Paramedic Eric Dunaway has served in EMS since 1985. He began as an EMT and then obtained his Paramedic certification in 2002. Caring for his community has been Eric’s passion and fascination since he was a young boy. Eric has spent his career working in 911 services and has served as a Critical Care Paramedic in the past.
His supervisor, peers, and dispatchers all identify him as a spirited, intellectual individual who routinely goes above and beyond to provide excellent care and comfort to his patients. For example, Eric has often purchased furnishings or other extra items for his patients in order to make them comfortable upon their return home after a medical event. Eric’s personal quote is, “Choices are Power.”
In addition to his career as a Paramedic, Eric discovered a passion for BMX riding and spends his off time doing downhill dirt jumping. He also found that the sport crosses generations and has found a niche in mentoring the younger enthusiasts of the sport, helping to teach them not just BMX riding but also valuable life lessons. Eric’s other community outreach effort includes teaching and preaching helmet safety, and he is looking towards providing service to Meals on Wheels.
The accomplishment that Eric is most proud of is raising his daughter as a single parent, willing to sacrifice everything to ensure she grows up happy and healthy. Eric is now the proud grandpa to two beautiful grandbabies, a 6-year-old grandson and a 2.5-year-old granddaughter.
Mid-Valley Ambulance is proud to nominate Paramedic Eric Dunaway as a 2022 Star of Life.
Kristi Wiggins began her career with UT Health East Texas System in 2010 as an ER Nurse in the Level 1 Trauma Center. In 2013, she transitioned to Paramedic/Nurse with the Critical Care Transport Service at EMS/Air1. Kristi is an incredibly hardworking and selfless caregiver who puts her whole heart into her job. She always goes out of her way to do what is best for her patient and the team. Kristi also serves on the Critical Incident Stress Management Team, and puts countless extra hours in helping with community CPR classes, Stop the Bleed, and Car Seat Safety Checks.
Kristi has always been the soft-spoken voice of our team; the one that team members call for support or with concerns. She always listens and does her best to make everyone reach his or her potential. Often, Kristi’s colleagues repeat the phrase, “I wish we could clone you,” because she puts all of herself into everything she does, no matter what.
Kristi has recently taken the position as UT Health East Texas’s QA/QI Coordinator. She has embraced the roll, ensuring that all care is well documented and in line with protocol. With this information, Kristi can make sure that the education curriculum meets the needs of her team. She enjoys teaching and helping the new generation of Paramedics and Nurses learn and to love what they do.
Over the course of Kristi’s career, there have been numerous calls from her patients or her patients’ families, describing how well Kristi took care of them. She brings calm to the storm of any situation, and her ER staff colleagues say they feel a weight lift off of them as soon as Kristi walks in the door.
When Kristi is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons outdoors, hunting and fishing. She is always present at her sons’ sporting events, including High School Clay Target League, and volunteers her time at their school.
Madelyn Clesi has been an EMT with Acadian Ambulance for more than two years. She is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and currently works in Baton Rouge. She serves as a Field Training Officer and is also in school to earn her Paramedic certification.
Madelyn was nominated as a Star of Life and Acadian’s EMT of the Year because of her willingness to help students, new hires, and coworkers. She genuinely wants to help make people the best they can be. “Her humanity is what drives her,” said her Operations Manager, Justin Cox.
Madelyn is also a member of the Louisiana National Guard, to which she credits her focus and solid work ethic.
Another Operations Manager, Hallie Stewart, noted, “Madelyn is well spoken, relatable, and funny. She exhibits emotional intelligence and strategy when addressing uneasy subjects.”
Victoria Danton is a native of Watson, Louisiana, and has been with Acadian Ambulance for six years, beginning as an EMT. She now serves as a Paramedic in Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish, and additionally as a Field Training Officer, Associate National EMS Academy Instructor, and Explorer Post Advisor. She has a love for small communities, and has worked in Donaldsonville for more than five years.
Victoria is known among her colleagues and company management for her professionalism, compassion, clinical knowledge, and mentorship. She is a consistently high performer in employee and clinical metrics, and she leads others by example. She is passionate about what she does and has a desire to help the company improve at the little things to keep it at its best.
Victoria’s husband, Joey, is also an Acadian Paramedic. Victoria is currently a student at Nicholls State University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in health science, with the goal of becoming a physician assistant.
