City Council Discussion Transcript – 05/13/2022 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 6 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 5/13/2022 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 5/13/2022 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== [3:03:10 PM] Ah. You all for joining us both virtually and in person for the swearing in ceremony of Austin, Travis county ems new chief chief Robert Luckritz, for those that don't know me, which was probably most of you in the room. My name is captain Christa Steadman. I am one half of the Austin Travis county M S public information office. I will be your master of ceremonies today . I apologize in advance for how much you're going to have to hear my voice. So just bear with me, yeah, no, I said apology about the voice. Ah so at this time, I'm going to ask everybody to please stand while we do the presentation of colors and then remain standing as Austin. Travis county M S medic, Katy knell performs the national anthem. [3:04:33 PM] Oh, oh, uniform personnel present home. Oh say, can you see. Early Wright? What's up prize? That's why lights last gleaming me. Whose broad stripes and bright stars rollers, part. For the wrong we was list dreamy. Wright. April through [3:05:34 PM] the no. Lot of law was to the or does not stars, baby angled, but no way. All the. No other order home. Detail. Prepare to post color. Post. [3:06:59 PM] Thank you, honor guard and thank you to Katy. At this time, I would like to invite pastor and Austin Travis county ems division chief Michael right to give us our invocation. Thank you, Christa. Been in the M S almost four decades and one of the things that I've always heard that ems is the third service of the public safety agencies and with law enforcement coming first and fire coming second and emails coming third, destroy the order of arrival on the scene if you will. But as a pastor, I've studied the bible and I find that and not necessarily line up with that. As a matter of fact, the entire old testament was all about lawlessness, and so not much law enforcement going on there. And then there was Moses in the burning bush that never got put out, and there's that. But in the second kings four we see the first cardiac arrest save and I'm gonna give you the scenario that young child developed a very severe sudden headache. And his mother pulled him up in her lap where he died. [3:08:01 PM] The mother then rushed out to the fields where there is a wise man named Alicia and he grabbed his coke, his cloak and his staff and rushed very quickly to the house. And when Alicia came into the house, he saw the child lying on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and pray to the lord. Then you went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands. And he stretched himself upon him. The child opened his eyes and lived, so we called the mother and she came in to him. He said. Pick up your son and they praised god. Let's do that. Now so, father, we just praise you for who you are for your majesty. For your wonder for your might your wisdom. And father were just so very thankful that you allow us to serve you and how we serve our fellow man. And father. We praise you that you allow us and equip us to stand in the gap for those who cannot stand for themselves. Father. We pray Z that you've allowed us. To be those who care for those who cannot care for themselves. And [3:09:01 PM] so, father, we praise you for the callings you placed on our lives. And father today, I just praise you for the wisdom that you have shown each one of us allowing us to serve in this city and father. I praise you for the wisdom of our city leadership to bring chief Luckritz to us. And father were just so very thankful that we can welcome him today. So father for our new chief, I pray that he would have an unending stream of wisdom. That father that the vision that he has a vision that you have given him for this community and for the people of Austin, Travis county E. M S. The father that you give him great confidence in the work that you've set before him. The father that she will surround him with a kadre of people that will help execute the vision that you've given him. And father through all this. I just pray for his courage to make the decisions that are difficult. Lord I pray for his discernment, fathers those decisions approach and lord, I pray that in all things, he finds great satisfaction in the work that he's doing here. Father. I pray for his family and his friends that they would just be able bodied, support for him and that [3:10:02 PM] in all things, chief Luckritz will be able to find rest. Father I just pray that all of us we serve you in such a way that there will be a day when we hear those great words. Well done. My good and faithful servants. Father to you be the glory forever and ever, and today I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for that, chief. Right I have to say that I appreciate you managing to relate that back to the medical community and E. M S. That was that was awesome. At this time, I would like to introduce you to city manager Spencer cronk, who will join me at the podium and deliver some remarks. Well, good afternoon, everyone colleagues, friends, family and distinguished guests [3:11:04 PM] . I cannot imagine a better place to spend a Friday afternoon the right here welcoming our new E. M S chief. Thank you for joining us on this special occasion as we officially swear in chief Luckritz and well, probably welcome him into the city of Austin and into our community. Today is a unique privilege for me for a multiple of reasons. I am equally honored to participate in such a historically significant events for chief Luckritz. Our public safety chiefs and the