Mayor Walsh, Boston EMS celebrate new EMT graduates at East Boston ceremony

BOSTON - Monday, September 21, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined Boston EMS to celebrate the graduation of 10 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) recruits in a socially distanced, outdoor ceremony at LoPresti Park in East Boston. This graduating class will be assigned to 911 ambulances, strengthening the City of Boston's Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

"In our lifetime, we've never seen a crisis quite like the COVID-19 pandemic. And through it all, the men and women at Boston EMS have been on the front lines, leading the City's response with incredible courage and passion," said Mayor Walsh. "I'm proud to be here to congratulate the men and women graduating today as they join the best emergency medical services department in the country. "

Today's ceremony formally acknowledges 10 recruits' successful completion of a rigorous post-hire training program for EMTs at Boston EMS. Already state-certified EMTs prior to hire, this graduating class, completed an additional seven months of classroom and field training. Known as "Recruit Class 2020-1," the recruits were trained in a variety of life-threatening emergency situations, including active shooter incidents, hazardous materials exposure, transportation accidents, recovery services, human trafficking and mass casualty incidents. The training program also included a month-long reassignment to assist with the City of Boston's COVID-19 pandemic response, supporting field operations, dispatch operations and enhanced disinfectant procedures.

"Their rigorous training academy began when the City only had one confirmed case of COVID-19 and it continued through the surge of the pandemic in Boston. This recruit class has seen firsthand the courage, passion and heart it takes to do this job," said Boston EMS Chief James Hooley. "Welcome to Boston EMS. You are serving in historic times and you are ready."

This academy class responded to nearly 1,400 9-1-1 calls during their training. Those emergency incidents included baby deliveries, cardiac arrests, motor vehicle accidents, shootings, stabbings, strokes, overdoses and more. With guidance from seasoned EMT field training officers, recruits are not only prepared to care for patients, regardless of the circumstances, they also now understand the level of care, clinical excellence and professionalism expected of Boston EMS EMTs.

Boston EMS is one of the busiest municipal EMS providers in New England, responding to more than 125,000 emergency medical incidents per year. As a bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Boston EMS is committed to serving Boston's residents through clinical excellence, emergency planning and preparedness, and community outreach.

In his FY20 budget, Mayor Walsh added four EMTs to promote diversity and recruitment as well as resources to expand the capacity of Boston EMS's Community Assistance Team, also known as Squad 80. Squad 80 is a two-person team that travels in a non-transport vehicle and answers calls where patients have a low frequency of being transported to the emergency room, making more ambulances available for priority calls that need to get patients to the hospital. It also connects people to our recovery or homeless services and other city programs. In FY21, Mayor Walsh is investing in seven new ambulances, as well as new portable radios to support coordination and communication, new body armor to protect EMTs and Paramedics and new AEDs for patient care.

ABOUT BOSTON EMS

Boston EMS is the primary provider of emergency medical services for the City of Boston and is a nationally recognized leader in the field of pre-hospital emergency medicine. The department leverages the latest advances in both medicine and technology to bring high-quality, compassionate care to the people of Boston. Boston EMS also plays a key role in the City's emergency preparedness efforts and provides community programming designed to educate the public about important health and safety topics.

ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION

The Boston Public Health Commission, one of the country's oldest health departments, is an independent public agency providing a wide range of health services and programs. It is governed by a seven-member board of health appointed by the Mayor of Boston. Public service and access to quality health care are the cornerstones of our mission - to protect, preserve and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. The Commission's more than 40 programs are grouped into six bureaus: Emergency Medical Services; Child Adolescent & Family Health; Community Health Initiatives; Homeless Services; Infectious Disease; and Recovery Services.

Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Cassellius: Our fall school plans are guided by health, safety, and equity

By Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Superintendent Brenda Cassellius

 

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping Boston’s families safe, healthy, and equitably supported has been our top priority. That’s why we made the tough but necessary decision to close Boston Public Schools buildings in March. In a matter of days, we began distributing Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots to students, we set up meal sites to continue feeding tens of thousands of students and families, and we transitioned to fully remote learning. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort, and one we kept up while planning the upcoming school year.

 

We are still facing uncertainty from coronavirus, but the values that guide us are unchanged. Our plans for the upcoming school year put health, safety, and the needs of our most vulnerable students at the center of our plans.

 

After conducting an equity analysis and incorporating the feedback of thousands of stakeholders, we have decided to move forward with a cautious, responsible, phased-in hybrid model for the school year. In the optional hybrid model, students learn at home three days a week and attend school in-person two days a week.

