Salina Regional Health Center’s trauma program has received Level III verification from the American College of Surgeons.

The Salina hospital has been working toward this designation for the past three years, according to a news release.

“This is probably the most difficult accreditation process for a hospital to achieve,” said Jake Breeding, M.D., trauma medical director.

Salina Regional’s efforts match those of a statewide initiative to have at least a level III trauma center in each geographical region of Kansas.

The trauma team consists of a trauma surgeon, emergency department physician, trauma nurse, intensive care nurse, surgical nurse and staff from radiology, laboratory, blood bank, respiratory care, security and chaplaincy.

Paramedics and doctors in the region have a dedicated line to call for traumatically injured patients, which sets off a cascade of alerts to people on the response team to report to the trauma suite in the emergency department.

Recognizing 25 years of service to America, NOAA’s National Weather Service has named McCracken resident Bill Greenway as a 2012 recipient of the agency’s John Campanius Holm Award for outstanding service in the Cooperative Weather Observer Program.

Larry Ruthi, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service forecast office in Dodge City, presented the award to Greenway Thursday, January 31.

Greenway was also presented with congratulatory letters from U. S. Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran and U.S. Representative Tim Huelskamp.

The McCracken observing site was officially established in October 1911 by E.D. Floyd.

Greenway took over the site August 1, 1987 from Phyllis Higgins.  He has been the longest serving observer for McCracken.  Greenway reports daily precipitation and snowfall information to the National Weather Service.  His wife Paula is the backup observer.

Also in attendance for the presentation were Meteorologists Matt Gerard and Kelly Sugden, and Jesse Lee, Observing Program Leader at the Dodge City office.