organization that they lead are vitally important to our residents, and I'm excited to celebrate today. But before doing so I wanted to begin by taking a moment to recognize and say thank you to retired chief jasper brown. He served Travis county M S and our community with distinction for 25 years, most recently as Austin's interim E. M S chief. Chief brown remained a steadfast leader, but the M S through times of triumph and also through some of its most difficult challenges. I could [3:12:05 PM] share many of jasper's professional accomplishments just in my time as city manager , but most recently, he was critical in helping lead E. M S and the city's response to the global pandemic. His love and care for the department knows no bounds. And so again, I want to extend on behalf of a grateful city our deepest things to chief brown for his many years of service and leadership, and I wish him all the best in his retirement. But looking forward , I could not be more excited to welcome our new E. M S chief chief Robert Luckritz. One of the most important decisions the city manager can make is choosing the leaders of local public safety agencies. Whether it's M S police or fire the decision to appoint a chief and to entrust them with the awesome responsibility of leading those who are sworn to risk their own lives to protect the life of our community. Is one. No manager takes slightly, and certainly one that was not lost on me. [3:13:06 PM] Chief Luckritz participated in the length full, lengthy recruitment and selection process, demonstrating throughout that he has not only has many necessary technical skills and qualifications to lead E. M S and the country's 11th largest city. But also an absolute passion for his chosen profession. Before arriving in Austin chief Luckritz was committed apart pre hospital professional on the east coast, spending much of his career in the New Jersey and most recently in Massachusetts. He has been a clinician served in executive leadership roles in hospital and healthcare systems, and most recently served as the chief operating officer of transformative health care of new England, where he was responsible for contracted E. M S operations and ambulance services across 13 distinct municipalities and oversaw the deployment. Of the first mass vaccination site in Massachusetts. And if you had followed the recent news, you know that the pressure on our [3:14:06 PM] Austin medics these past couple of years between the global pandemic and a history making winter storm has been incredibly intense. That is not lost on me or the entire city and our entire community. Yet despite these challenges are ems department remains strong, and I am so proud of our ams professionals who have chosen this career of selfless service to our community. Our ems department is an industry leader widely admired the world over. And I believe wholeheartedly in chief, Luckritz is a ability to lead the brave heroes of our ams system as they continue the course of this excellence. Chief again. It is my distinct honor to welcome you to Austin and I'm excited to have served alongside of you in this incredibly impressive city organization. Thank you again for all being [3:15:07 PM] here today and I look forward to this historic moment. Thank you. Thank you. City manager cronk. Lost my spot. Can you believe it? Okay? That's fine. Well, again. Thank you. City manager cronk at this point, it's my honor to introduce the mayor of the city of Austin mayor Steve Adler, who will join us to give some remarks. [3:16:13 PM] Thank you, captain Steadman. It is a great honor and privilege. To be in front of you here today to celebrate the new chief of Austin, Travis county's emergency medical services. The dedicated E. M S clinicians, along with the ah! Emergency services administrative staff. Be led by an outstanding leader and a knowledgeable and experienced practitioner of pre hospital medicine. That the manager just went through qualifications, and it is just extraordinarily impressive. I want to add my voice to saying welcome home to Austin. I would note that in even the brief time that you have been here. In the conversations that I have had [3:17:13 PM] with with with members of vms and folks in the field, you have already engenders such trust and respect such high hopes and expectations and potential and enthusiasm. Hi. It's exciting to see. But even as we are here today to celebrate ah, your official coming into this position. I think it really is essential for us in this moment to talk about the people of this of this department. The incredible professionals of Austin. Travis county M S have shown dedication and incredible grace. And skill. Especially dealing with covid for two years. We have so many people in this city that are so exhausted [3:18:15 PM] that have been on the front lines for so long. No one claims right to claiming exhaustion. More than then this then this group running calls in the scorching heat of Austin in full ppe. Going into situations when we were real answer tonton about health impacts. Putting their lives in their health on the line in order to keep the broader community as safe as possible. Beyond even covid. We're talking about responding to one of the worst crisis this city and this state have ever faced in February of 2021. Out. Responding to the highest call volumes this department has ever seen. Helping our community navigate what seems like almost a weekly crisis. MM. The last [3:19:19 PM] couple of years have been intense. And most intense, I think for the S core and I just want you to know that you are heroes in this community. You are the ones that we rely upon when we need help. You brave the elements. You come to work so that you can care for this community when they needed you provide