The Lawrence County Commission heard about the recent success of the Stop the Bleed initiative throughout the county.

The program is through a partnership between Lawrence County EMS, Cabell Huntington Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center, and aims to teach school personnel techniques to treat bleeding injuries following a mass casualty accident.

“It’s a shame that we have to teach school personnel what amounts to combat wound techniques,” Jeff Gaskin, resource and facilities administrator for Lawrence County EMS, said. “But, so far to date, we’ve done a little over 600 school personnel here in Lawrence County.”

Gaskin added that originally, the initiative was set to teach around 800 personnel, but that it’s been revised for more than 900 school personnel in the county.

“We’ve done every district in the county with the exception of Coal Grove, Symmes Valley and Ironton,” Jennifer Murray, director of trauma services at Cabell Huntington Hospital, said. “We have Ironton scheduled, but are still working on Coal Grove and Symmes Valley. And we’ve also done every bus driver in the county.”

Murray added that all of the schools should be finished with the program by next spring.

In other action, the commission:

• Approved one floodplain permit renewal.

• Approved three appropriations.

• Approved five transfer funds.

• Approved the following hires for Lawrence County EMS: Sara Aldridge, EMT; Lee Hanners, paramedic; Logan Laughman, EMT; Brandy Settle, paramedic; Krista Cable, EMT; and Stephanie Shipley, advanced EMT.

• Approved the elevation of employment for Charles Broughton from PT EMT to PT paramedic, effective Aug. 13, 2018, as requested by Lori Morris, EMS finance administrator.

• Approved and signed the final change order for CU14U Law CR42-0.10 landslide repair project, as requested by the Lawrence County Engineer’s office.

• Approved the inter-county trade funds between Lawrence County Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS) and Highland County DJFS in the amount of $23,500 of Title XX Base Funds in exchange for $23,500 of income maintenance funds from Highland County.

• Approved the prior service credit for Mr. Joshua Wilson from the Lawrence County Juvenile Center (full-time) to be credited for longevity and leave accrual purposes. The total prior service time requested to be added is six years and 167 days, as requested by Terry Porter, Lawrence County DJFS director.

• Approved and signed the IV-D Child Support Contract with Jonathan Spoljaric, process server, Aug. 15, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2018, as requested by Terry Porter, Lawrence County DJFS director.

• Approved the close out of the Revolving Loan Fund through the Community Development Block Grant and assigned the remaining funds for the use in the Ninth St. Gateway Project, as approved by the Ohio Development Services Agency.

• Approved the low bid for the roofing project at the Joint Response Operations Center to Cosam Contracting, LLC in the amount of $121,900.67, as recommended by TSHD architects.

• Approved the low bid for the remodeling project at the Joint Response Operations Center to CTB Incorporated in the amount of $464,199, as recommended by TSHD architects.

• Approved the low bid for the Edgarton Hill Force Main Replacement to Southern Ohio Trenching in the amount of $175,375, as recommended by E.L. Robinson Engineering.

• Met in executive session with Lisa Pine and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Terry Porter and Chris Kline regarding legal contracts.

• Met in executive session with Brigham Anderson, Eddie Philabaun and Chris Kline regarding pending legal contracts.

• Met in executive session with Chris Kline regarding legal contracts.