THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505090069
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
I read with sadness The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star article dated April 25, 1995, concerning the death of Dr. Frank M. Yeiser Jr., who was so instrumental in modernizing emergency medical care in Hampton Roads.
My contact with Dr. Yeiser was very brief, but the circumstances of that contact and his response to me reflect admirably on his character. In the course of prosecuting a drunken driver who had killed another driver on I-264 in November, 1994, I learned that Dr. Yeiser had stopped at the scene of this 2 a.m. accident to see if he could render any assistance.
When I telephoned Dr. Yeiser to find out what he observed, he was very friendly and generous in offering his assistance to me, despite the fact that I was a lawyer calling him at home about a situation for which he might be pulled away from his practice to testify in court. His willingness to stop at the scene of an accident at 2 a.m. and his kindness shown to me indicate that we have lost a fine person.
S. Clark Daugherty
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney
Many in the Hampton Roads area may not realize they lost a friend this week when Dr. Frank M. Yeiser Jr., died in his sleep. Frank saved the lives of so many of us and our loved ones with his contributions to municipal emergency services.
As a young reporter I first remember Frank at a motorcycle accident at Wards Corner. A navy-gray rattletrap of a van rolled up and the young victim was put in a long basket made of aluminum tubes and chicken wire. Soon after that, thanks to Frank, EMT's in orange and white rescue units began to appear on our streets.
He was instrumental in bringing air rescue service here and built a frame in his home workshop to hold the stretcher in the first Nightingale helicopter.
His performance was so smooth in the worst situations. I remember in particular a train wreck in Chesapeake some years ago and the tragic Hillhaven fire in Norfolk. He directed the rescue efforts without a misstep and took time to share information with the media.
The last time I saw Frank was when he spoke at the funeral of a mutual friend who was near Frank's age and had died suddenly of a heart attack. Frank said, ``It wasn't a bad way to go, just a hell of a time to go.''
Yes, Frank, how true. We will miss you.
Darrell G. Hosack
Brandon Avenue
I had the good fortune to work with Dr. Frank Yeiser over the last 22 years. I first met him as a young, enthusiastic, intelligent and hard-driving emergency medical technician with special talents in organizing paramedical, medical, political and hospital authorities.
His efforts were, to a large extent, responsible for our excellent ground and air emergency transport and treatment system, which literally touches the lives of many Tidewater families at one time or another. He was instrumental in teaching and administering emergency medicine as well as continually modernizing our emergency medical practices.
Frank's capabilities were recognized quickly and he continued his career using his M.D. degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School to continue his work. He helped organize and develop a large emergency physicians network currently operating in Tidewater. He participated in many worthwhile medical and non-medical community activities, was an exemplary father and husband, having encouraged one of his daughters to enter E.V.M.S. (the first parent/child M.D.'s from E.V.M.S.).
Very recently, Frank accepted a new career challenge: a faculty appointment at prestigious Dartmouth Medical Center in Emergency Medicine, including the development of an air ambulance service. His untimely death prevented the fulfillment of this latest objective, which undoubtedly would have made us proud.
As a person and physician, Dr. Yeiser's deep sense of concern and caring, as well as his medical expertise, made him an excellent physician and strong patient advocate. His work has been responsible for the safe, kind and expeditious transport of thousands of my patients with cardiac problems over the years, for which I am grateful. My colleagues and I must take note of his tragic death to express our appreciation and celebration of Dr. Frank Yeiser's achievements.
Next time you see a Tidewater Emergency Vehicle, think of Dr. Frank Yeiser.
Alan Bartel, M.D.
Cardiovascular Associates, Ltd. Continuous tax increases
The recent Virginian-Pilot article regarding Norfolk tax increases was not quite correct. If there has been no increase in real estate taxes for five years, as reported in this article, why is it that my real estate tax has increased every six months for many, many years. Most everyone knows the answer to that question but whoever wrote the article merely repeated what was handed out by the city propagandists.
Jim Naugle
Hanover Avenue by CNB