us with life saving care and you comfort us. On behalf of my colleagues on the city council for whom are with us today, council member Harper Mattis and council member Alice council member kitchen council member Kelly in the entire city council and the entire community. I just wanted to take this opportunity and moment to say thank you. I also want to say thank you because I believe that it is, in part the incredible skill the incredible [3:20:22 PM] people the incredible dedication. Of the outfits Austin Travis county E. M S team and how you serve. Our community is one of the chief reasons that chief Luckritz was attracted. To come to our community and serve. I know that he is excited to the dedicated members of this department. We are so excited to have you with us. Congratulations. Yeah. Thank you for that. Mayor Adler. Now I would like to invite Travis county judge Andy brown up to give some remarks as most of you know, we are not justice city department. We are also a county department. Hence Austin. Travis county M S so we're honored to have judge brown here today to speak with us. Brown. Thanks, [3:21:29 PM] captain Steadman. We have Franklin here with me today. Chief Luckritz on behalf of the commissioner's court. I want to welcome you to Travis county. As you know, Travis county is home to not just the city of Austin, but also 21, additional cities and villages. It is a big place. While each one of these cities and villages is different in its own way, we are still one really amazing community. If the pandemic and the recent weather events that the mayor talked about have taught us anything, it's that our community has served best when we work together, and when we work together, we can do anything. I think there's a lot of challenges ahead and E. M S will be involved in pretty much every one of them that I can think of. The partnerships that we have strengthened and reinforced over the past couple of years is a testament to our community's ability to face challenges and overcome any obstacle. As chief of the Austin Travis county M. S you will play an important role in these partnerships. It's not [3:22:31 PM] always going to be easy, but this community thanks you for standing stepping up to the challenge. And please know that I and my colleagues on the Travis county commissioners court are here to help in any way that we can we look forward to working with you and your department. Welcome home. Thank you. Thank you, judge brown. And thank you, Franklin. Ah! Next up, I would like to introduce you all to someone that all of us at Austin. Travis county M S look up to a man that I have the utmost respect for I am honored to call him not only a colleague but also a friend. Please welcome to the podium. The city of Austin chief medical officer Dr mark Escott. Thank you, Christa. Hello, everybody. This [3:23:32 PM] is exciting day. Chief. Congratulations really excited to have you and as everyone before me has said welcome to the city. Let me start by saying it was a pleasure to serve on your interview panel. I've enjoyed getting to know you personally and professionally over the past couple of months. I can say without a doubt, Spencer and council you guys made a fantastic decision in choosing this nationally M S leader to really bring this department into the future. Chief even hair. It'd as Spencer said earlier, really one of the crown jewels of vms in the United States. It has a rich history of excellence. We serve more than 100,000 patients in this community every year. And while we've experienced many years of success in the past I'm confident. That the best years of this organization lay in the future, not in the past. The ems [3:24:34 PM] system of 2022 is one that's much different from what I found in my when I started. E M S about 30 years ago. Back then paramedics had a limited scope of practice compared to our modern Austin, Travis county ems clinicians. Who now have extensive education and training and tools that we would have never imagined back in 1991. Such as the ability to give blood to patients before they even reached the hospital for those who are in critical condition and needed immediately. Back then we responded to 911 calls and cared for patients and almost always transported them to the hospital. Without any consideration for whether or not they needed to be there. Back then the ems system consisted of ambulances and first responders without much regard. Towards the other issues affecting community health. In stark contrast, the Austin Travis county ems system [3:25:36 PM] is infinitely more complex and sophisticated. Not just addressing the life threatening emergencies emergencies but also addressing the challenges that face our community. And those members who really lack the access to routine healthcare. Austin, Travis county E. M S pioneer two successful and sustainable community health program more than a decade ago. To help address those needs of our low income residents and those experiencing homelessness. Countless countless members of our community have been connected to healthcare and other community resources. Over the past decade or so. More recently, our departments have worked together to implement an incredibly successful medication assisted treatment program to initiate therapy for those who are suffering from substance use disorder. And bridge them into ongoing recovery from narcotic addiction. As of today. That program has bridged nearly 200 [3:26:36 PM] patients. Into recovery programs. With a seven day retention rate of about 95. Many of these patients have remained in long term recovery and have gone on to be incredible success stories for this program. From those who are now working as recovery coaches to those who finished college and gone on to law