2015 Adult Outstanding Alumni
Adult Education Congratulates Keith Severns
by Adult Director Richard George
The mission of Tri-Rivers Career Center is to prepare secondary and adult students to contribute, advance and succeed in the 21st Century workforce…to be responsible community members, and to embrace learning as a life-long process.
It is my pleasure this evening to introduce a very special alumnus who has certainly fulfilled that mission.
Our Adult Education honoree this evening is a graduate of several of our Public Safety Services training programs. His first experience with our Adult Programs was completing the Emergency Medical Technician training back in 1987. He returned to Tri-Rivers in 1990 for an EMT Refresher Program and then completed our Tri-Rivers / Marion General Hospital Paramedic training program in 1996. Keith passed both his Practical Skill Exams and the National Registry Paramedicine certification exam and received his National Certification as a Paramedic on August 30, 1996.
Since his initial training at Tri-Rivers Keith has used his skills to assist our community as an Emergency Medical Services provider. His work history includes time at Marion Township Fire Department, Mifflin Township Fire Department, Stofcheck EMS and is currently serving the community at Marion General Hospital.
Keith is the EMS/ACLS/PALS/SIM Coordinator at Marion General Hospital.
He was instrumental in bringing a simulation, experiential training lab to Marion General Hospital. Keith serves as the American Heart Association Coordinator and is regional faculty for ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support, CPR, and PALS – Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
Keith gives back to the community. He is a not only a Paramedic, an ACLS and CPR, and PALS instructor, but is also a firefighter and is qualified as an Arson Investigator. Keith has been an active participant on state committees and work groups. He conducts regular continuing education training classes for our North Central Ohio EMS council. Keith serves on the Tri-Rivers Program Advisory Committee for Public Safety and in his role at Marion General Hospital provides critical support and training for our Paramedic Students.
I know personally that for many years Keith was responsible for the planning of and then hosting an EMS Week Breakfast at Marion General Hospital where all our community EMS personnel were honored. I attended several of these events and I was always impressed by Keith’s organization, leadership and the ever present enthusiasm for Public Safety Services that Keith shares.
Dr. Larry Lewis is the EMS Medical Director for Marion General Hospital and works closely with Keith. I’ll tell you one thing that distinguishes Emergency Medical Personnel, is that they are always busy, always, giving back to the community. Dr. Lewis could not be here this evening as he is down in Columbus today conducting specialized EMS training.
The 2015 Outstanding Alumni winners were: Adult Education Keith Severns and High School recipients Becky Diamond and Brent Crum.
I spoke with Dr. Lewis and he shared some comments about Keith and Keith’s work ethic with me. He shared that Keith is one busy person. He’s not only the EMS Coordinator at Marion General Hospital, but he is heavily involved with the North Central Ohio EMS Council meetings and protocol. Keith teaches continuing education training for area Medics and EMTs, he reviews squad runs at Marion General (you may not realize it, but Marion General Hospital gets an average of 5,000-6,000 squad runs each year). Keith is the primary liaison between Medics and the Hospital.
Dr. Lewis shared with me that he could not do his job effectively without the assistance that Keith gives him. Keith is not only working in Marion County but is assisting with EMS County Protocols in Hardin County. Dr. Lewis described Keith as a “go to person” and noted that he can always count on Keith to get done what needs to be done.
Keith is here tonight with his wife Paula Severns, who is also a Distinguished Alumni of Tri-Rivers Center for Adult Education. At this time it is my pleasure to present the 2015 Tri-Rivers Adult Education Distinguished Alumni Award to Keith Severns.
