Dawson EMT’s capture Second Place

submitted

In the annual EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Skills competition held this year in Skagway, Alaska, the Dawson team led by Mike Perry, EMT-A, with Stephanie Pruner, EMR, and Alyssa Gibbs, EMR, narrowly missed taking first place once again. They were edged out by a composite team from Destruction Bay, Burwash Landing, & Haines Junction in the second last of the day’s scenarios.

Mike Perry sets the spreaders to lift a steering column. Photo submitted

The Dawson team was faced with a mock drowning victim and had to use all their skills including using the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) which Dawson volunteers raised money to purchase just a couple of years ago. It was an appropriate challenge for a competition held on the very shore of Skagway with the incoming tide and a brisk wind off the water.

On the previous day, all the competitors trained in high speed reaction/perception driving and maneuvering their ambulances through an intricate course set out on the tarmac of the Skagway airport. Competition judge and local training officer John Tyrrell, EMA1. EMT-A, held the record for the fastest circuit with no pylons disturbed.

In the afternoon, the ambulance attendants also were instructed by the Skagway Fire Chief and his crew and Whitehorse Fire and Ambulance attendant Mike Swainson in how to extricate people from vehicles using the jaws of life and other heavy pneumatic tools.

The skills competition is an annual event which in a good humoured way pits all the communities against each other in challenging medical scenarios. It is a great morale booster after long busy summer of calls. Dawson has either won the competition or placed in the top three for the past five years. The Whitehorse team came third and included former Dawsonite Devon Bailey.

Chamber sums up year, presents awards and elects new board

by Dan Davidson

The Dawson City Chamber of Commerce ended its year with a number of concerns being expressed at its annual general meeting.

In summing up his year in office, president Martin Gehrig, who had sworn the year before that he would never serve as an officer for the chamber, termed it a busy and eventful year, adding that it was one which had shown him he was not cut out for this sort of thing.

Jon Magnusson (right) accepts his Business Person of the Year Award from chamber president Martin Gehrig. Photo by Dan Davidson

He noted some of the big items of the year. There was the bridge/anti-bridge debate, which he was happy to note seemed to have been settled with the government’s pledge to build a bridge.

There were all the problems at city offices and with the recreation centre, leading up to the council’s removal by the territorial government.

“We have a working city management team right now, and the only good thing about that is that there’s not much controversy going on right now. It’s there, it’s happening.

“It will be changing. Next year’s chamber directors will be probably dealing with the same problems again, but just the other way around: to find a council.

“I was in charge of get rid of it, the next one’s going to be charge of finding another one.”

That last remark was, he indicated, supposed to be a joke.

“It’s nothing to do with me or us.”

The chamber has also been involved with the ongoing discussion about the Yukon Queen and its effects on the river and the fish. Gehrig feels personally that the controversy here is overblown, but is glad to see it being studied, a process which he feels will sort out the issue.

One of his biggest concerns was the need to rethink the annual Gold Show and come up with a more successful formula, including a much greater presence of actual gold at the show.

“Having a gold show without having one ounce of gold for sale doesn’t make sense,” he told the membership. “A future gold show has to have gold available, maybe just to look at; maybe not to buy it, but it’s a gold show and it has to have gold.

“We have to get this gold show going. It’s an important kick-start to the season.”

While there was a full slate of annual awards to be given out, only two of the winners were actually present to receive them. Jon Magnusson, of Dawson City B & B, was named Business Person of the Year. The Klondike Visitors Association won as Not-for-Profit or Government Chamber Member.

Business of the Year went to Klondike Nugget and Ivory. Seasonal Business of the Year went to Tintina Bakery. Honourable Mention for Business of the Year went to Megan Waterman, of the Fashion Nugget Design and Fabric.

A new executive was achieved with less arm twisting than in some previous years, all but one position having been filled by the nomination committee. It is true, though, just about everyone at the meeting, including the member of the fourth estate, was asked to consider the job before Stephanie Cleland, who had said no, reconsidered, thus filling out the roster.

At a quick meeting the day after the AGM, the elected members divided up the offices. Pat Brooks of Goldrush Campground became president; Jon Magnusson of Dawson City B&B, is vice-president; Rhonda Taylor, of Aurora Office, remains as secretary/treasurer. Directors are Wayne Rachel, of Callison Waste Management; Dave Robinson, of the Dawson Trading Post; Stephanie Cleland, of Curly’s Hair Shop. Martin Gehrig, of Seewolf Enterprises, is past president.

The AGM included a fund raising silent auction.