school. Their successes prove how effective vms can be and addressing some of these issues that face our community. As we experienced unprecedented overdoses and overdose deaths in our community. The groundwork laid by this program will serve you well. As we continue to collaborate with other stakeholders, Austin public health our health care systems across this community and are passionate community recovery professionals to address this public health crisis. In addition to the collaborative work in the space of substance use disorder. We have worked to address the substantial lack of access to healthcare amongst the [3:27:37 PM] most vulnerable members of our community. Our department have worked together to build on the community health program concept and have created new services to navigate patients and resources more effectively. And you're short time here. You have already led the effort to revolutionize our call taking and triage process to ensure that we continue to improve the navigation of resources which are appropriate for our patients saving our city and our community members from unnecessary expenses. While the same time improving the quality of care. Now one of the challenges that lay ahead for us in the system and you, is really addressing the findings of the equity and optimization study. That was performed on the ems system last year. Which identified many areas and opportunities to improve the equity of services that the system provides, particularly in our eastern crescent of Austin and Travis county. Your leadership. In the areas of [3:28:37 PM] diversity, equity and inclusion will serve the department of the city. Well as we pursue this goal of equitable outcomes for all of our patients across this community. You're diverse background and E. M S in hospital leadership in law in workforce leadership are exactly the tools that we need to address this and many other complex challenging we face in the future. I will say that one of the things that impressed me the most about chief Luckritz and during the interview process and certainly over the past couple of months. Is his leadership priorities. And those priorities really focused on this duality that occurs and that's critical for any healthcare entity. And that is the inextricable relationship. Between the quality and satisfaction of the workforce and the quality of care provided to our patients. Chief Luckritz has a proven record of leadership and organizational culture, and in addressing workforce challenges faced. [3:29:38 PM] There's not a new problem. This has been going on for many, many years. And while serving as the E M S director in Jersey City. He launched a community based initiative. In workforce development to encourage entry into E M S profession through both development of a charter school for health sciences coordinated with the local boys and girls club, as well as a partnership with local unemployment. And training agency to provide training for those in the community who were unemployed. This innovative approach not only aided and filling gaps in the organization but also provided career opportunities for those who may have never even considered a career in emergency medical services. I have no doubt. That while we face many challenges ahead in this rapidly growing community, you and the amazing team that has been referenced by my predecessors up here will continue to serve as a model for ams in the United States and across the world. The best days [3:30:39 PM] lay in our future and I look forward to working with you and this great team of yours to continue to provide world class care for the people of Austin and Travis county and again. Welcome to team Austin. Congratulations. Thank you, doctor. Escott it's always difficult to follow Dr Escott when speaking publicly because he's really good at it. Ah. But without more delay now is essentially the time we've been waiting for, I would like to invite chief Luckritz up to the podium with me for just a moment. If you'd stand just to my left here. I would also like to introduce Mrs Luckritz, who will be pinning the badge. I'm sorry, Mr Luckritz, who will be pinning chief's badge on him, Mr. Luckritz, if you'd like to [3:31:39 PM] join us the penny of a badge may seem like only a simple portrayal of a position or authority, but it represents so much more than that. It represents one's willingness to sacrifice their own life or health or safety. In service to others. It's not just a symbol. It is a promise to uphold the best interests of the community in order to keep them safe and healthy. Mr Luckritz of you would do the honors. Yeah. Mhm okay, anything to them. On behalf. Of all of us at [3:32:49 PM] Austin. Travis county M S. I would like to thank, not only chief, Luckritz is friends and family, but everybody that loves him for sharing him with us. He has truly been a delight thus far, and it's only been a couple of months. So we can't wait to see what is to come. I am going to ask chief Luckritz to kind of just hanging at the side of the podium. And I am also going to invite assistant city manager rey Arellano up, to give some some remarks and then have chief take his oath of office. Thank you, Christa. As the assistant city manager of public safety. It is my privilege to welcome chief Luckritz to this city. Chief. You are now part of a community of dedicated public safety professionals invested in your success as you lead Austin , Travis county E. M S the largest third service sms system in the country. With a staff of [3:33:49 PM] more than 600. E. M. T S and paramedics serving a population of 1.2 million people. Providing exceptional pre hospital care is the heartbeat of Austin. Travis county M S it's consistently one of the leading agencies and the nation for