This is our plan:

 

• We pushed the first day of school back to September 21, to give schools and teachers extra time to prepare. 

• On September 21, all students will start with all-remote learning. 

• No sooner than October 1, the option of hybrid learning will begin for students with the highest needs. 

• No sooner than October 15, optional hybrid learning may begin for the three grades of kindergarten: K0, K1, and K2. 

• No sooner than October 22, opt-in hybrid learning may begin for grades 1-3. 

• No sooner than November 5, opt-in hybrid learning may begin for grades 4-8. That will include grades 6-8 in the high schools that include those grades. 

• And no sooner than November 16, opt-in hybrid learning may begin for grades 9-12. 

In every step, families have the choice of whether to opt in to hybrid learning or stay fully remote. BPS is surveying families about their learning environment and transportation preferences for the fall. We know that many families want and need their children to be in school, but many other families are not yet comfortable with in-person learning. That’s why we are honoring family choice.

We’ve learned a lot from the spring remote learning period. This plan is an opportunity to make remote learning more robust, inclusive, and creative. We are expanding technology and internet access; creating new outreach and support plans for families; developing solutions for special education students and English learners; and talking with childcare providers.

We have also spent months preparing our school buildings and training staff to protect students’ and teachers’ health. We are working with school leaders and facilities professionals to make sure every school is safe and in compliance with DESE recommendations. We will not send students, teachers, or staff into buildings that are not safe.

 

We are focusing on equity and meeting the needs of our students. Our plan responds to the significant opportunity gaps facing students from low-income households, students of color, immigrants, and English language learners. Many parents are essential workers who must return to work, and cannot leave their young children home alone. For these families, opportunity gaps grow with every day students are out of school. It’s also important to remember that school is about much more than learning. For many students, it’s their place of safety, support, and social development.

Supporting students with special needs is a big focus of this plan. We are prioritizing high needs special education students by giving them the option of in-person learning, two days a week (Monday and Tuesday for Hybrid Group A, Thursday and Friday for Hybrid Group B) starting October 1, and up to 4 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) starting October 12 based on family choice, considerations to ensure safety based on classroom capacity, and any potential need to reroute transportation for students. This is the right thing to do. We are committed to meeting the requirements of every student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

We need to keep our communities safe, get kids back to school, and provide quality education. That’s what this plan makes possible. At every step, we will follow public health data. Every family will have the choice about when to send their children into school buildings. And we will continue the work that began long before COVID-19: to close opportunity and achievement gaps, and give every single child the quality education that they deserve. 

We are deeply grateful to all of the teachers, school leaders, staff, families, students, and public health experts who lent their time and expertise, and helped us consider all aspects of our plan. This is the most difficult chapter in our city’s recent history, and time and time again the Boston community rises to the challenge with solidarity and compassion. 

To see the full BPS reopening plan, and for more information about how to submit feedback, visit bostonpublicschools.org/reopening.

Health Center appoints Greg Wilmot Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Wilmot brings more than 20 years of health care experience to new role

Boston, MA (September 2, 2020)—East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC), the largest community health center in Massachusetts and among the largest community health centers in the country, today announced that Greg Wilmot has been promoted to the role of senior vice president (SVP) and chief operating officer (COO). Wilmot most recently served as vice president and executive director of Neighborhood PACE, part of the national Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly network that provides comprehensive care and support for adults 55 and older with specific needs and preferences. In this new capacity, Wilmot will continue to oversee the PACE program while also playing a key role in the development of EBNHC’s 2025 strategic plan.

“This year the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center celebrates its 50th anniversary providing easily accessible, high-quality health care to some of our most vulnerable populations,” said Wilmot. “No patient is ever turned away and it is a privilege to be a part of an organization that has made such a tremendous impact on the local community. As we chart a course for the health center’s future, I’m looking forward to helping shape its strategic planning efforts.”

Wilmot brings more than 20 years of experience in the health care field to his new role. Prior to joining EBNHC in 2017, Wilmot worked at AllWays Health Partners, a member of Mass General Brigham, where he led the organization’s MassHealth Accountable Care Organization strategy and operations. Wilmot previously served as Boston Medical Center’s director of business development, where he partnered with clinical and administrative leaders at the hospital and across key partners to create new opportunities for growth and expand clinical services and quality goals. Wilmot also worked for former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services as senior advisor and director of strategy and performance management and held various operational and management roles at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

“Greg’s appointment comes at an important time for EBNHC and the communities we serve as the health center continues to grow and expand,” said Manny Lopes, CEO. “As COO, he will play a key role in integrating the PACE program into the overall health center, which will improve patient care and organizational efficiency, as well as in the development of EBNHC’s strategic planning.”

