Tanana Chiefs Conference was recently presented a Special Achievement Award from the Interior Region EMS Council for the commitment and support of EMS their Region COVID-19 Vaccine Project for First Responders. Special Achievement Awards are intended to honor individuals or organization who deserve recognition for an outstanding event, lifesaving procedure, or for special service performed for their community or the region.
TCC was nominated for their dedication to Community Outreach in the interior, specifically for the efforts of ensuring that the rural EMS First Responders were provided the opportunity for receiving COVID-19 vaccinations.
When the State vaccination plan was announced, Crystal Stordahl, Director of the Community Health Aide Program and Dan Nelson, Director of Pharmacy, quickly realized while rural First Responders were approved to be vaccinated in the State of Alaska tier 1.a, no vaccines had been allocated. Regardless, TCC sought out and offered vaccines to anyone identified as a rural First Responder. To support this endeavor, a coordinated effort was made to advocate to the Alaska COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force for an allocation of vaccine specifically for rural First Responders of the region. As a result, 60 doses of vaccine were allocated.
TCC went above and beyond expectations to initiate a distribution plan that included all of the interior’s remote communities. From planning ways to store and transport the vaccines safely to coordinating and funding the means of transporting staff and equipment, they worked tirelessly to ensure that all of the interior communities, no matter how remote, would have access to the vaccine.
Chief Financial Officer Brian Ridley and Executive Director of Health Services Jacoline Bergstrom accepted the awarded virtually on behalf of the organization on April 2nd.