Devin Degler has climbed the emergency medical services ladder one rung at a time.
Del Norte Ambulance’s Star of Life started his EMS journey back in his childhood with the Boy Scouts of America, which led him to becoming part of the Explorer Program.
In his hometown of Crescent City, CA, Devin had a number of career choices, including Explorer posts with the local fire departments, law enforcement, the Sea Cadets, and Del Norte Ambulance. The question was, which one?
Something inside drew him to the EMS field, and soon, the quiet son of a former U.S. Navy sailor was learning about CPR and pressure bandages, instead of tying knots and raising mainsails.
Upon graduation from Del Norte High School, Devin was encouraged to take the locally offered EMT-Basic class. In the meantime, he became a driver for Del Norte Ambulance. Once he finished the course and passed his National Registry test, he was hired full-time as an EMT-B on the ambulance.
After several years of enjoying EMS, Devin decided it was time to move his career forward and enrolled in the Paramedic program offered by College of the Redwoods in Eureka, CA. With support from the company, and with help from his Del Norte Ambulance crewmates, Devin completed his studies and recently graduated with his National Registry as a Paramedic.
Chris is a retired U.S. Marine. He started in EMS in the early 1990s and quickly advanced from EMT to Paramedic. Throughout his career, he has worked in a variety of agencies including rural, suburban, air, and ground ambulance. He has been at CHS MIHC since 2014.
Chris is the epitome of an exemplary clinician. Chris, or “O.B.” as he is known, is constantly striving to advance the practice of prehospital medicine. Serving as a regional preceptor, he coaches new Paramedics as they emerge from class. He is also one of our lead simulation coordinators, and has enhanced our clinical education program for CHS MIHC providers as well as other providers in the region.
Rebecca Zamagni-Mander began her career in June of 2005 and has excelled professionally as a Telecommunicator, a Controller, a Communications Training Officer (CTO), an Assistant Communications Supervisor, and now as a Communications Operations Supervisor.
Rebecca has handled the scheduling of candidates for critical testing, scheduling of and facilitation of panel interviews, scoring of new candidates, decision making for conditional offers of employment, and the conducting of reference checks of candidates for hire. She also successfully completed the PSAP Managers Course offered by the NC 911 Board, as well as her ED-QI (Emergency Dispatch-Quality Improvement) in order to learn more about how to develop CMED employees.
Another of Rebecca’s strengths includes her ability to ensure employee success. She has an open and transparent dialogue, which the CMED employees all appreciate. They also admire her ability to listen to them, whether about professional or personal matters. She seeks to understand and gives trusted advice. Rebecca always manages to foster positive discussions and to bring out the best in all employees.
Rebecca is wholeheartedly dedicated to this community and the citizens we serve. She is truly a patient advocate and is very proud of the work Medic does every day.
Mayo Clinic Ambulance is honored to be represented by Shelly Ziegler, Paramedic, as a Star of Life.
Shelly began her career with Mayo Clinic in 2008, initially as a Paramedic at Mayo Clinic Ambulance in Fairmont, MN, and now works in Mankato, MN. Shelly’s patient care skills and commitment are evident to all who work with her. She is also known for her compassion and ability to communicate with patients of all ages as well as their family members.
“Shelly is the consummate teammate who selflessly helps out not just with the Mankato team but with our other operations as well,” says Paul Drucker, Senior Director of Mayo Clinic Ambulance. In a nomination submission, one of Shelly’s colleagues notes a time when Shelly went above and beyond the call of duty to provide for the physical needs of the family of a patient on what was certainly their worst day. Shelly helped the family without seeking any acknowledgement and with her own funds, though not for the first or only time. Shelly’s colleague also remarked that Shelly is an admirable example of how to serve every day.
When asked to give her advice to new Paramedics and EMTs entering the field of EMS, Shelly explained, “Always be willing to help others and be there for coworkers. We have a special career, and we see and deal with a lot of things most people would never dream of doing. Sometimes we are the only ones that understand how each other feels. Be sensitive to that and always take care of your work family!”
Shelly is originally from Vernon Center, MN and received her Paramedic education at South Central College in Mankato, MN.
Mayo Clinic Ambulance is honored to be represented by Lisa Vogel, Education Instructor in Education and Training, as a 2022 Star of Life.
Lisa began her career at Mayo Clinic in 1988.
