A Health Services District will maintain Moffat County EMS for everyone

It can be easy to take life for granted sometimes. As a high school student, I am fortunate to be young, healthy, and my life is filled with people who care about my wellbeing. But I know from personal experience all of that can change in the blink of an eye.

A few years ago, I was in a car accident that nearly took my life. My dad was driving me and a couple of my friends home from a rock crawling event in Utah. I was watching a video on my phone in the backseat, when all of a sudden I heard a loud bang and the screeching of metal. When the dust settled, I opened my eyes to find a guardrail had pierced the truck and gone through my left thigh. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, it felt like a strange dream.

Immediately, my dad checked to see if we were okay. When he noticed my injury he immediately rushed to apply a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. Thankfully, some bystanders came to help and 911 was called and they supported me while we waited for EMS to arrive. On my way to the hospital I remember laying in the ambulance, staring at the light above and fighting to stay awake while a female EMT put up my hair.

Going through this experience gave me a greater appreciation for our first responders. We all count on them to provide life-saving care at a moment’s notice. Moffat County EMS is a vital part of keeping our community healthy and safe and we cannot take them for granted. That is why I encourage everyone to support our local EMS services by voting YES on 6A and 6B on the ballot this November. These ballot measures are vital to the EMS services we all need and deserve.

It is important for EMS to be close by and respond quickly. We rely on them to be there for serious accidents and disasters, but we also need them for the moments we least expect. This includes events like the County Fair, holiday festivities, high school football games, and more. A health service district will ensure our EMS have the resources to remain present in the community and be prepared for any emergency situation.

Now every time I hear the sound of an ambulance driving by I think of the people they are rushing to save. By establishing the Moffat County Health Services District, we can ensure every resident gets the same professional care and support I received in my time of need. Please vote YES on 6A and 6B to ensure emergency medical care is there for everyone in our community.

Jessica Womble, Senior, Moffat County High School

Not taking the vaccine

“One Nation under God” and “In God we trust” Google its meaning — it’s a great read. “1791 – Bill of Rights” — Google its meaning — an even better read. More to the point: Above all else I will kneel only before God and will always stand for the American Flag.

I have worked in the Environmental Services Department at Memorial Regional Health (MRH) for over 9 years. The last 2 years, during the COVID Pandemic I followed all the CDC rules. I never — praise be to God — got COVID. I never once called in sick. Instead, I did my best to help stop the spread of this virus and to help protect all those who came to MRH seeking healthcare. I will not allow anyone to bully — intimidate — or threaten me for refusing to inject something that I believe is harmful and that God has called me to not put into my body. Yes, I could have filed for an exemption to the vaccine mandate for medical/religious reasons and I was going to do that. But this makes me angry. Why should I have to justify or provide some kind of “proof” for choosing what I feel is best for me; for choosing to obey God? Those choosing to get the vaccine were not required to justify or provide proof of their reasons for accepting the vaccine. They are Americans and have that right. However, their right does not cancel out my right to refuse it … hence the saying “equal rights for all.” With that being said I have chosen to quit MRH instead of waiting to be fired, for refusing the COVID vaccine. I’ve never been fired before and the waiting and wondering how it would all happen is mentally and emotionally draining. Per MRH policy we are not entitled to be paid for any the PSL (Paid Sick Leave) that we have accrued if we quit or get fired. Just a side note, this also makes me angry since MRH takes that from our PTO (Paid Time Off) which we earn and accrue based on hours we work! My last pay stub shows I have 45.4 hours for PSL — consider that a one weeks notice. “I wish you well in your future endeavors.” To anyone who reads this please remember: the freedoms and liberties that we have in this country are not free. There is always a price to be paid, by someone, somewhere. The only thing you have to decide is where you stand. I am a child of God and also an American, that is where I stand.

Debbie Knez