Recognizing Emergency Medical Technician Vera Deacon

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding constituent from my district. Vera Deacon, who after graduating from the Abington Senior High School studied medical sciences at Penn State University and then obtained her license as a registered nurse at the Abington Hospital School of Nursing in 1977.

Vera served the community as an Emergency Department nurse at Abington Hospital and then Lehigh Valley Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital where she transitioned into the role of a PICC nurse and vascular access educator. As a driven patient advocate throughout her career, Vera participated in the reviews of PICC line device failures, efficacy, and the effects of short and long-term placements. As a CRNI and expert in the field, she has published several medical journal articles related to the elimination of infections in complex patient populations, and the Safe Medical Devices Act and its impact on clinical practice.

Missing the intensely challenging patient care opportunities of the hospital Emergency Department, Vera joined the Springtown Volunteer Fire Company to provide rescue services to her home community and was certified in Firefighter 1 and as a Basic Vehicle Rescue technician. After completing an EMT course, she joined Upper Bucks Regional EMS where she has consistently volunteered on-duty at its Springfield Township station every week and is an invaluable crew member with her extensive background in emergency medicine.

In addition to responding to 911 calls for medical emergencies, she now also serves Upper Bucks Regional EMS as the volunteer coordinator and the vice president and secretary of the Board of Directors. As if this service to the community wasn't enough, she also volunteered to review funding applications for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in Montgomery County and brought that knowledge and experience back to benefit her local Fire and EMS community. In 2022, Vera Deacon volunteered more than 252.5 hours at Upper Bucks Regional EMS and is therefore awarded the President's Silver Volunteer Service Award on behalf of our Nation.

We are incredibly grateful for the positive impact Vera has had through her long career of public service, and we wish Vera countless blessings into the future.

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