Community Service Award
The Community Service award honors a VIMS employee who contributes to his or her local community through volunteerism, school actitivies, elected office, or other support.
The winner of the Community Service Award for 2012 is Dr. Drew Luellen.
VIMS has long maintained a strong presence in the volunteer fire and rescue community in southern Gloucester County. Currently, Drew is a fire lieutenant in the Abington Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad.
Last winter, while on the way to work, he stopped to fight a vehicle fire; and later the same day, performed CPR on a VIMS colleague. Last fall, on a cold rainy day, Fire and Rescue were dispatched for a motorcycle accident. Drew arrived before the medic and held C-spine traction until the medic arrived and the patient was flown out by helicopter from the scene. She is up and around today with no evidence of spinal injury; her recovery due in part to Drew’s quick intervention with proper first-responder action.
Since becoming an officer this past year, Drew has served as the incident commander at several brush fires, structure fires, and vehicle accidents on Rt. 17.
Most fire and rescue contributions are in the dark of night, in the rain, on Christmas morning, or other times when no one notices, except for those who dial 911. That VIMS employees and students have a tradition in Gloucester County volunteer fire and rescue is often unrecognized, and we take a small step to give that recognition today.
Drew, please accept this award as our appreciation of your dedication and loyalty to the community.