“Helping others has been my life’s work,” Lisa says. “The combination of continuous education, the use of the latest and greatest technology to improve care, and the commitment to ensure the needs of the patient come first, is what has always driven me. The compassion and dedication required to do the job right, and to be there when others are at their worst.”
Lisa consistently demonstrates the highest standards of the Mayo Clinic values—Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Healing, Teamwork, Innovation, Excellence, and Stewardship. In a Star of Life nomination form, a colleague wrote that Lisa “can be trusted with the most delicate information, whether it has to do with patient confidentiality, employment issues, or personal issues. She is someone you can openly discuss things with, and employees will often seek her out when they have had a stressful situation in their career or personal lives. She is always ready to listen, even when off-duty, and is a twenty-four-hour employee.”
In addition to her role at Mayo Clinic Ambulance, Lisa serves as Chief of Midway First Responders in Proctor, MN. She also works with the EMS Honor Flight program for veterans, and has coordinated an annual Thanksgiving Day meal at an arena in Duluth, MN for those in need, which has served many thousands of meals since 1991.
Whether Lisa is providing EMS education to colleagues, volunteering in nearby communities, leading a medical first responder unit, or directing the efforts of a meal for thousands, her one sole focus has always been helping people. To Lisa, “Making a difference in people’s lives is the most rewarding outcome there is.”
Denyse Viger has been a licensed Paramedic for twenty-two years and an EMS Instructor/Coordinator for seventeen years in the state of Michigan. She holds provider and instructor certifications for multiple American Heart Association and National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians programs (ACLS, PALS, CPR-BLS, PHTLS, AMLS, and GEMS).
Denyse began her career as a Paramedic at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan, Inc. in March 2013. For seventeen years prior to her start at Superior, Denyse served in the roles of Instructor and Clinical Coordinator at Henry Ford College – EMS Division. Denyse holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Siena Heights University, where she majored in Health Care Management and Paramedic Technology.
Throughout 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Denyse became the Program Director of Superior’s EMS School, Life Support Training Institute (LSTI). In this role, she immediately faced the challenges of an EMS staffing shortage brought on by the pandemic, as well as those from the large acquisition of another service. Although her experience and expertise are extensive, nothing could have prepared her for the hardships she faced in this context. Through it all, Denyse was able to lead the school’s painstaking change of ownership and CoAEMSP/CAAHEP accreditation transition, all the while maintaining the daily operations of the largest accredited EMS school in Michigan, as well as LSTI’s two satellite locations in Toledo and Grove City, Ohio.
In her role, Denyse precisely aligns her professional duties with the operational needs of the company. She provides vital leadership as she trains EMS practitioners in Michigan and Ohio, and her hard work is crucial for maintaining quality EMS staffing levels in order to keep ambulance services deployed. Her impressive management of the EMT and Paramedic programs, of the American Heart Association training, and of continuing education requirements for NREMT and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of EMS, Trauma, and Preparedness contributes to the overall success of Superior. Most importantly, Denyse’s work assures the highest quality of care delivered to patients and she is dedicated to this mission.
Denyse also serves as the Chairperson for Superior’s Professional Standards Review Committee, working collaboratively with other key members and the Agency Medical Director, to review clinical standards at Superior.
In her personal time, Denyse enjoys spending quality time with her family. She is the proud mother of three. Her oldest daughter, Alizabeth, is working on her BSN degree while also employed as an ER Technician. Her two sons, Ryan and Robert, are both Paramedics at Detroit EMS. Denyse’s hobbies include Spartan Races as well as playing and coaching football. She also enjoys traveling, sightseeing, and learning new things.
Bruce Troutman has played an active role in EMS for the last eighteen years. He began his career at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service, Inc. in 2002 as an EMT, while simultaneously studying psychology at Loyola University Chicago. He quickly developed a passion for the ambulance service industry and prehospital care. He obtained his Paramedic license in 2004 and then advanced to his first leadership role as a Station Manager after college. By 2006, he had completed training to become a Critical Care Paramedic and transitioned to the Critical Care Transport Team.
