Scott Stueven Named 2021 Krah Corp. Scholarship Winner

EMS World and The Krah Corporation (dba Krah Health Solutions) announced August 17, 2021, that Scott Stueven, deputy director and infection control officer for Butler County (Kansas) EMS, has been named the winner of the 2021 Krah Corporation Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Scholarship Award.

Stueven, a firefighter, paramedic and instructor, has served as Butler County EMS’s designated infection control officer and deputy director for over five years.

“Scott has a long history of infection control leadership at our EMS service, our regional EMS, and the state of Kansas, dating back to the Avian Flu and Ebola pandemic,” states Frank Williams, director of Butler County EMS.

Stueven was instrumental on a regional and state level by helping draft, lobby and get signed into Kansas law legislation to protect all first responders and EMS providers from infectious diseases, Williams says. Prior to COVID-19, Stueven created and implemented a complete and robust Infection Control Program that allowed Butler County EMS to immediately transition into the COVID pandemic response and mitigation.

“This program was shared regionally and adopted by other EMS services,” comments Williams. “Scott has also ensured a stockpile of PPE that sustained our response through all supply change issues others were suffering from.”

The mission of the Krah Corporation Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Scholarship Award is to honor an EMS professional or volunteer who has raised the bar of infection prevention to include the highest standards of practice and has been instrumental in reducing the risk of patients and fellow workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nominees must have at least 5 years of active EMS service; have significantly aided in the conception and development of infection prevention and control methods not only during but prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with plans to continue contributing and incorporating innovative strategies and tools to enhance the level of infection prevention within the station and in the field; have strengthened EMS awareness and support of infection prevention strategies; and have demonstrated leadership and a passion to train others on infection prevention practices within EMS.

Stueven will receive a commemorative award and a full core program conference registration for EMS World Expo, scheduled for Oct. 4–8, 2021 in Atlanta.

“Our entire county departments looked to Scott and our EMS team for guidance, including the emergency manager and health department director,” says Williams of Stueven’s leadership during the pandemic response. “Our county activated our emergency operations center and formed a COVID taskforce, which Scott became a key member of.”

Stueven committed hundreds of additional hours of work to support the county and regional response to the pandemic. This included changes to the 9-1-1 emergency communications protocols for screening, PPE, disinfection, supply chain, clinical care procedures, training and education of responders, testing, operational response, staffing, peer support to preserve mental health, immunizations, and quality assurance.

“Because of Scott’s efforts, our EMS service result was zero out-of-service time due to staffing of ambulances, and zero patient-to-EMS provider transmission of infectious disease, including COVID-19,” Williams says. “Scott Stueven is the ideal candidate to receive this award due to proven results of preparedness, response, and prevention in our EMS system.”

“We are honored to present this scholarship award to Scott,” says Beth Krah, owner and CEO of The Krah Corporation. “He has undoubtedly been instrumental in key components of infection control strategies not only during the COVID-19 outbreak, but also focusing on mitigating the risks of infectious diseases within EMS since then. Our team welcomed so many nominations for this second annual scholarship award and wish to thank every one of you for your service and sacrifice, especially during these difficult times.”