10/17/2022

Academy Past President Robyn Chatman, MD is Awarded Covid-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal

Member Spotlight Monday

Congratulations to our very own Academy Past President and Councilor, Robyn Chatman, MD MPH FAAFP CPE CPHIMS CHEP, along with fellow members of Ohio's Disaster Medical Assistance Team, for being awarded the COVID-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services!

Read all about the efforts and great service of Dr. Chatman and her peers in the Press Release below from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2022

Members of Ohio’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team receive federal COVID-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal for actions in nation’s pandemic response

Twenty-eight members of the Ohio-5 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT OH-5) based in Dayton, OH, recently received the COVID-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal for exemplary service to the nation during the federal medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency response personnel who serve on DMAT OH-5 are part of the federal National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) program.

NDMS is among the resources made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). When an emergency overwhelms local and state resources, ASPR looks to the expertise within NDMS from across the country to assist in the response.

The following DMAT OH-5 members received the medal during the National Disaster Medical System Training Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Melissa Bergman, RN, Premier Health, New Vienna, OH

Doug Boedeker, Safety Officer, Washington Court House, OH

Michael Casebier, Logistics Officer, Premier Health/Careflight, Medway, OH

Robyn Chatman, Medical Officer, Cincinnati, OH

Paul Copenhefer, Paramedic, Medcare Ambulance, Westerville, OH

Gary Cunagin, Safety Officer, Tipp City, OH

Michael Derringer, Administrative Officer, Premier Health, Englewood, OH

William Devir, Unit Commander, Dayton, OH

Carla Garinger, RN, Premier Health, Washington Court House, OH

Kris Haren, Behavioral Health, Center for Collaboration, Motivation and Innovation, Gallia, OH

David Herlensky, Paramedic, Lexington Fire Department, Lexington, KY

Holly Jones, Nurse Practitioner, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Jeffrey Lawwill, Paramedic, Middletown Fire Department, Fairfield, OH

Kathy Loyd, Medical Technologist, Compunet Clinical Laboratories-Dayton, Summersville, WV

John McMaken, Pharmacist, Optum Infusion Pharmacy, West Chester, OH

Kevin Mollenhauer, RN, Center for Domestic Preparedness, Springboro, OH

Stephen Onder, Physician Assistant, Kettering Health, Bellbrook, OH

John Probst, Communications Officer, Honda Development Manufacturing of America, Piqua, OH

Paula Reams, Nurse Practitioner, Kettering College, South Lebanon, OH

Steven Roberts, Paramedic, Delaware County EMS, Mt. Gilead, OH

Judy Schoun, RN, Kettering Health, Bellbrook, OH

Jeremy Sellers, Paramedic, Delaware County EMS, Springfield, OH

James Simonson, Paramedic, Sinclair Community College, Springboro, OH

Joie Titcombe, RN, Duke University Hospital, Myrtle Beach, SC

Alex Villanueva, Paramedic, Springfield Township Fire Department, Fairfield, OH

Tim Wenger, Safety Officer, Ohio Department of Public Safety, Bellefontaine, OH

Janet White, RN, Kettering Health, Waynesville, OH

William White, Communications Officer, Waynesville, OH

The medal was awarded to approximately 1,400 NDMS responders under the authority of the U.S. Surgeon General who may authorize the issuance of the COVID-19 Pandemic Civilian Service Medal to civilians who deployed for 30 consecutive or 60 cumulative days to provide medical care to state, territory, tribal, and local partners.

“The COVID-19 pandemic strained our country’s health care system and medical personnel for almost three years,” said NDMS Director Michael Smith. “DMAT OH-5 along with other NDMS teams served as a lifeline to hundreds of hospitals and long-term care facilities by providing temporary relief to staff, adding bed capacity, and improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients. This medal is reflective of this team’s selfless commitment to the public health and medical needs of our residents.”

Since the start of the pandemic, NDMS has conducted more than 1,800 support missions and deployed thousands of medical, logistical, and command and control personnel from NDMS to help nearly 50 states, territories, and jurisdictions respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, NDMS teams stand ready to provide medical surge support should a resurgence of COVID-19 occur this fall or winter. NDMS teams also remain on call to deploy after a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, tornado, or wildfire.

To learn more about the HHS response to COVID-19, please visit https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/. For more information about ASPR and NDMS, visit https://aspr.hhs.gov/NDMS/. 

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