ZACH Rounds
24 | Rescue Inc/Town of Vernon | Advanced EMT and Former (Fmr) Lieutenant
Residence: Vernon
Career highlight(s): The career highlight I'm most proud of is the development of a pediatric safety program at one of the leading ambulance providers in the state of Vermont. Rescue Inc provides quality care and transportation for emergency medical patients, and 
being able to offer an even higher quality of pediatric emergency care is a goal that every healthcare provider should strive for. With the implementation of universal pediatric transport restraints, education and a car seat safety program that collaborates with the VT Governor's Highway Safety Program; Rescue Inc can confidently claim to contribute greatly to the safety of youth in 
Vermont. I am proud to have had a part in making this happen and am hopeful other institutions will be inspired to do the same. When I left my position as a Lieutenant in August for school, I left knowing that an incredible initiative was just getting off the ground and had the power to make a big difference.
Community Involvement: Besides my work in healthcare, my community involvement includes volunteering at the Brattleboro Ski Hill, Harris Hill Ski Jump, and formerly serving on the Vernon Vermont Fire Department. Since being a freshman in high school I have given thousands of volunteer hours to a ski hill that is becoming one of it's kind in the US. Where else can you go for $5 to ski or snowboard? I currently serve as the Vice President on the Board of Directors, and have also served in the roles of Board President, Secretary, and the NSP Patrol Director for the Brattleboro Ski Patrol. It probably goes without saying, but I would not spend so much time as a volunteer if I did not love and believe in what I was doing.
My time with the Vernon Fire Department was spent mostly rebuilding. When I was approached by the town selectboard to step in as Deputy EMS Chief after the department was suspended from operations, my job included rebuilding an EMS unit from the ground up to provide adequate care for the residents of Vernon. There is no greater community involvement to me than helping a person in their time of need.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont? I was motivated to live and work in Vermont by my parents who raised me in Putney, Vermont. After high school, I settled into full-time work right away and have enjoyed the area since.
Favorite part of your job: My favorite part of my job is being there for a person when they call 911 and having the ability to make a really scary day just a little bit better. Whether it is counseling family, reassuring someone, or performing life saving interventions, the feeling of being the person called when there is an emergency is incredible.
What is the best career advice you have received? The best career advice I have received is to put my healthcare career on hold to further my education in healthcare. I am now a full-time undergraduate freshman at Saint Michael's College in pursuit of a Bachelors in Science.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: Few people know that I have been obsessed with the TV series NCIS since I was a kid and that I still look up to Leroy Jethro Gibbs' character as my role model.
Person you would most like to share a Vermont beverage with: The person I'd most like to share a Vermont beverage with is my late best friend Trevor Quest for his great taste in craft beers. Trevor lost his life unexpectedly this past year and those close to him miss him immensely.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support: The cause I would support is homelessness. The homeless population is growing tremendously and there aren't many solutions for it, other than to put more funds into affordable housing.
Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5-10 years? In the next 5-10 years I'd like to remain on the path I have chosen to further my education with an end goal of medical school. My dream of becoming a physician is one I will be proud to one day accomplish.
How has your job changed since this pandemic? During the pandemic, my job has changed tremendously with regard to overall exhaustion and stress. Everyone in healthcare is experiencing it and there is no sufficient way to describe the underlying mental state of every worker who has been dressed in full protective equipment for the duration of this public health crisis.