Tribute to Judy G. Ward

As everyone knows by now, the MVRS and the Mathews community lost a valued member on June 20th. Judy was a person of many talents and touched hundreds of people through her music, as a member of the Squad and her work as a dispatcher. This was evident by the number of friends and acquaintances who attended the visitation and the memorial service. It was a very appropriate and impressive service made even more so by the number of uniformed MVRS and Auxiliary members who were able to attend. Thank you to all who were able to be there.

There are only a few long-term members who are still running calls and who worked with Judy. Some of you knew her as a dispatcher and some probably only know her name. Judy joined the Squad in 1987 after completing her EMT certification and she pulled duty every Tuesday until 2000 when she got a “real” job as a dispatcher. Prior to that she was a professional singer and worked as a house painter. She wasn’t able to pull regular hours with the Squad after that due to shift work but she did answer up whenever she could.

From the time that she joined the Squad, Judy made a positive impact in many ways. She was responsible for the adoption of a professional looking uniform (white or blue button down the front shirt and navy pants) because “even though we are not paid, we are professionals and we should look it.” She planned, coordinated and directed our nationally recognized Camp Rescue until 2008. She was involved in the formation of the MVRS Dive Team and the Auxiliary. She was an idea person resulting in the sign in front of the building, the PPPPP award (an incentive for members to answer extra calls) and many Squad dinners and entertainment. Judy didn’t like the administrative part but she did serve on the Board of Directors several times.

Judy loved to help people so in order to be able to do more, she decided to take the Cardiac Tech (now EMT-I) class but she didn’t want to go all the way to Tabb two nights a week by herself so I said I’d go too. We painted all day and dragged ourselves across the river to class, got home around 10 or 10:30 pm and got up the next morning and went to work. This also included running calls in the middle of the night. But we were a lot younger then and we managed.

She loved to answer calls and figure out how to get a patient out of bottom of a boat or out of a car or off the second story of a house under construction. Judy was a competent, compassionate medic and many patients would ask if she would be coming to the scene. She was upset when time didn’t allow her to be more active with the Squad but she was still helping people as a dispatcher. Her background with the Squad helped her be a great dispatcher because she knew what information we needed to do our part. It really bothered her that she wasn’t able to assist 911 callers medically but she did everything she could to get help to them as fast as possible (our dispatchers cannot be certified to give medical instruction to callers because there is only one dispatcher on duty at a time).

When Judy was undergoing treatment, she liked to listen to the sheriff and rescue channels so she could keep up with what was going on but as time went on, she would turn the radio off because she was so frustrated that she couldn’t answer calls or dispatch anymore.

Judy was recognized for her many contributions over the years. She was voted Squad Person of the Year three times, she was named EMT of the Year by PEMS twice (once for Camp Rescue) and was runner-up for the National EMT of the Year. She has been Dispatcher of the Year and has received awards from other organizations in the county.

She loved the Squad and helping people. Our Squad and the community have benefited by her presence and she will be missed. Thank you, 115/Dispatcher 4, and well done.

Lindy Hatch, EMT-I
Past President