While serving on the Critical Care Team, Bruce discovered that transporting critically ill patients was his passion. He quickly became one of the team’s leading clinicians and educators. Demonstrating effective leadership in operations, a passion for advanced education, and a desire to raise the standards for patient care, Bruce worked in multiple leadership roles including CCT Assistant Manager, Clinical Coordinator, and Clinical Manager. Bruce’s primary focus has always been to ensure that critical care providers deliver high quality care to their patients. In his clinical leadership roles, he developed new orientation, continuing education, and Critical Care Paramedic curriculums. He also formalized the division’s quality processes into a multi-disciplinary quality management program to include collaboration with hospital stakeholders.
Throughout his career, Bruce has frequently sought opportunities to make himself a better provider, educator, and leader. He maintains instructor certifications in ACLS, PALS, and PHTLS. He also obtained certifications in Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care, EMS Education, and as a Medical Transport Executive; and, in 2013, he cross-trained in flight operations. After becoming a Flight Medic, Bruce served a term on the Board of the International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics. Bruce returned to school in 2016, and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Olivet Nazarene University and his RN license.
In 2018, Bruce was promoted to Director of Flight Operations and Assistant Director for the Critical Care Division. His clinical expertise and experience, along with his exacting standards, strategic mindset, commitment to excellence, and unmatched work ethic have proven invaluable to the Critical Care and Flight programs. Under his leadership, the Critical Care and Flight Team’s scope of practice has increased; ground and air teams have further integrated; new protocols, policies, and procedures have been developed; and services have expanded. Bruce’s hard work paid off when he led his flight division to achieve CAMTS accreditation in November 2019.
Despite his full-time leadership roles, Bruce loves clinical practice and ensures he is always scheduled on an ambulance or helicopter a few times a month. In his personal time, Bruce lives a quiet life forty miles southwest of Chicago and enjoys spending quality time with his family, especially his niece and nephews.
Lieutenant Joseph (Joe) Thompson has been a devoted member of Rescue Inc since 1982. Joe began his career as a volunteer EMT covering the overnight shifts. Since that time, his role at Rescue has transformed into a full-time leadership position. He currently wears many hats within the organization – from Frontline Shift Supervisor to building maintenance, to Emergency Medical Responder to CEVO driver instructor. Joe is the “go-to” guy and has an answer for everything.
Not only does Joe always have an answer, but he always shows up – day or night. When you need Joe, he is there. There is not another individual more dedicated to the agency than Joe. In fact, he has his own internal radio system, named the “Joedio,” because he is always there and always listening.
Joe says he loves working at Rescue because, “every day is a new and exciting challenge that keeps me on my toes and thinking. It’s a wonderful place, otherwise I wouldn’t have been here for forty years.” Despite already wearing many hats, Joe is constantly being thrown into different roles. One minute he is conducting an on-road drivers test for a new employee, and the next he is driving a critical care transfer, and, as soon as he returns, he is doing a car seat check and then restocking all the supplies. He takes these new challenges and obstacles with stride and continues to hum his way through the day with a positive attitude and a smile on his face.
When Joe is not at Rescue (which is not often), he enjoys mowing lawns, going fishing, and spending time with his grandson. In addition, Joe volunteers his time at the local ski hill as a patroller. He loves to keep busy and to be in the community giving back in every aspect of his life.
Joe has truly made a positive impact on Rescue Inc, and we are honored to recognize Joe Thompson as a 2022 Star of Life Award nominee.
Jeff started in EMS over twenty years ago, and came to Community Care Ambulance in 2005 as an EMT. He earned his Paramedic certification in 2011.
Jeff is one of the strongest clinicians in our organization. He is always the patient’s advocate and never turns down a chance to help someone. His boisterous demeanor makes him a natural fit to mentor new and seasoned staff alike. Jeff works quickly and calmly to put his patients at ease in even the most critical of situations. He has treated and educated hundreds of grateful patients, including one who called 911 complaining of an allergic reaction. Jeff quickly determined that the patient was actually suffering a STEMI, and was able to treat and get the patient to definitive care.
When Jeff is not working, he can be found hunting, fishing, or playing golf. He also enjoys spending time with his two daughters, aged 20 and 17.
Devin Holland, NREMT-P, serves as the Operations Manager for Pafford Medical Services’ Saline County, Arkansas operation. This is a seven-ambulance operation with a staff of more than seventy EMS professionals. As such, Holland oversees the day-to-day 911 operations and any special operations or event medical assignments.