cardiac arrest. Survival. It has gained and maintained accreditation from the commission on accreditation of ambulance services for many years. The Austin Travis county ems communications center, was the first in Texas to be designated as an accredited center of excellence by the international academies of emergency dispatch. A distinction that has proudly held for 21 years. Austin Travis county M's sets the pulse for innovating, patient centered pre hospital care. It's nationally recognized for developing proactive community solutions that address chronic health needs and improve patient outcomes before they become emergencies. And Dr Escott mentioned a number of examples of how ams as provided services to the community. And these are [3:34:51 PM] just a couple of examples of many ways. Austin Travis county ems has has a positive impact on our community every day. In particular, I would like to take this opportunity to personally recognize and thank the men and women of Austin. Travis county E. M S who over the past two years selflessly served the community. During the uncertainty of the covid 19 pandemic. And heroically endured the extreme weather conditions that winter storms Korean Landon to ensure that people received the emergency medical care they needed. Elect forward to serving chief and seeing chief Luckritz build on that legacy as he leads Austin, Travis county E. M S into the future. Now it is my honor to administer the oath of office. So we can be right here with my oyster. I am please repeat after me. I love Robert Luckritz do solemnly swear, Robert Luckritz do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and [3:35:52 PM] impartially discharge faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all duties incumbent upon me. And perform all the duties incumbent upon me as emergency medical services chief of the city of Boston as emergency medical services chief of the city of Austin, according to the best of my skill and ability according to the best of my skill and ability, agreeable to the constitution and laws of the United States built to the constitution and laws of the United States and the state of Texas and the state of Texas. I recognize the badge of my profession. I recognize the badge of my profession as a symbolic as a symbol of public faith and trust as a symbol of public faith and trust, and I accept so long as I am true, and I accept so long that doesn true. To the ethics of pre hospital medicine to the ethics of pre hospital medicine and make these promises and make these promises some only freely and upon my honor, solemnly freely and upon my honor. I further solemnly swear that I will be faithful and further [3:36:52 PM] solemnly swear that I will be faithful to the demands of service as established by my profession to the demands of services established by my profession. And the Austin Travis county emergency medical services department and the Austin Travis county emergency medical services department. I pledge to promise to promote and protect pledged to promote and protect the best interests of the city of Austin and Travis county, the best interests of the city of Austin and Travis county. Through fiscal responsibility, honesty, their fiscal responsibility, honesty. Integrity equity and loyalty, integrity, equity and loyalty. I will devote my efforts and skills. I will devote my efforts and skills to the service to serve the individuals of this community to serve the individuals of this community. By carrying out the duties of E . M S chief to the best of my ability by carrying out the duties of vms chief to the best of my ability and will honor and respect the mission and will honor and respect the mission. Goals purpose and policies of the city of Boston goals, [3:37:54 PM] purpose and policies of the city of Austin. So help me god help me god. Congratulations thank you. Yeah ok, yeah. Thank you, acm Arellano. It is now my distinct pleasure to officially introduce everybody to the 10th ever chief of Austin, Travis county E. M S Robert Luckritz. Okay? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Thank you. City manager cronk mayor Adler and the judge brown, who's got no stepped out a CM Arellano. Council members that have joined us in the county commissioners. [3:38:55 PM] I appreciate all of you for being here and I appreciate your confidence in me and my ability to lead this organization. I've had the chance to be here now for a few weeks, and I can't tell you enough how exciting. It has been for me to be a part of this organization. I've said it many times, and it's been said many times before, so I won't belabor the point. But Austin Travis county E. M S is a truly amazing M S system. There's other colorful words I might say, but it is an awesome place to work it truly is. And the team that is here is absolutely top notch. Sometimes when we went when we live in our world, and we live and we know what we know we fail to recognize just how wonderful the world that we live in is and I can tell you as somebody who's coming from the outside. It's not. It's not fake here. It's real. It's true. This is the best tms system in the country. And I'm really proud to be here and I'm really proud to be a part of it. The reason I came here is because M S is in my blood. I've been doing this since I was a teenager, and I just shout out to my parents. My [3:39:55 PM] mother and father, my father, who was a volunteer fire chief and a career military officer and my mother, who is the captain of the first aid squad. Since I was 16 years old. This has been what I've wanted to do. And when I first learned about Austin, Travis county E. M S. I said, that's the place I want to be someday. And I'm here and I'm excited to be here. And this is truly for me. As we said, this