Inside Meet Abbey Meacham - Central Virginia Community College ...

students. Her high expectations forthem mirror the high expectationsshe has always had for herself.Born near Lynchburg in BedfordCounty, Abbey graduated fromJefferson Forest High School. Her firstjob was as a collections supervisor for alocal property management company.At the suggestion of a close friend,she soon began volunteering with theBoonsboro Volunteer Fire & Rescue,and she quickly realized what she reallywanted to do with her life. She believesshe was very lucky. “Choosing thehobby you like the most and gettingto do it every day—and getting paidfor it,” she says, “is the ideal way toapproach your life’s work.”She took her first free class in Goode,Virginia, then took some classes at CVCCand soon completed her EmergencyMedical Services training because, asshe explained, she “wanted to knoweverything!” She enrolled in the CVCCcurriculum in 2005 and was a memberof the second class to go through theparamedic program.Abbey explains there are fourlevels in the EMS Certificationprogram: EMT Basic is a career studiescertificate program for persons whowish to become emergency medicalAbbey stands at the entrance of the Miller Parkfire station on Fort Avenue.technicians; EMT Enhanced is the nextstep above basic; EMT-Intermediateand EMT-Paramedic teach advancedlife support skills and prepare studentsfor National Registry testing andcertification in Virginia; and the EMSAssociate of Applied Science programat CVCC combines EMT-P certificationwith degree program classes. ThisA.A.S. degree has two specializations:Fire Science and Paramedic.Abbey completed the A.A.S./Paramedic program at CVCC and earnedher Firefighter certifications throughcourses offered in Bedford County andby the Lynchburg Fire Department.Her station assignment is StationSix, Miller Park, which is the busieststation in the City of Lynchburg by callvolume. Half her time at work is spenton the ambulance and half is spenton the fire truck. In addition to theemergency situations that arise, thereare other responsibilities includingpublic education and responding to thewide variety of requests that may comein to the station. She finds it particularlysatisfying to help the elderly, especiallythose who live alone. “Little childrenusually have someone looking afterthem,” she says, “but many of ourelderly do not.”She tells her students that theyneed people skills and humanitarianskills, as well as technical training. Tobe successful in the profession, theymust have a real desire to help others.If not, they will never be any good at it,for it is a lifestyle that involves caringabout other human beings. A lot ofmaturity is necessary, she explains,and she will never send out into theworld someone who is not fully ready.EMS personnel must understandpatient confidentiality, empathy, legaland ethical considerations, as well aspossessing a very high skill level. On theAbbey’s firehelmet holds thecard her fatheronce gave her.technical side, the profession involves aconstant learning process with ongoingtechnical innovations and requirespeople who are willing to keep learningthroughout their careers.From the Miller Park Station to theCVCC classroom, Abbey performs abroad spectrum of duties and findsthere is “never a dull moment!” Sheis secretary of the local chapter ofthe International Association of FireFighters (IAFF), and her positionin that organization led to oneof the most interesting chaptersto-date in Abbey Meacham’salready full and meaningful life.On Tuesday, February 24, 2009,at 11:30 a.m., she received a callrequesting that she join first ladyMichelle Obama in the U.S. Capital forPresident Obama’s first State of theUnion Address that evening. AbbeyQueen of Hearts continued on page 8Fall 2010 Central Virginia Community College 7