He began his EMS career fourteen years ago as an EMT, achieved his Paramedic license in 2013, and has been working through the ranks from Paramedic to Operations Manager at Pafford over the past four years. Since his time with Pafford as Operations Manager, Devin has constantly put his team and his community first. His forward-thinking, optimistic attitude and his compassion for the job he does and the citizens he cares for is second to none. Devin has been instrumental and successful in inspiring those he leads to assemble and deploy sometimes at a moment’s notice to people in need.
Pafford’s top leadership, as well as the Arkansas Director of Operations, believe Devin has earned the American Ambulance Association Star of Life distinction because of his positive influence and his natural leadership qualities.
Devin says, “I honestly could not believe I had won the Star of Life award for Pafford. It is wonderful to know that we make such a positive impact for the patients we care for and the communities we serve. I feel so much appreciation knowing the things I have done with Pafford have not gone unnoticed.”
Devin is a dedicated family man who enjoys spending time attending sporting events or his kids’ school events. He lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children, Liam and Madi.
In four short years of employment at UT Health East Texas EMS, Juliana has consistently shown exceptional patient care and bedside manner. She came to our company with previous EMS experience and immediately found her place at home.
Juliana is currently training with our CISM team, after immediately expressing her interest in the team when it was created. Before our CISM team, Juliana would personally reach out to employees that she knew had a rough call and check on them. Since being a part of our team, she continues to reach out to crews and management when she knows of anyone that may need the services. Juliana has also taken over the EMS Bike Team. Since taking on the responsibility, she has shown that she is very thorough and pays attention to detail. She has taken over this team with pride and is running it very well.
Juliana’s patient care inspires everyone around her to be better. She genuinely cares for every single one of her patients as if they were her own family, and consistently goes above and beyond for all. An example of this is when a patient once called EMS because she ran out of her medications and was unable to go the pharmacy to get them. The patient had no complaints; she just wanted to be able to take her morning medications and was out of options. Juliana called her Operational Supervisor to pick up the medications in order to keep the patient at home and out of the ER. The patient was so grateful to Juliana for her care, and mentioned that she had never come across a medical professional who treated her with so much respect and compassion.
You will hardly ever find Juliana’s truck without a student on it. This is because of the reputation she has made over the years with her students. The students and instructors at nearby colleges know her by name and recommend her for ride-outs because she takes time with every student to go over everything, from where supplies are located on the truck to protocols and operations. She cares about her community and puts as much effort into training new EMTs and medics as she puts into her patient care.
You may sometimes hear the crews speaking about a “treat fairy.” Few of us know who it is and many still wonder. Juliana keeps a box of snacks, fidget toys, stickers, cards, and inspirational quotes to leave in trucks randomly. When she notices a crew that has been busy or is just not having a good day she will leave treats for the crews to find in their trucks. This has helped spread positivity and unity amongst the crews. She enjoys spreading cheer and wants zero recognition.
Overall, there is not a more deserving person than Juliana “Jewls” Castro for the Star of Life Award. She puts 100% into every patient, every shift, every student, and every crew member.
Delaney Kenny has been an EMT with Armstrong Ambulance since 2019. Delaney states that she has always had a desire to work in the medical field and help other people. Her passion was sparked while in high school, when Delaney went on her first overseas trip to Panama, where she did outreach work, specifically with orphaned children. That trip to Panama really confirmed Delaney’s desired career path. She started in EMS, in hopes of learning basic assessment tools and how to interact with patients. She credits her time at Armstrong with improving her patient care skills and so much more.
Since she has been at Armstrong, Delaney has been recognized many times for her caring and empathy by colleagues, supervisors, and patients. We often receive heartfelt thank you notes praising Delaney for being kind, caring, and courteous while also providing excellent patient care. Patients have said that her kindness while they were in pain has “made their day.” Delaney sets the bar high when it comes to patient care and leads by example for every new hire she trains. She cares for every patient with the thoughtfulness and attention that we would want for our own family members.
During the height of the pandemic, instead of shying away from the fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Delaney stepped up to help Armstrong run several municipal testing locations in addition to her regular BLS shift work. Delaney also played a big role in the emergency vaccination projects and was a huge contributor in Armstrong’s efforts to vaccinate the entire Massachusetts State Police force. During that time, her leadership skills became evident, and she was chosen to become a Field Training Officer to guide new EMTs during their field orientation.