is this is this is the golden ring of vms, and I'm truly excited to be here. Over my career. I've taken a couple breaks. I call them my sabbaticals. I started off in the M S, and I went and I went to law school. I became an attorney, and I did that for oh, couple of weeks, and I said nope, not for me. And I turned around and I came back and I went from back in the M S working in a leadership role. I did that for a few years and I was made my way up and at some point someone said, you're a lawyer. You should do policy. Why don't you come due? Lobbying and I said, well, that sounds fun. And then I realized that's not so fun. And so I came right back to where I was, and I lead an E. M S organization again in [3:40:55 PM] a few years later, he said, you're doing great. Let's let's why don't you become a health care executive and we want you to come work in the hospital and be one of our one of our executives. I did that for two years and I said I miss it too much. I can't. I can't do it. And so I return now to what truly is my home, the vms systems and ams system like Austin, Travis county that truly believes in being Progressive and doing right by the patient and doing right by the community and being involved with the community and an organization that is supported by all the leaders that have graciously given time on a Friday afternoon. To come join us here today and I can't thank you all enough for coming here today. Folks have asked me why I M S and I shared kind of my background. M S is a really special industry. Unlike a lot of other public safety industries and other healthcare industries. It's young, right. It's a young industry and pastor writer and realized we go back quite some time, but organized. It's a young industry. And if we look at it, we have an opportunity is an industry to write the book literally. The books hasn't been written. Yet. [3:41:57 PM] The fire service has their book written in the law enforcement has their book written and healthcare has their book written books not written yet. And we have a chance to look at. What is E M S really going to be and it's really cool that we're positioned where we are and to work for a third service CMS agency there can be a hub of pre hospital healthcare and can tap into public safety in the fire service and the things that they do, we can tap into law enforcement and the things that they do, we can tap into public health and acute care hospitals and behavioral health agencies. We are the one piece that connects all of those agencies. All of those entities and ways like nowhere else can be done. And to be a true third service entity like we are here today. We are opposed better than anywhere else in the country to be able to do that. It's been a hard couple of years. For us. It's been a hard couple years for everyone here has become out of covid. I spent my time in covid in the metro New York City area, and I can tell you it was [3:42:57 PM] a life changing experience for me. I'll never be the same from what we went through during those two years. And I know that many of the folks here and all of the work that that you all have done to keep the city of Austin in Travis county. Safe it's been stressful and we're dealing with kind of the aftermath of that. But we have never been so well positioned as an industry to do leaps and balance because we got to try new things. It was a moment when all the barriers were down and we said, let's try this and see if this works. None of us knew what was going on. When covid hit. None of us had any clue what was going to look like tomorrow or a week from then or month from then, and we just started throwing things and seeing what stuck against the wall. And sometimes that's when innovation happens. And I think between that and the recognition of the community that what you all do as sms providers is so much more than taking people to the hospital. You are the cornerstone of public health. You are out there in the community and you're you are doing everything we can to keep this community healthy, and we need to ride that momentum as an [3:43:57 PM] industry and as an agency to be standing out there and telling folks what we do and advocating for ourselves and thank you, too. Two cabinet Steadman and Catherine captain Nowak for all that they do in our public information office to tell that story to be able to share the great things that that are ams community is doing Austin, Travis county particularly well positioned for that, given the community support, given the support from city leaders, city and county leadership. We can do things here that no one else in across the country can do to show them what a Progressive M S agencies can be. And we've already done it. We just need to keep pushing and pushing and pushing. Dr Escott shared quite a extensive list of some of the Progressive things that we're doing, but we are. We're on the forefront of medicine. Here we are. Truly we have some of the greatest programs. Community health program R C four lines are mental health practitioners . All of these great things there special operations team. We're doing things and saying, how can we do things a little bit differently? I want to [3:44:58 PM] embarrass my family a little bit here, but I apologize, dad. Couple days ago, after they got into town. I got a phone call from my father saying that he had, falling down, had tripped and hurt himself and asked if I would stop by the hotel to check him out, and I went by and looked like he might need a couple stitches. And we were kind of working through about. Well he didn't wanna go to the hospital didn't want to be sitting in any are all day long, and I said I got you, dad. It's fine. And I called up Dr Escott and thank you to Travis speaker who's here? I think I