Tag Archives: Michael Burns

Roundup: Jaime Bairaktaris, Sherry Jagerson, Saugatuck Church Pride …

Posted on June 17, 2024 | 8 comments

Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service’s new president is a familiar face — but also a young one.

Jaime Bairaktaris has already served as a board member and crew chief. When he succeeds Michael Burns on July 1, the 26-year-old will be the youngest Westport EMS president in history.

He began volunteering in 2013 as a Staples High School freshman. He has logged
nearly 3,000 hours since.

Bairaktaris was named Volunteer of the Year in 2016, and Crew Chief of the
Year in 2022.

EMS is one of his many activities. Bairaktaris works full-time as a support staff member at Redding’s John Read Middle School, and recently finished a term on the Westport Representative Town Meeting for District 4. He also founded and publishes The Westport Local Press.

Bairaktaris hopes to add initiatives for current volunteers, while attracting and growing the next generation of EMTs.

Another goal is to strengthen public education, with new classes focused on mental health.

Current president Burns will transition to serve as vice president, continuing his work on the non-profit’s new endowment goals to allow long-term financial sustainability.

Burns’ leadership was crucial to WVEMS’s growth and stability following the pandemic.

For more information on Westport Volunteer EMS and its service to Westport, click here.

Jaime Bairaktaris

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Sherry Jagerson got the sendoff she deserved on Saturday afternoon.

Friends and admirers packed the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport. They smiled and laughed as family members and colleagues told stories about the longtime Westporter’s many accomplishments, as a sailor, sailmaker and women’s sailing instructor; self-taught home renovator and repairperson; environmental activist and Nash Pond steward; human rights advocate; mother, grandmother, and role model to all.

The next day, 2 dozen family members and friends paid the ultimate tribute to the passionate woman, who died earlier this month at 80.

They gathered at the Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve — whose transformation from the former Allen’s Clam House to an idyllic spot for reflection and kayak launching Jagerson spearheaded over a decade ago — to weed, prune and replant the site.

As they worked, the crew told Jagerson’s story to curious passersby and preserve-goers. They included 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, who was there to go kayaking, and volunteered to take a group photo.

Sherry Jagerson’s family and friends, at Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve. (Photo/Jen Tooker)

“It was a fabulous few hours, giving us one more opportunity to show our appreciation and gratitude for our amazing mom,” daughter Stacy Fowle says.

Cleaning up Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve. (Photo/Stacy Fowle)

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Several dozen people enjoyed the warm sun and broad front lawn, at Saugatuck Congregational Church’s first-ever Pride event yesterday.

There was food, camaraderie, a bouncy house for kids, and more.

Including plenty of rainbows.

Saugatuck Church prepares for Pride. (Photo/Richard Fogel)

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Compo Shopping Center has the parking lot Westporters love to hate.

The front is narrow, confusing and dangerous. The rear is spacious, but — in part because it has been potholed and poorly maintained — underutilized.

Part of that problem has been solved. New owners Regency Centers recently repaved part of the back lot.

It’s a great improvement. Now, about rest of the place …

Compo Shopping Center repaving. (Photo/Rob Haroun)

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“Who” stopped by for a Father’s Day “Westport … Naturally” portrait yesterday?

This guy!

(Photo/Barry Kresch)

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And finally … on this date in 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, spent the next 17 years building her mausoleum. Today it is called the Taj Mahal.

(Welcome to another week of Roundups: your best source each day for whatever has happened, is happening or will happen in the 06880. Please click here to support our hard work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Environment, Local business, religion

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Staples SciMentors Teach Teens

Posted on May 31, 2024 | 2 comments

When she entered Staples High School 2 years ago as a sophomore, after 6 years in Europe, Kylie Kirkham was overwhelmed with choices.

What courses to take? What clubs to get involved with? How could she choose, and who could help her make those decisions?

She settled on Chemistry as one option, and realized she liked science. She volunteered in the Norwalk Hospital discharge lounge, and took the rigorous Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service course. She hopes to pursue a pre-med track in college.

Staples High School science options. Electives include astronomy, biotechnology, 3D engineering, environmental science, animal behavior, horticulture, marine biology, aerospace, science research and much more.

Kylie does not have a lot of spare time. But she wanted to pay what she learned forward, to help younger students make sense of the sometimes overwhelming array of Staples requirements, prerequisites — and wonderful possibilities.

She formed a club called SciMentors. The goal was to help middle school students understand what their high school science future could look like.

