DOCTORS AND MEDICS FROM POLAND VISIT REMSA TO LEARN

May 12, 2004 - As part of the Rotary Club of Reno Sunrise’s Group Study Exchange and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) week, a team of five Polish doctors and paramedics will be visiting Reno, Nev., for one purpose: to learn about emergency medical services from one of the nation’s high performance EMS systems REMSA (Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority).

The four men and one woman, who all live in Inowroclaw, Poland, will be observing activities and procedures of REMSA from May 19 until May 22. The group will take part in ambulance “ride-alongs,” study medical dispatch center methods, meet with paramedics, flight nurses from Care Flight and REMSA’s medical director.

The group consists of: Dr. Przemek Paciorek, who teaches emergency medicine to medical students; physician Aleksander Zalewski, who is currently studying emergency medicine; paramedic Janusz Halak, the commanding officer of an emergency rescue unit; paramedic Marek Lampka; and paramedic Aleksandra Zelazna, who is studying to be an emergency room specialist.

Plans for the visit began in August of 2003, when Mitch Nowicki, REMSA business development coordinator, spoke at a Rotary Club of Reno Sunrise meeting about a similar visit of a physician team from Spain. In attendance at the meeting was Martha Greene, who had visited Poland on a number of occasions. Due to the Twin Club designation the Rotary Club of Reno Sunrise has with the Rotary Club of Inowroclaw, Poland, Greene knew visitors from Poland was a possibility.

“When he talked about a visit from a team from Spain, I listened intently because I began to think perhaps a team from Poland could visit,” said Greene. “Since I already had plans to visit Warsaw for three weeks I brought up the idea of a visit to friends I had there. They agreed and wheels were in motion.”

One of the Polish participants will be visiting the United States for the second time. Paciorek was visiting New Jersey several years ago and was involved in a serious car accident. He felt that the first aid he received from the paramedics on the scene saved his life. This incident raised an interest in ambulance service in the United States and prompted him to apply for the program.

The Rotary Club of Inowroclaw selected the Polish team members that will be visiting REMSA and contributed $1000 to their expenses. The remaining expenses were paid by the Polish American Congress in Chicago.

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