The MedEvac Foundation International congratulates Charlotte Clark, EMT-P, CCP-C, FP-C, CMTE, our 2015 Safety Management Training Academy (SMTA) Scholarship recipient. Ms. Clark is the Safety Officer and an active Flight Paramedic for Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation and Carilion Clinic Life-Guard in Roanoke, Va. She receives the scholarship based on her deep level of safety involvement at her organization and her passion to affect change in our industry.

In her role as Safety Officer, Ms. Clark is responsible for new hire orientation. Her favorite aspect of the job is teaching, actively demonstrating and ultimately instilling Carilion’s strong safety culture into each new hire from Day One. She is actively involved with her Communications Center in disseminating Safety newsletters, information about Safety courses, and conducting PAIP drills.

“We need to use our voices to show the importance of what we do, how we do it every day, and what we can do to make this a safer profession for both air and ground,” states Ms. Clark. “I hope to attend the 2015 SMTA and take in as much knowledge as possible from the industry experts and take that knowledge and skill set back to my department and implement new safety practices.”

SMTA provides formal continuing education for individuals (and their organizations) interested in improving their understanding of safety systems theory and the application of that theory to the practice of medical transportation. The Academy operates with a rigorous approach to competency-based education, utilizing formal classroom hours, mandatory student participation, written testing, and a code of professional conduct.

“Ms. Clark’s role in Safety at her organization and her drive to improve our industry make her the ideal candidate for the 2015 SMTA Scholarship,” says MedEvac Foundation President and CEO, Rick Sherlock. “The SMTA program provides a wide range of safety education that Ms. Clark can put to immediate use at Carilion Clinic, a valued AAMS member.”

The scholarship is made possible through a gift to the Foundation by the Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA).

“There is no goal more important to our crew members and our patients than to provide excellent safety training for air medical providers around the world,” says AMOA President, Christopher Eastlee. “Our continued support of the SMTA Scholarship is one significant way that AMOA remains committed to that goal.”