The other day her club held their first SPRKS fair, at Bedford Middle School.

The acronym means Students Pursuing Real-world Knowledge of Science. It was interactive, engaging, and a great success.

Leearning about blood pressure, at the SciMentors event.

Nearly 3 dozen youngsters, and their parents, learned about Staples science — and built connections with students in those courses.

Club members created displays, showing off different areas of science. Some offered activities; others performed experiments, had trivia games, or demonstrated equipment.

One exhibit at the SPRKS fair. 

Then came speakers. Staples biology and forensics teacher Heather Wirkus talked about course selection and research opportunities. Westport Volunteer EMS president Michael Burns related his experiences.

Nurse Cristin Ronca discussed work/life balance.

A panel of Staples students then answered questions.

Kylie was excited to see students taking writing in notebooks her club had created, and paid for through fundraising.

And everyone enjoyed treats, courtesy of Popup Bagels.

Participants at the SPRKS fair (from left): Isla Goldberg, SciMentors vice president; Heather Wikus, Staples science teacher; Kylie Kirkham, founder and president); Sophie Statkiewicz, vice president; Michael Burns, WVEMS president; Cristin Ronca, nurse.

Kylie will graduate next year. But she wants SciMentors to continue for years. She is now mentoring the next generation of leaders.

Soon, she hopes, some of the students who were at this year’s inaugural SPRKS fair will pass on their Staples knowledge to those who follow them.

No one can predict how any science experiment will turn out. But — thanks to Kylie Kirkham and her club — the chances of success for this one are sky-high.

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Posted in Education, Staples HS, Teenagers

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EMS Is Here For Us. Are We Here For Them?

Posted on June 14, 2021 | 7 comments

If you’ve never needed Westport Volunteer EMS — whether at home, out and about, or in an ambulance — consider yourself lucky.

Your time will come.

And whether you have or have not, if you’ve never considered where the funding for this volunteer service — including its 3 ambulances, and every bit of equipment — comes from: The time has come.

Read on. Then pony up.

Established over 40 years ago, Westport EMS is a neighbor-to-neighbor organization. Over 100 members give almost 20,000 hours of their time each year, staffing ambulances. They come from all walks of life. (Because they love Westport so much, some are from out of town too).

Some — but not all — of the 2021 Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service crew.

Nearly every call includes a paramedic — very rare, especially for a community this size. Response time beats the national average (and have you seen the traffic in town lately?).

So how much money comes from the town budget?

Almost $0.

EMS is not funded by taxes. The yearly budget — around $1.3 million — is almost entire self-funded. That pays for 7 full-time staff members, 1 full-time Norwalk Hospital paramedic, and other costs like buildings and insurance.

Westport Volunteer EMS — the volunteer arm of the official town agency, run by the Police Department — raises all money needed to buy equipment supplies. That’s everything from Band-Aids (true!) to ambulances (which are substantially more expensive than bandages).

WEstport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service pays for all equipment in an ambulance …

A fully outfitted ambulance costs over $300,000. WVEMS has 3. They should be bought new every 8 to 10 years. For a variety of reasons, all must be replaced soon.

… and the ambulances themselves. Pictured: Mike Burns, WVEMS president.

The stretcher and loading system for each ambulance is over $50,00o. They are replaced when the ambulances are.

A fly car (paramedic response vehicle) costs $50,000. Westport has 3; they are replaced every 10 years as well.

Also in the budget: fly cars.

A Lifepak 15 heart monitoring device costs $50,000. We have 4. A Lucas CPR device costs $15,000. Westport has 3.

Oh, yeah: WVEMS supplies all their own PPE. You might not have thought about that before March 2020. Now you know that vital equipment adds up quickly too.

Raising money — even as a 501(c)(3), even in a town like Westport — is challenging. Most people assume their taxes cover EMS. They don’t.

More than half of all donations are $50 or less; 83% are no more than $100. WVEMS has, admittedly, not done a good job telling their story to Westporters — including the wealthiest families, who already support so many other good causes.

WVEMS hopes to establish a professionally managed endowment, providing self-funding for vehicle and supply needs. Neighboring towns have already done that.

“Every dollar counts,” says Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service president Michael Burns. (Click here to donate; click here for more information, including how to volunteer.)

Burns also encourages Westporters to spread the WVEMS word, to others who might help.

It’s one of our town’s most important services. As noted earlier: If you haven’t needed them yet — one day you will.

Your contribution today will ensure a speedy response — and a new ambulance, if needed — tomorrow.

 

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Posted in Police

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