Loma Linda University Medical Center’s James Parnell, patient care director for the emergency department, was one of four individuals from San Bernardino County who attended President Obama’s final State of the Union address, Tuesday, Jan. 13 in Washington, D.C.
Invited by Representative Pete Aguilar, Parnell represented Loma Linda University Medical Center for its role in providing trauma care to five victims of the shooting that took place December 2 at Inland Regional Center.
“I feel very honored to have been chosen to represent Loma Linda University Medical Center,” Parnell said prior to his departure to the East Coast. He also said he was looking forward to attending such a historic event as President Obama's final State of the Union address.
While the president did not specifically mention the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, he did reference the gun violence epidemic that has tormented communities across the nation, as well as fighting terrorism as a whole.
Parnell said he appreciates how the president approached many issues with an attitude of optimism and moving forward.
Additionally, Parnell said, “I liked that he continued to express support of innovation in technology and health care."
Other individuals in attendance from San Bernardino County were San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, San Bernadino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan, San Bernadino Police dispatch supervisor Annie Teal, and Trenna Meins, wife of victim Damian Meins of Riverside, one of the 14 fatalities of the shooting. Meins’ two children also attended.
On the day of the shooting, Parnell was responsible for initializing the triage area outside the emergency department. A former Army reserve medic, Parnell relied on his FEMA training in mass casualty incidents in his response preparing the emergency department to serve an influx of up to 50 patients.
Parnell was a guest of Representative Pete Aguilar. In a press release issued from his office after the President’s speech, Rep. Aguilar said: “The threats we face from gun violence have long been a crisis in San Bernardino, before the terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center, and will continue to be until we take meaningful and common sense steps to make our neighborhoods safer. Our world is a dangerous place – as the president reminded us of the precarious position we find ourselves in as we continue to combat terrorism here and abroad.”