Arlee volunteer to receive state award
Karen Peterson photo
Arlee’s Drew Hendrickson is awarded Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Provider of the year for the State of Montana.
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ARLEE – Drew Hendrickson is being singled out as the Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Provider of the Year for the State of Montana, although he humbly believes the award should go to the entire Arlee Volunteer Ambulance Department, including the Volunteer Fire Department.
“It’s a team effort,” he said. “We couldn’t do anything without a team.”
The EMS and Trauma Systems, which is part of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, selected Hendrickson for the award as part of their effort to give recognition to exceptional EMS providers each year. Hendrickson was nominated for the award by a member of the Arlee department.
One of the things that makes Hendrickson stand out is his 37 years of volunteer service with the department. He was the first member of the Arlee team to become a licensed Emergency Medical Technician in 1979. He also helps put out fires and was the chief for ten years.
It was so long ago that Hendrickson can’t remember what inspired him to become an EMT other than wanting to help people, which he says is the typical reason people volunteer. He has a degree in zoology with a premed option so his interest in the medical field might have had something to do with it. He said his knowledge of anatomy and physiology helped him understand what was happening with a person when he responded to an emergency.
But after graduating, he discovered he enjoyed working in a hardware store. He eventually started an electrical and plumbing repair business, which allows him to be available to respond to emergency calls.
“I can be temporarily self-unemployed,” he said as the reason why he has been able to volunteer for so many years.
The department keeps track of the first two responders on an emergency, and Hendrickson was often recorded as the first or second to respond for 20 of his years of service. Last year, he was the top responder again.
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common emergencies. Hendrickson is the incident commander on many scenes. Other calls coming in for help include respiratory problems, falls, cardiac issues, alcohol poisoning, overdose, suicides, diabetic issues, assaults and a few allergic reactions.
“When you put out a fire or get someone out of a vehicle, it’s not fun,” he said. “You get some reward for helping people, but it’s difficult. I’ve had people die in my hands. You remember things like that and it affects you.”
Things have changed at the department in almost four decades. In 1995, Hendrickson helped raise the money needed to purchase something more efficient than a hearse. The department now has two ambulances.
“The first ambulance we had was a hearse,” he said. “It was like a red station wagon. We had a little cot that we used to transport people. It had to be picked up to get it into the hearse. Now, we have the ambulance with powered oxygen and the cot lifts up with the press of a button.”
Hendrickson is also a mentor to new EMTs, and he says the department can always use more volunteers if anyone is interested. Hendrickson is scheduled to receive the award on the steps of the capitl building May 21 at 10 a.m.
