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1999 Oregon EMS Awards
The Inter-Service Recognition Medal recognizes outstanding achievement of non-EMTs (police
officers, firefighters, telecommunicators, and other public or private safety officers) for
outstanding or exceptional support of a particular EMS operation.
COMET
Oregon Department of Transportation
In the mid-1990s, it became clear that Federal funds would not be available for additional highways or
highway lanes to accommodate rapidly growing traffic volume in the Portland Metropolitan Area. The
Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) challenge was to find innovative ways to manage
traffic on existing highways.
In February 1996, ODOT launched an aggressive traffic management program called COMET, a loose acronym for "Corridor Management Teams." The COMET concept, which called for specially
equipped emergency response vehicles, was designed to work in conjunction with electronic variable
message signs to warn drivers of trouble ahead, camera surveillance to spot problems, and a notification process for traffic reporting services. The broad program, managed centrally from the Traffic Management Operations Center in Northwest Portland, is now a reality.
Emergency Medical Services is a direct benefactor of the COMET teams. One highway lane blocked
for one minute causes six minutes of residual traffic congestion. A ten minute lane blockage can bring
traffic to a standstill for an hour, seriously impairing the response of emergency vehicles that have no
way to get around the gridlock.
Ten COMET employees, under the supervision of Dave Sandler, operate seven response vehicles
twenty-four hours every weekday and eight hours on the weekends. COMET teams on patrol in their
assigned corridors are integrated with police, fire, and emergency medical services on Portland's 800
MHZ radio system, as well as their Traffic Management Operations Center. They often discover traffic
jams before they are reported to 9-1-1 and reach the trouble spot to get an emergency lane open for
public safety responders.
Although it is impossible to determine how much emergency response time has been saved due to
COMET's invaluable work, with an average of 1,700 responses each week, it is safe to assume the
number is very large. ODOT's COMET teams clearly contribute to saving lives.
The foregoing represent exceptional support of EMS operations by a non-EMS service and thus
renders the award of the Oregon Inter-Service EMS Recognition Medal to Oregon Department of
Transportation's, COMET.
Nominated by Julie Ferguson, American Medical Response.
Mike Coffel, EMT-BSue Coffel, EMT-B
Don Myers, EMT-B
Gary Thompson, EMT-B
Tenmile Fire Department
Robert Bullock, EMT-P
Eric M. Guisto, EMT-P
George Herrold, EMT-I
Douglas County Fire Department #2
Robert Scott, EMT-B
Roseburg City Fire Department
Ronald D. Addis, EMT-I
David W. Binder, EMT-I
Daryl Kemmerle, EMT-P
Kenny G. McGinnis, EMT-P
James Molitor, EMT-I
Winston Dillard Fire District #5
The accident team described the scene as "intense" since the forestry pumper crew was known to the
rescuers and the church van sustained substantial damage with serious injuries. The scene revealed
major trauma to both vehicles and seven passengers.
Due to the cooperation between the agencies the scene was quickly controlled. Patients were extricated and transported within twenty-one minutes of impact.
Due to their teamwork and quality of patient care the above named individuals demonstrated excellence
in the delivery of EMS. The foregoing represents exceptional support of EMS operations rendering the
award of the Inter-Service EMS Recognition Medal to the following agencies: Tenmile Fire
Department, Douglas County Fire Department #2, Roseburg City Fire Department, and
Winston-Dillard Fire District #5.
Nominated by Ken McGinnis, EMS Coordinator, Winston-Dillard Fire District #5.
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