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1996 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 371
Commending Susan D. McHenry.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 1996
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 1996

WHEREAS, Susan D. McHenry, the principal force behind the modernization of Virginia's Emergency Medical Services system, is leaving state service; and

WHEREAS, Susan McHenry became Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services in 1976, at a time when a statewide EMS system barely existed and the quality of emergency care available to the citizens of the Commonwealth varied widely; and

WHEREAS, under the expert and dedicated stewardship of Susan McHenry, Virginia's EMS system has grown and developed into one of the best systems in the nation; and

WHEREAS, among her myriad accomplishments, Susan McHenry was primarily responsible for Virginia's state-of-the-art Med-Flight helicopters for trauma victims, for the prevalence of ambulances equipped with defibrillators to save heart attack victims and for the Commonwealth's disaster emergency medical response teams; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has won national and international acclaim for the innovations in its EMS system, due in large part to the leadership and perseverance of Susan McHenry; and

WHEREAS, Susan McHenry was a key figure in the establishment of the "One for Life" and "Two for Life" programs, so essential for the adequate funding of Virginia's EMS programs; and

WHEREAS, Virginia was the first state to develop a critical incident stress debriefing program for EMS workers and was the first to broadcast training programs via satellite to remote regions of the state, a program that has been adopted by other states and Canada; and

WHEREAS, throughout her nearly two decades as Director, Susan McHenry has directly or indirectly affected the lives of countless Virginians, citizens whose lives were saved or whose injuries were mitigated through prompt and effective treatment by EMS personnel; and

WHEREAS, the dedication and effectiveness of Susan McHenry's individual leadership has been the single most important factor in Virginia's national leadership in the quality of EMS care it provides its citizens; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend Susan D. McHenry on the completion of a sterling career of service to the citizens of the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Susan D. McHenry as an expression of the General Assembly's gratitude and best wishes in her future endeavors.