In addition to her work at Armstrong, Delaney has continued her overseas volunteer work, most recently in July 2021. Delaney was the clinical lead for a team of fifteen student volunteers from the organization Royal Servants, who were engaged in outreach efforts at primary schools and orphanages in Nairobi, Kenya. Delaney was tasked with managing strict COVID regulations for the team, amongst other activities, and ensuring that everyone was compliant with protocols. The group enjoyed a successful month-long mission and upon return to the states, Delaney jumped right back into her EMT duties at Armstrong.
When not in the field, Delaney enjoys finding new coffee shops, reading, and spending time with her friends and her two dogs. She is currently attending Paramedic school and looks forward to applying what she is learning in the classroom to her work in the field. One of her favorite things about her career in EMS is showing up to a scene and getting to make a new connection with another human being in such a short period, with the hopes of helping them.
Armstrong Ambulance is proud to call Delaney Kenny a 2022 Star of Life!
Douglas “D.J.” Sanders was named a 2022 Star of Life for LifeNet, Inc. in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Born and raised in Hot Springs, D.J. graduated from Lakeside High School in 2002.
“I was a senior in high school on September 11, 2001. I was inspired seeing people helping people during that time,” he said.
At the age of seventeen, a cadet program at the Garland County Sheriff’s Office kicked off his career path to becoming a First Responder.
“Through the program, I spent time observing in the juvenile jail, the adult jail, and the radio room. I also got to do ride-alongs with a deputy. When I got into the radio room, I fell in love with it. There was technology, and the 911 system was exciting to operate,” D.J. recalled. “A dispatcher is the first First Responder ‘on scene.’ I did one ride-along with a deputy and the rest of the time was in the radio room.”
In 2002, D.J. accepted a paid dispatch position working in Hot Spring County, Arkansas. Three years later, he accepted a position dispatching for the Hot Springs Police Department. In 2009, he started dispatching part-time for the Garland County Sheriff’s Office, and, in 2012, he took a part-time position as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher with LifeNet, Inc.
“I was working as a law enforcement dispatcher and was looking for ways to advance my career. I had decided against being a police officer, so I looked for an alternative form of emergency services. I had become phone friends with the dispatchers at LifeNet. When there was a part-time dispatch position, I took it. EMS became my new career. Being able to provide medical assistance to someone in need is an amazing feeling,” he explained.
One of the requirements for working in dispatch at LifeNet was going to EMT school.
“I had spent twelve years working behind a desk. After I obtained my EMT and started working part-time on the ambulances, I realized my desk now had a windshield. That was a good feeling. I felt like I had freedom,” he said. “Yes, you have to run calls, but you’re driving around and moving and getting to meet new people. No day is the same. The look of relief on someone’s face when they see that help has arrived is priceless to me. That’s what keeps me doing this job.”
A drive to grow within the EMS industry inspired D.J. to go to Paramedic school.
“I had thought about going into a management role in the future, so I went to Paramedic school to enhance my knowledge base and be able to move up the ladder in management,” he said.
In 2020, D.J. was promoted to an Operations Manager (OM) role at LifeNet.
“This is going to sound so cliché. I love my job. My job is my life. I put the ‘life’ in LifeNet,” he said. “I enjoy being able to serve others. I do not really have hobbies because my job is my hobby. My coworkers are my friends. If I can be here supporting our crews, I want to be here.”
D.J. was nominated by his peers to be a 2022 Star of Life for his devotion to his job and his colleagues. He goes above and beyond to help both his coworkers and his patients, and is the epitome of what a LifeNet Paramedic and Supervisor should be. After losing a LifeNet colleague last year, D.J. immediately began taking care of others. He made the calls that needed to be made, ensured that everyone had the resources they needed, and shouldered all the responsibilities of the difficult situation. To D.J., his colleagues are family, and family takes care of each other.
When you can get D.J. to take time off, he enjoys spending time with his family and his dogs. He is always up for a good road trip and seeing new places as well.
Paul Seamann’s EMS career began on a chilly October weekend in 1981, when West Virginia implemented the crazy idea of closing down its recently constructed 876-foot-high single arch bridge and allowing BASE Jump parachutists from around the world to legally plunge into the near vertical gorge resplendent with its hardwood trees at the height of their fall colors, only to land on the rocky shores of a Class 5 mountain river.
