Healthcare Takes a Village… or Two

By Jake Mullery, Eagle Nest EMS Director, Contributing Writer

Life provides us with countless opportunities for personal development, however, this growth process is the product of many efforts. As an example, one might describe a healthy young professional as the product of their parents, their mentors, and their environment. Our paths are seldomly walked alone, and we are better for the friends that we meet along the way. This is all to say that healthcare in the Moreno Valley is made stronger by the efforts of many rather than those of a few. If it were not for the Village of Eagle Nest pulling together funds, networking with the various governing bodies, and stepping up to volunteer on the ambulance, there would be no EMS in Eagle Nest today. If it were not for Angel Fire Fire Department’s (AFFD) crews fielding the calls that Eagle Nest was unable to answer during their service suspension there would be many residents who would have been left without care. If it were not for AFFD’s former interim chief Craig Sime I would not have had a mentor to help me become familiar with the area through both volunteer opportunities and his friendship. If it were not for Red River’s dispatching services then the entire Valley would be left without a means of getting resources on scene when a 911 call is placed. These are only a few pieces of a much larger chess board in the game of emergency medicine. Without each piece in place it would be much more difficult to serve the community. It is a system that works much more effectively when we stand together, just as AFFD did during Eagle Nest’s time of need. Moving forward, the hope is to forge stronger partnerships in order to build a resilient and sustainable EMS system in the Valley.