Sunstar Paramedics is proud to honor David Grabowski as a Star of Life. David has served as a Paramedic for more than 9 years and embodies the best qualities of a mobile healthcare professional. Since joining Sunstar, David has excelled at furthering his skills and knowledge to best serve his community.

David is a member of the Pinellas County Tactical EMS team, which supports the Pinellas County Sheriff’s SWAT operations and participates in serving high-risk warrants and providing VIP escorts in addition to incident response. He has become a highly-qualified member of this team and achieved the prestigious Tactical Paramedic certification from the International Board of Specialty Certifications.

David is also a member of the CAMTS-Accredited Sunstar Critical Care Transport Team, and holds the rank of Critical Care Paramedic. As a member of this team, David cares for and transports high-acuity patients who require high levels of monitoring and intervention to and from definitive care centers. David is also recognized as a certified Flight Paramedic through the International Board of Specialty Certifications.

Although David has distinguished himself in many ways, there is one trait that cannot be certified that truly makes David deserving of recognition. He is always compassionate with his patients and supportive of his colleagues. The calm, confident, yet humble way David conducts himself is an excellent example of public service and what it is to be a member of the EMS community.

On a particularly exceptional call, David was partnered with a recently hired Paramedic, and the two clinicians were first on scene to a critical overdose. David remained calm, cool, and collected managing the patient’s care while setting the tone for the newer crew member. The patient’s outcome was a positive one, and this can be attributed at least in part to the skill, compassion, and expertise that David possesses.

As an industry we look for individuals that will perform in the ever-changing environment in which we find ourselves. It can give us hope to see people like David who are resilient to high-acuity complaints, such as opiate overdose, striving to further their knowledge in responding to dangerous and dynamic scenes with the Tactical Paramedic program. David is truly a shining example of what a First Responder should be. It is Sunstar Paramedics’ honor to recognize him as a 2019 Star of Life.