chris could manage an airway upside down, blinded folded and with one arm tied behind his back. I thank him for passing those skills to me. My next shift was with Gregg Bayer. Gregg was another outstanding paramedic that had a deep understanding of his skill craft. My first run with Gregg was two little girls that got struck by a car, when we arrived on-scene one of the children was still under the vehicle. Once we had the critically ill children in the ambulance I learned the art of rapid assessment and critical treatment of life threatening injuries. I took with me; that when someone has minutes to live, you only have seconds to act if you are going to make a difference. During my internship I was hired full-time and that was the beginning of my career at Winchester Fire-EMS. Know your job, do your job and be on-time is the unwritten creed of Winchester Fire-EMS. In my tenure here I have had many mentors that have helped me live up to that expectation. I would like to name a few for the sake of posterity. Former Chief Larry Potter for his transformational leadership, the late Bill Bryant who helped me pass hydrant and streets test while I was being abused on the ambulance and Maynard “mac” MacGyver who entrusted me with training early in my career. I should also mention Chief Daniel Castle whose desk I stood in front of many times for acting to quickly and without proper backup, he would say we are not trained for that, I would respond back with what would you have done, his response would be your dismissed. Chief Castle was also a decision maker, I did not always agree and it was most often not my place to one way or the other. Decisions can be changed, inaction leads to failure. I am proud to have served with so many outstanding individuals, I consider them/you my brothers and sisters. We have shared good times and bad. Late night fires, horrible trauma and long nights on the transfer truck. At times the decision to retire is bitter sweet when I think about all the great people I will be leaving. Special thanks to my station 2 crew while I was a lieutenant, I never had doubts in your abilities and you made me proud on many occasions. As a Battalion Chief I inherited 3rd platoon, on my first shift we got tried by fire and I could have not been more pleased by the performance of everyone on the fire ground. That even includes you Jason Keller, I know you were sick but you stood in there like a champ. Most of you know my out spoken philosophies and my endless and hopefully not to repetitive stories. Please take away that this job is not about you or your ego, it is about us and what we can do have a positive effect on the community in their time of need. I would like to say to the newer guys that I have enjoyed working with you and that your knowledge and motivation has kept me on my toes. You have challenged me both physically and mentally and I thank you for that. I would like to leave you guys with this; if you have a decision to make, make it. You can always go back and tweak the details. Leave your ego at the door; all jobs on the emergency ground are important. Treat everyone with respect; our lives are far too complex to form unjust opinions of others. Admit and learn from your mistakes; always hold yourself accountable and finally know your job, do your job and be on time. You guys are Winchester Fire-EMS and you can and will make a difference. Again, I thank you twenty great years. Battalion Chief Byron Schroedel, BS, EMTP Shift Commander, Third Platoon Winchester Fire/EMS
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 01:55:19 +0000
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