Local Sees Need, Prompts Charger Install

When forced to take their toddler daughter to the emergency room on Oct. 10, 2017, the last thing on the minds of Lacey Brelje, and her husband, was to grab a phone charger. But, hours later they sat with their other toddler in the ER waiting room unable to inform their family of their problem or to get a ride home for the uninjured child. It was that moment that Brelje started thinking of things her employer, Nemont Wireless, could do to help the situation.

"It happened around bedtime," explained Brelje who went on to describe how her daughter had cut the artery in her wrist on a piece of glass, and they were forced from their home in a frenzy. "We had no shoes, no coats, and our three-year-old was in his pajamas." They made their way to the ER, and after her daughter began to receive treatment, they found themselves without charged cell phones, and in need of someone to come get their uninjured child. In short, they were stuck with few good options.

Fortunately, Brelje's daughter received immediate care at the Frances Mahon Deaconess Emergency Room, and they were able to perform emergency surgeries, and within four days she had received care from a specialty surgeon who was already scheduled to be in the area. Brelje tried to explain her gratitude for the hospital. "I mean, having one of the best surgeons who specializes in hands and arms come here to this hospital is amazing," she said.

When Brelje returned to work at Nemont she put in motion the process to have a charging station installed in the ER waiting room, and on March 1, 2018 that initiative became a reality. Brelje explained, "We tried to take a little tragedy of ours, and make things better for others in the same situation."

"I went to my boss, Gregg Hunter, and asked what can we do," she said of her efforts trying to make this effort a reality. She and Hunter collaborated with others at Nemont and decided to reach out to FMDH to see if this was something they could do. "We are just glad we could do it here," said Hunter adding that this would be a pilot program while they look to make adjustments and place other stations at hospitals around the region.

"According to Kyla (Burns Marketing Director at FMDH), we have already gotten feedback," said Hunter. That feedback ranged from "amazing" to putting a second station in the maternity wing of FMDH. Hunter said they are considering stations in Plentywood and Williston, and hope to expand this service based on how it works at FMDH.