Week of Sept. 3
Citizens Fire Academy accepting applications
The deadline to apply for the 2014 Citizens Fire Academy is Sept. 5. Put on by the Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon and Dormont fire departments, the Citizens Fire Academy is a nine-week public education program designed for area residents and business owners to learn more about the fire department.
The Academy will be held from 7-10 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Sept. 10, and ending with a graduation ceremony on Nov. 7 at the Mt. Lebanon Public Safety Building on Washington Road. There will be one all-day class on Nov. 1 at the Washington County Fire Academy, with integrated exercises including a live structure burn. The academy will be taught by firefighters from the three fire departments. Topics that will be covered include engine and ladder truck operations at structure fires, rescue methods, fire extinguishers, fire prevention and code enforcement, and emergency medical services. Academy participants will gain a real feel for the job through hands-on participation in demonstrations of emergency operations, and opportunities to ride along with on-duty firefighters to emergency calls. Some of the hands-on activities include operating hose lines, cutting apart vehicles using the Jaws of Life, extinguishing live fires with fire extinguishers, forcible entry, performing simulated ladder rescues and going for a ride in the bucket of the department’s 105-foot ladder truck.
Applications are available at Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon or Dormont fire department headquarters, online at www.mtlfd.org, or by calling 412-531-5366. For more information, call Bob Fischer at 412-343-3402.
Local funeral home serves veterans
Beinhauer Family Funeral Homes has been chosen as a local provider and member of the Veteran & Family Memorial Care, a funeral home network for cremation and burial arrangements for veterans and family members.
Additionally, Beinhauer’s is a provider for the Veterans Cremation Society and the Veterans Burial Society. These societies are free to join for veterans and family members including spouses, parents and adult children. Members receive special pricing discounts as well as a free wood flag case for honorably discharged veterans.
Distinguished Alumni nominations sought
La Roche College is accepting nominations for the third year of its Distinguished Alumni Circle.
Established in 2012 during La Roche’s 50th anniversary celebration, the Distinguished Alumni Circle honors graduates of La Roche who have achieved outstanding professional success, who have demonstrated a significant dedication to community service and whose lives reflect a strong commitment to the values embodied in the mission of La Roche College.
All graduates of La Roche are eligible for nomination. La Roche accepts nominations by alumni, parents, friends and others affiliated with the college. Visit www.laroche.edu/nominate to submit nominations. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 30.
Children’s Express Care opens in Washington
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC opened a new Express Care center at WHS Washington Hospital on Aug. 5. Children’s Express Care at Washington Hospital will be open after hours and on weekends and feature Children’s physicians who can provide treatment for minor injuries and illnesses.
Like existing Children’s Express Care centers, the center at WHS Washington Hospital will be open from 5-9 p.m., Monday-Friday, and from noon-8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. No appointments are necessary, and free parking is available on site. Most health insurances will be accepted, and copayments generally will be much less than for visits to emergency departments.
Children’s operates five other Express Care centers in Bethel Park, Lawrenceville, Monroeville, West Mifflin, and Wexford, with a South Fayette location to open in September.
“Washington Health System and our pediatricians are excited to be partnering with Children’s Hospital to expand the hours that pediatricians are available to treat kids’ minor illnesses and injuries right here in the Washington community,” said Gary Weinstein, president and CEO of Washington Health System. “This service is a great addition to our integrated system of care, which is focused on patients and families.”
Cancer institute opens at Jefferson Hospital
Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health announce the opening of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute at Jefferson Hospital, a patient-centered cancer care facility on the hospital’s Jefferson Hills campus.
A new Women’s Health Center also opened at Jefferson in advance of the planned opening of the hospital’s first obstetrical program and inpatient unit in the fall. Recently, the hospital broke ground on an outpatient surgery center at its Bethel Park Health & Wellness Pavilion.
Located in the South Hills Medical Building adjacent to the hospital in Jefferson Hills, the Cancer Institute at Jefferson features a distinctive pod-design concept with physician work rooms for medical, surgical and radiation oncology specialists. The facility includes 20 state-of-the-art infusion chairs and two patient beds for treatments, a patient education library and a comprehensive resource center for patients and their families to learn more about nutrition and supportive care services available to them.
Patients at the Cancer Institute can access their complete oncology team – surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists and nurse navigators – along with primary and specialty care physicians, all in one convenient location. The team’s primary goal is to provide cancer care excellence in a supportive, collaborative atmosphere.