Wilmot holds a BA in psychology from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University. Wilmot resides in Framingham, MA, with his wife Romina and their two daughters.

The East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC) has been a vital part of the community for the last 50 years, providing easily accessible, high-quality health care to all who live and work in East Boston and the surrounding communities of Chelsea, Revere, Everett, and Winthrop. EBNHC supports more than 1,000 employees and handles 300,000 visits per year—more than any other ambulatory care center in New England. For more information, please visit www.ebnhc.org.

R.I.P Mike Valerio, Italian immigrant who started Papa Gino's pizza on Bennington Street

Michael A. Valerio 1931-2020

Reprinted from StandAmerica.us.

It is my sad duty to inform you that Michael A. Valerio, “Mike” to his friends, went home to heaven on Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd.

He was a faithful husband to Helen, loving father to Linda, Laura and Michael Jr. He was an Army veteran, a successful entrepreneur and businessman, a philanthropist and to me and many others, a very dear friend. He will be missed beyond measure, and the grief of those who knew and loved him is deep.

Mike was not a man who sought the spotlight, but behind the scenes he was a force of nature. After military service, he started a small pizza shop in 1953. With his wife Helen by his side every step of the way, they labored long hours, refused to go into debt and over the next three decades, turned a modest storefront in East Boston into over 200 stores, one of the largest restaurant chains in New England - Papa Gino’s of America.

Cooking remained a passion and past time for Mike long after his retirement as a restauranteur. He was often cooking when I called him, preparing a pasta dinner for Helen and himself. His love for his wife, children and family was demonstrated in ways small and large. If you met Mike and Helen in a social setting, you would have no hint of how successful they were. He carried himself with an unassuming humility, and yet he was one of the most generous men I’ve had the privilege of calling a friend.

He was also one of the hardest working people in America. I often awakened to find emails from him written at 2, 3 or 4 am about some idea he had and was anxious to talk to me about. I used to wonder when he slept. His energy was absolutely amazing, and reminds me of another outstanding leader on the scene today, President Donald J. Trump, who Mike deeply admired and vigorously defended.

I have known Mike and Helen for 37 years. He and his wife are the God parents of my youngest daughter. He was a member of my board of directors, and has been a significant donor since the day this organization was founded in 2009. He and I worked together on most of his major projects to help the country going back to the early 1980’s. I was a commentator on “Topic Religion” a radio program on the station he and Helen purchased in Boston in 1983.

We were allies and wide eyed idealists in Massachusetts politics who actually believed that we could take the state for conservative Republicans. We gave up on Massachusetts, but Mike never gave up on America. He was a courageous patriot who put his heart, soul, time, energy and money into helping save our country from the liberalism and progressivism which is now being exposed as socialism and communism.

Michael A. Valerio, was born in Italy, about 50 miles southeast of Rome. He was only five years old when he immigrated to the United States with his family, settling in the predominantly Italian East Boston. He grew to love America with a passion. When he achieved the capability, Mike expended tremendous effort and resources to preserve the nation he loved and the opportunities it gave him. He went from poor immigrant kid to prosperous businessman.

For those of us who knew him, the greatest parting gift we can offer is to remain vigilant and unrelenting in our quest to preserve America’s freedom, Judeo-Christian culture, economic and entrepreneurial vitality and faith in God. He wanted to make sure that the American people understand the threat posed by communism, in whatever guise it takes - progressivism,  Marxism, socialism or fascism. To Mike, it all springs from the evil human inclination to rob others of freedom. To assure the future of our country, he spent his life trying to stamp out this ideological poison. Mike will not be here to vote on November 3, but had he been, he was going to strike a blow for freedom by casting his vote for Donald Trump.

This is my first opportunity to publicly express my love and gratitude to Mike and Helen for their years of faithful friendship and support. STAND is one of many nonprofit organizations to which they donated. However, whether we were working on a project together or just waiting to figure out the next move, he was my dearest friend.

Please pray for his wife Helen, their children, grandchildren, extended family and all of his friends as we grieve the departure of this great patriarch and patriot. He fought for this country to the very end, and he is already missed.

Rest In Peace Mike. Thank you for your service to our nation. We will use the memory of your dedication and sacrifice as yet another reason to fight on. We will not let you down. America will remain a shining city on a hill.

God bless,

Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr.

Founder/President

Some Election Results State Primary 2020 for East Boston