THE BRUCE W. EDWARDS VIRGINIA BEACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING CENTER
REQUESTED BY CITY COUNCIL
A RESOLUTION RENAMING THE VIRGINIA BEACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING CENTER AS "THE BRUCE W. EDWARDS VIRGINIA BEACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING CENTER"
WHEREAS, Bruce W. Edwards served as Chief of the Department of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Virginia Beach for 32 years;
WHEREAS, he was the longest serving member in the history of Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services, and he was the longest-tenured CPR instructor, paramedic and administrator in the state;
WHEREAS, former Chief Edwards's 42-year career in emergency medical services in Virginia Beach began in 1967 when he joined the Ocean Park Volunteer Fire and Rescue Unit, where he rose to the rank of Assistant Fire and Rescue Chief:
WHEREAS, in 1973, he became Executive Director of the Emergency Coronary Care Program of Virginia Beach, Inc., a federally funded program that produced the first advanced life support technicians in the Commonwealth of Virginia;
WHEREAS, as coordinator of the Office of Emergency Medical Services for the City from 1975 to 1984, he was responsible for pre-hospital emergency patient care and training programs, and in 1984, he was promoted to Chief of the Department of Emergency Medical Services;
WHEREAS, Chief Edwards led an EMS Department with more than 1,500 career and volunteer rescue and fire personnel, and in addition to supervising all EMS operations in the City, he regulated private ambulance services and Oceanfront lifeguard operations;
WHEREAS, the demand for EMS services grew from around 8000 annual calls for assistance when Chief Edwards assumed leadership of the department to approximately 44,000 annual calls upon his retirement in 2016:
WHEREAS, in addition to serving our City, Chief Edwards served his state with distinction, receiving gubernatorial appointments to the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board in 2006 and to the Virginia Board of Health in 2009, for which he was selected as Chair in 2011:
WHEREAS, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Old Dominion University, he served his nation as a member of the United States Navy Reserve;
WHEREAS, his numerous accolades include the Governor's Award as the Outstanding EMS Administrator in the Commonwealth in 1996 and the 2012 Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation Virginia Gilpin Distinguished Service Award:
WHEREAS, in 2016, upon his retirement, the House of Delegates adopted a resolution commending his service to our City and the Commonwealth, and the City bestowed upon him the title of "Chief Emeritus," in which capacity he continued to serve the City as a volunteer mentor and advisor to the department; and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to express its deep appreciation for former Chief Edward's decades of exemplary public service to our City by renaming the City's EMS headquarters and training center in his memory:
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA:
1. That the Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services Headquarters and Training Center, located at 4160 Virginia Beach Boulevard, is hereby renamed as "The Bruce W. Edwards Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services Headquarters and Training Center": and
2. That the City Manager is hereby directed to take all steps necessary to revise all signage for the facility and all other references to the facility to include this new name.
A RESOLUTION RENAMING THE VIRGINIA BEACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING CENTER AS "THE BRUCE W. EDWARDS VIRGINIA BEACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING CENTER"
WHEREAS, Bruce W. Edwards served as Chief of the Department of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Virginia Beach for 32 years;
WHEREAS, he was the longest serving member in the history of Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services, and he was the longest-tenured CPR instructor, paramedic and administrator in the state;
WHEREAS, former Chief Edwards's 42-year career in emergency medical services in Virginia Beach began in 1967 when he joined the Ocean Park Volunteer Fire and Rescue Unit, where he rose to the rank of Assistant Fire and Rescue Chief:
WHEREAS, in 1973, he became Executive Director of the Emergency Coronary Care Program of Virginia Beach, Inc., a federally funded program that produced the first advanced life support technicians in the Commonwealth of Virginia;
WHEREAS, as coordinator of the Office of Emergency Medical Services for the City from 1975 to 1984, he was responsible for pre-hospital emergency patient care and training programs, and in 1984, he was promoted to Chief of the Department of Emergency Medical Services;
WHEREAS, Chief Edwards led an EMS Department with more than 1,500 career and volunteer rescue and fire personnel, and in addition to supervising all EMS operations in the City, he regulated private ambulance services and Oceanfront lifeguard operations;
WHEREAS, the demand for EMS services grew from around 8000 annual calls for assistance when Chief Edwards assumed leadership of the department to approximately 44,000 annual calls upon his retirement in 2016:
WHEREAS, in addition to serving our City, Chief Edwards served his state with distinction, receiving gubernatorial appointments to the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board in 2006 and to the Virginia Board of Health in 2009, for which he was selected as Chair in 2011:
WHEREAS, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Old Dominion University, he served his nation as a member of the United States Navy Reserve;
WHEREAS, his numerous accolades include the Governor's Award as the Outstanding EMS Administrator in the Commonwealth in 1996 and the 2012 Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation Virginia Gilpin Distinguished Service Award:
WHEREAS, in 2016, upon his retirement, the House of Delegates adopted a resolution commending his service to our City and the Commonwealth, and the City bestowed upon him the title of "Chief Emeritus," in which capacity he continued to serve the City as a volunteer mentor and advisor to the department; and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to express its deep appreciation for former Chief Edward's decades of exemplary public service to our City by renaming the City's EMS headquarters and training center in his memory:
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA:
1. That the Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services Headquarters and Training Center, located at 4160 Virginia Beach Boulevard, is hereby renamed as "The Bruce W. Edwards Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services Headquarters and Training Center": and
2. That the City Manager is hereby directed to take all steps necessary to revise all signage for the facility and all other references to the facility to include this new name.
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