Hocking Valley Community Hospital has been awarded nearly $25,000 in grant funding from the Hocking Hills Tourism Association.
The first round of the HHTA Tourism Impact Emergency Services (TIES) Grant was awarded at the end of 2025. The TIES Grant is specifically designed to assist fire, EMS, law enforcement, and rescue agencies in Hocking County as they manage the seasonal surge of visitors to the area. Funds may be used for critical equipment, specialized training, or other response needs tied to tourism-related service calls.
According to the HHTA website, the TIES grant reflects HHTA’s long-standing commitment to sustainable tourism and community well-being, supporting not only the visitor experience, but also the safety and quality of life for residents. Recent changes to the Ohio Revised Code allow tourism organizations to use lodging tax revenue for investments other than promotional efforts. HHTA can now invest a portion of this revenue directly into public safety, helping ensure that those who serve the community are equipped to respond to the demands of increased tourism.
HVCH Director of Emergency Services & Urgent Care Curtis Golden said the grant funds awarded to HVCH will be used for four different directives:
- Provide ITLS Certification Courses: Offer International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) certification to all Emergency Department nursing and physician staff. Open additional seats to EMS and Fire/Rescue personnel countywide to promote unified trauma response and strengthen community-wide emergency preparedness. Target participation of at least 90 individuals from hospital and first responder agencies. All hospital ED staff would be required to take this training.
- Replace and Expand Emergency Department Stretchers/Beds: Replace outdated stretchers and patient beds with modern, ergonomically designed models that include integrated patient scales to allow for quick, safe, and accurate weighing of non-ambulatory patients. Purchase additional beds and stretchers to increase surge capacity and accommodate higher patient volumes during mass casualty or critical incident events.
- Implement Weight-Based Dosing Protocols and Drills: Develop and routinely conduct protocol-driven drills to practice weight-based medication dosing workflows in trauma and resuscitation scenarios. These exercises will ensure staff are proficient in applying accurate dosing techniques under pressure and during real-world emergencies.
- Host Interdisciplinary Simulation Sessions: Conduct interdisciplinary trauma simulations following ITLS training to reinforce clinical skills, communication, and coordination among ED, EMS, and Fire/Rescue teams. These sessions will support ongoing competency, teamwork, and seamless patient handoffs during critical events.
“With the support of the Hocking Hills Tourism Grant, we are able to further advance the knowledge and skills of our Emergency Department staff to better serve both our community and the many visitors who travel to our region,” Golden said. “This funding will support vital trauma education and certifications for our ED staff, and the purchase of new equipment, helping ensure we continue providing the highest level of emergency care when it matters most.”