Friends and Neighbors: Kevin Moeser

Sometimes you just need a nudge.

Kevin Moeser, who just celebrated one year as an EMT, would not be where he is today if he had not received that nudge from Clean Harbors co-workers Brad Reader and Kevin Sherman, who is also an EMT.

In addition to celebrating his first anniversary, Moeser has completed the first two levels in his leadership academy training and will attend levels three and four in November.

"In each level there are certain protocols you can do," he explained. "This will add more protocols to my skill set and allow me to do things such as establishing IVs and administering low levels drugs such as albuterol, epinephrine and nitroglycerin."

Now Moeser is preparing for Advanced EMT training, one level below paramedic.

"I have always been interested in first aid, I don't know why I waited until I was older to pursue it," Moeser said. "Kevin Sherman and Brad Reader gave me the boost to take the EMT training. During that time, because of the training, I started looking at things differently."

Moeser said he was sitting in church one day when he realized that the emergency supplies needed in case of sudden cardiac arrest were not available.

"That kind of bothered me," he added.

His realization led him to research the cost of an Automated external defibrillator, or AED. This device can diagnose life-threatening pulse irregularities and deliver the shock necessary to save a life.

Though these devices can be found at an affordable price, few churches have the budget to purchase one.

Moeser is a member of the local Knights of Columbus, a men's charity organization through the Catholic church. After discussing his concern with his KOC brothers, the Knights hosted a fish fry to raise money for an AED.

"At the beginning of the fish fry a member, and good friend, Bob Barrett passed away from heart disease. Shortly after I got a call from his wife, who wanted to purchase the AED for the Church in Bob's name. It was really fitting," Moeser said. "As a group we (the Knights) decided to form the Bob Barrett Memorial Fund to help with training and, depending on how it grows, write grants for other churches to help offset the cost of AEDs."

For his own church, the AED was purchased along with a training AED that goes through the entire process without delivering the shock. CPR and AED training were provided by Dawn Maier, a Kimball County Ambulance paramedic and CPR instructor.

Proudly, Moeser added that 28 church members signed up and are now trained in CPR and in the proper use of the AED.

"Pastors responded positively, and I think this is going to take on a life of its own and get bigger," Moeser said. "If we can raise awareness in other churches and have more people training in CPR, the better our community will be."

At that point Moeser decided that he wanted to help other churches and organizations, not just in Kimball, but in the surrounding area as well.

Moeser has reached out to churches in Scottsbluff and Gering and offered them the information to get the ball rolling.

"This program can grow exponentially," he added. "I hope it becomes a Panhandle-wide initiative for the Bob Barrett Memorial Fund."

Though the Kimball Knights of Columbus wish to grow the Bob Barrett Memorial Fund so that they can fully offset the cost of the device for others, currently they offer solely information and much needed support.

Though this has become his mission, and he was awarded at the Nebraska Mission: Lifeline Western Conference Aug. 25 in Gering for his work to get area churches trained on their own AED, Moeser refuses credit for the success of the mission.

The company Cardiac Life offered the Knights a significant discount, according to Moeser, who credits the local Knights of Columbus and the Bob Barrett Memorial Fund for making this a reality.

"My hope is that as awareness grows and more people get trained the more they will be aware. You cannot walk into a mall in this country anymore with seeing an AED," he said. "I think it is a very important thing and it has become a mission for me. If any other business, church or organization has any questions, I would set them on the right path."