was able to come and coming right to the hotel, stitch him up right in his room, and we were on our way to dinner. We didn't miss a reservation. We're doing cool things here in Austin, Travis county that would have been for my father or anyone else in this community and any other community would have been a day long event of sitting in an er sitting in a waiting room waiting for that to be done. And completely disrupted his short time here in Austin. We're making a difference in the community and my family receive that care firsthand and saw that firsthand. And it's pretty [3:45:59 PM] awesome to be able to see how that works. E. M S weeks theme this year is rising to the challenge. We truly have the best, most selfless, dedicated clinicians in the country. And I know that with all of the challenges is doctor Escott alluded to earlier ahead of us. We are better positioned than anyone with the workforce that we have. And the team that we have working here. And I thank all of you. That took the time to join me here today. I really appreciate it. We're going to do really great things. When we look to the future. I think to myself what does the future hold for us, and I started imagining things, and that's something not every agency can do. To look and say. Imagine what this looks like. In the future. Imagine a future where E. M S is about keeping people out of the hospital instead of taking into the hospital. Imagine a world where E. M S is about preventing injury and illness instead of treating it. Imagine a world where E. M S is just seamlessly integrated with the health care system and the public safety system and all of the other [3:46:59 PM] things that we touch and becomes a hub. A resource for all of this other agencies. Imagine an agency. Imagine a time when we can focus on community health and well being and not an emergency response. And I say, we don't have to imagine that because it's here with us today. Here at Austin, Travis county M S with all of your support the 600 plus emts and paramedics. We're going to overcome these challenges. There are things that are facing us. We know that this is going to be an uphill battle in many ways. The industry is dealing with different issues. We're going to overcome those and you all the team that we have here in Austin, Travis county M S are going to be absolutely paramount in helping not just lead Austin , the city of Austin and Travis county out of it, but being a model for the rest of the country, they can show the rest of this country how we're going to lead ourselves through rocky waters that we're in right now. Thus far, my experiences have been great. I can't say short of incredible. Everyone has been so gracious, so kind to me from city leadership to frontline staff to exec command. Thank you [3:47:59 PM] for welcoming me. It's been a pleasure and an honor and I cannot tell you enough. How honored I am forever to be here. In the short term. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do with this organization. And quite frankly, how high we can fly is an organization again. I want to thank all of my family. I want to thank all of my colleagues. Who joined me. The folks from Boston came in a little bit late. Thank you guys. My colleagues from New Jersey and New York. Thank you for taking the time to join me. My family, my mother, my father, my sister, my brother in law, my partner. Thank you for taking the decline to come and spend this with me. I'm really, really proud to be here. I'm proud of this CMS system and I'm really looking forward to see what we can do in the future. Thank you very much. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, chief. It truly [3:49:00 PM] is an honor to welcome you here . I'm going to have you indulge us and stay here just a little bit longer. I know you've been standing up here for a while, but we do have a little surprise for you. I would like to invite a very special guest, state representative Vicki Goodwin of the Texas house district 47, who has joined us today and would like to say a few words, representative good one. Thank you. It is my very great honor to be here today to welcome you to the state of Texas. So so far everybody has mentioned Austin and Travis county. I'm a state representative. And we are so happy to have you here. You know, Texas is the friendly state. And so of course we can't let this opportunity go by. So I have something to present to you . We have a certificate that says on behalf on being [3:50:00 PM] appointed as chief of Austin, Travis county emergency medical services. This certificate of recognition recognition is presented to you congratulations and best wishes for a successful tenure. And we have the state of Texas flag, which was flown over the capitol yesterday in your honor. So thank you so much for your years of service. I look forward to seeing how things go forward. Your success in the state of Texas and Austin, Travis county. And congratulations. Mhm. Yeah. Thank you, representative Goodwin. It's been an honor to have you here. And thank you for the very special guest or gift for chief. On behalf of our new [3:51:01 PM] chief, the city of Austin, Austin, Travis county M S Travis county. I would like to thank each and every one of you for being here today to city manager cronk. Mayor Adler, assistant city manager Arellano doctor, Escott county commissioners and city council members. Thank you for your support of our talented workforce. Thank you for your amazing selection of chief Luckritz to lead us into the future. We are so excited for what's to come with that this concludes our ceremony at this time. We'd like to invite everyone into the atrium where we will have some light refreshments and some cake. And you are dismissed. Thank you for joining us. Yes.