Hospital Administrator Buck McKinney
. Gary’s employment at the Kiowa Hospital, found him returning to the Kiowa Ambulance Service as a certified first responder, Sharon Regan covering his shift when commuting from Anthony. Gary making a decision to enroll in a Harper County 12 week EMT certification course, evening and weekends at Chaparral High School, finding at times, the 60 mile round trip to Kiowa , and the evenings at Chaparral somewhat grueling, but perseverance prevailed. Gary aware, almost 1/4 of those taking the EMT written certification and 5 station practical test in Wichita would fail some part of it, having experienced it with his first responder certification. Gary traveling to Wichita, finding his instructors having done their job, having no discernment with the written portion or the 5 station test, being told the results would be notified by mail. The notification arriving, opening the envelope, he was relieved finding a formal certification Certificate and EMT card from the State Board of Emergency Medical Services.
. Gary found Buck McKinney was a likeable, laidback good natured person, dressing accordingly, only wearing a suit n tie for Hospital Board meeting. blending well with the hospital environment and staff, joining them on their breaks. Gary on occasion sometimes questioning his aptness , espousing from past experience, having worked with remarkable administrative supervisors, Jay Jolly, Glen Piper and staunch John Deere franchise owner Steve Miller, but giving credit where credit is due, Buck as hospital administrator, stepping up so that the ambulance service would remain in Kiowa. but from another prospective, his status as ambulance Director was mostly in name only, the paper work handled by the hospital office and the monthly on-call status schedule performed by the Director of Nursing, the incomparable Sharon Ragan.
. During the annual Ambulance State Certification Inspection, the Surveyor finding the Kiowa ambulance lacking the required written protocols for an ambulance service. Gary obtaining a precedent from Medicine Lodge, providing their modus operandi as a template, adapting it for Kiowa’s Type B Service in protocol form, fulfilling the states compliance requirements. Buck expressing at an ambulance staff meeting, protocol in hand, the ambulance was now in compliance. Buck was very forthwith, not a hesitant person, letting the ambulance personnel know he failed the State EMT CPR practical station in Wichita, remedying the situation, meeting with the director of emergency medical services, the hospital administrator stating the person in charge of the CPR station was in error, demonstrating a correct procedure, The EMS director enabling his certification.
. As a member of the Kansas Hospital Engineers Association, Gary was elected to the Board of Directors of the KHEA, representing South Central Kansas District 3, which included Wichita, also having accepted the added responsibility as treasurer, and editor of the KHEA monthly newsletter. The Kiowa Hospital being member of the Kansas Hospital Association. Buck blatantly boasting, even though the hospital was a member, he had never attended or participated in any of the KHA, seminars , or professional presentations. Gary recalling an apropos quote from a Louis L’Amour western novel expounded by his father, “ride low in the saddle, stay off the high ridges, you’re riding in a dead man’s seat”, the verse’s implication imparting a means for a person to cloak their ineptness.
Inquisitive Quest 
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