While traveling cross country with his newly minted EMT card, Paul came upon the wild celebration and assisted the local Jan-Care Ambulance rescuers, treating the injured jumpers whose three crash landing options appeared to be rock, tree, or river. Forty years later, Paul Seamann is still present at every WV Bridge Day, and is still leading the Jan-Care medical operations on the shores of the mighty New River.
Over the past four decades, Paul has added a few additional accomplishments to his résumé. He has become a Paramedic and has worked 137 cardiac and traumatic arrests, and has provided advanced care as a CCT Medic. Paul also has his RN degree, and has worked in the ED And ICU while simultaneously instructing over 150 National Registry EMT and Paramedic students across the mountains of southern WV. He is also a frequent presenter at state and national conferences.
With a master’s in healthcare administration and a busy career as Director of Operations of the state’s largest EMS agency – overseeing 120,000 responses across twelve rural counties – Paul’s continuing love for the raw and interpersonal aspects of the EMS profession has kept him deeply involved in helping guide EMS forward. He has continuously held leadership positions in local EMS and hospital councils, the state EMS Advisory Council, and the statewide Medical Review Committee. Paul also is President of the WV EMS Coalition and the WV EMS Administrators, as well as an active member of the Legislative Task Force and of numerous protocol, active threat, pediatric, and other specialty committees. He is an NAEMT state advocate, and is an active participant in many AAA programs.
Paul Seamann, who has driven across all fifty states and has traveled to twenty-five countries, is fond of inspiring new recruits to EMS with a simple statement: “If you want to BE SOMEBODY, to make a real difference in a person’s life, then EMS is your home and we welcome you aboard.”
Paul has been instrumental in the progress of EMS since the 1990s. He is a staple at Jan-Care Ambulance, and has played a major role in the overall success of Jan-Care Ambulance.
Nate began his career at Tri-State Ambulance in 2005. His amazing knowledge and ability to teach led Nate to become an FTO and Preceptor for new employees and students. His leadership skills, as well as his kind, compassionate, and personable attitude, made him a perfect fit for the company’s Shift Resource Officer/Corporal role.
Nate has displayed a level of professionalism, analytical thought, and reliability that is rare not only in the EMS field but in any profession. In his time as a Corporal, he has shown remarkable leadership skills. Nate does not seek out confrontation, but he is never intimidated by difficult conversations that need to happen with his coworkers. The quality bonds that he has built with his colleagues has led to him being affectionately known as “the grandpa” of his shift.
In a Star of Life nomination letter submitted to Tri-State Ambulance on Nate’s behalf, a coworker described Nate’s determination to take time for mental health and to appreciate the moment:
“Nate was a partner of mine on one of my first shifts 14+ years ago. During a particularly stressful day, we were assigned to a posting location. On the way to that location, we stopped near a park bench along the Mississippi River. He insisted that we get out of the truck, and we sat on the bench for five minutes. I don’t remember any words that were said, but the message was clear. Self-care is a skill that can’t be overlooked. Never forgot to appreciate your surroundings and where you are in your life’s journey.”
Nate’s interpersonal strengths are complimented by his work ethic. If there is ever down time during his shift, Nate can often be found fixing medical equipment and performing general station maintenance, often before an issue is even reported.
Alvin Short began his EMS career in 1998, and has worked as a Paramedic for Pafford Medical Services’ Hinton/El Reno, OK service area for the past three years. He also serves as a Field Training Officer and Chaplain for his Pafford base.
Alvin is a compassionate and caring individual who, whether on-duty or off-duty, is constantly checking in on team members in his area. It is not uncommon for coworkers to receive a text message or a phone call from Alvin, letting them know that he is thinking of them and that he is always available to lend a listening ear to those in need. Alvin will always go the extra mile in his duties, including working extra shifts when he feels a colleague may need a friend or someone to talk to. He takes great pride in helping to ensure the mental and spiritual health of his coworkers.
Of his nomination as a Star of Life, Alvin says, “To learn that I received the award because of reaching out to our brothers and sisters to make sure their mental health is taken care of is the biggest honor I can think of.” He went on to say, “If we don’t take care of our mental health, then we, as well as our families and patients, suffer.”
When not on-duty, Alvin enjoys spending time with his daughters, Peyton and Lyndsi; his sons, Tyler and Donnie; and fiancée, Christi. Alvin also has a grandson, Hector – also known as “Chunky.” Alvin is very proud of his family and loves being called “Papa.” He enjoys attending church, going to sporting events with his family, and fishing.
