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Archives: Stars

Stacey Himes

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Stacey Himes has been named a 2022 Star of Life for LifeNet, Inc. in Texarkana, Texas.

From an early age, Stacey knew she wanted to work in the medical field, but a personal tragedy in high school lead her to an EMS career.

“I lived two blocks from the fire station, and I watched those guys all the time. On my sixteenth birthday, my best friend was killed in a car wreck. I was planning to be a nurse, but after that, I felt nursing was probably not where I needed to be. I needed to be out there with those guys on the ambulance taking care of people,” Stacey said, recalling how she got started in EMS in the 1980s.

During her senior year at Atlanta High School, Stacey earned her EMT certification and volunteered for the Atlanta Texas Fire Department. During that time, she also earned her Paramedic certification, and in 1994, she hired on with LifeNet.

“My favorite calls in the world were taking grandma home. I made sure she got comfy and had everything she needed before I left that room. I want people treated like they’re my grandma,” Stacey said.

During her early years working in the field, Stacey taught classes to area first responders. She also responded to a wreck that sparked LifeNet’s community education initiative in the 1990s to hold Operation Prom Nights, a program that brought education about the dangers of drinking and driving to schools across LifeNet’s service area. Stacey served as part of the PR event team.

After she became a mother, Stacey needed to adjust her career schedule to balance work and home. That adjustment saw her move into LifeNet’s communications center as a part-time Systems Status Controller (SSC) in 2000. Three years later, she accepted a full-time role in dispatch, bringing the same level of compassion and patient care she was known for in the field to the patients she now helped over the phone.

“On the streets, I loved getting to put a smile on my patient’s face. You never knew when it was going to be the last one. Going into the comm–center was a little bit different. I can’t go out there and touch the patient, but I can tell someone how to take care of the patient,” Stacey said. “In rural areas, I may have a patient on the phone for twenty minutes or longer. They start the call scared and alone. I stay on the phone and comfort them. I tell them, ‘I’m going to be right here with you, and I’m not going to leave you.’ Through the phone, I’m able to hold their hand until the ambulance gets there. By that time, I often have them laughing instead of scared.”

In 2005, Stacey’s husband, Larry, took a job in Cleveland, Ohio, and she left LifeNet. Five years later, she returned to the area and joined the LifeNet family again as an SSC. Since then, she has held various leadership roles, including a lead and a Communications Training Officer.

“I like training new people. It’s furthering my legacy. At one time I helped the patient in the field. Then I was able to get on the phone and help. Now I can say I’ve taught somebody how to tell somebody how to save a life on the phone. It’s another level of reward,” Stacey said. “I tell new employees they are lucky. They get paid to help people. I tell them to sit back and enjoy their job being able to take care of the patients. It is rewarding being able to help people in a situation they wish they never would have been in.”

Stacey was nominated as a Star of Life by her peers and selected by a committee of former Stars of Life at LifeNet, Inc. Her peers describe her as someone who is constantly looking for ways to improve education and to help others. She has an excellent work ethic and is consistently dedicated to her job, encouraging others and boosting morale in the process.

When Stacey isn’t working at LifeNet, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, and her grandbaby.

Tyler Hageman

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Tyler’s EMS journey began in 2011 when he began a degree in Med/Fire Rescue at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, SD. After graduating in 2013, he began working as an EMT with Brookings Health Systems Ambulance in Brookings, SD.

In 2015, Tyler began Paramedic school at Avera McKennan School of EMS in Sioux Falls, SD, and finished the program in 2016. He continued working in Brookings until the following year, when he left to start work with Gundersen Tri-State Regional Ambulance in Prairie du Chien, WI.

Tyler has been nominated as a 2022 Star of Life for his sincere passion for EMS, as well as his dedication to his patients and colleagues. He is always willing to lend a hand with any project, and has been an invaluable mentor and friend to new employees.

Tyler’s hobbies and interests include hunting, fishing, boating, football, baseball, and traveling with his family and friends.

Benny Ford

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Benny Ford began his career in EMS in 1976 at the Helena Hospital in Helena, Arkansas. After his mother, who also worked in the hospital, told him the hospital was hiring attendants to provide emergency care to the county’s residents, Benny met with the Director of EMS to learn more. He was immediately captivated by the idea of EMS and began orientation, learning CPR and basic first aid, a few days later. After a few months in the field, he knew EMS was where he belonged.

Benny has served Medic One Ambulance as a Field Training Officer/Educator for more than six years. During this time, he has made a name for himself as the go-to mentor for new employees learning the ropes. He makes everyone feel welcome from the moment they join the team, and is a constant reminder of the importance of the passion and dedication necessary for a career in EMS.

Benny was selected as Medic One’s Star of Life because of his selfless service to a community in need. He has been a Paramedic for more than forty years, and has always demonstrated top-notch clinical skills. He has also been an influential educator across the state, and has taught thousands of providers in PALS and ACLS, as well as in continuing education for recertification for First Responders, EMTs and Paramedics. His dedication to EMS, and his selflessness and hard work has had an invaluable impact on EMS in the state of Arkansas.

Ryan Field

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Ryan Field has been named a 2022 Star of Life for LifeNet, Inc. in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Born in Stillwater and raised in Ponca City, Ryan grew up wanting to be a professional baseball player. After graduating from Ponca City High School, he served in the U.S. Army for four years as a Combat MOS.

“After high school, I started thinking about my career path. I had welding certifications but didn’t want to weld. I thought about college. I just felt I wasn’t disciplined enough at that time. I thought the military would help me. 9/11 had happened a few years before I graduated high school, and I wanted to be able to contribute. I also had a family background in the military, and I felt like it was my turn to serve,” he explained.

During his military career, Ryan served with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea for one year and the 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas for three years. He also fought in Northern Baghdad from 2006-2008 with the 1st Squadron 7th US Cavalry.

“It was the Army and serving oversees that spurred my interest in fire and EMS because I saw a lot of things and went through a lot of things where I felt helpless. I started to pursue firefighting, and during EMT school I found out how much I loved the ambulance and the EMS field. I got on at LifeNet and it took off from there,” Ryan said, explaining his start in EMS.

Ryan went to fire academy at Pioneer Technology Center in Ponca City, Oklahoma, where he earned his EMT-Basic certification. He earned his Paramedic certification from Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater.

“I think the whole goal is helping people. Being the person who can respond to a 911 call in someone’s time of need is what I enjoy most about working in EMS,” Ryan said. “I’m not much for sitting around in a hospital or an office. I like being out in the field. I like being on the move and in different environments. I like the critical thinking aspect of being a Paramedic. The more critical and challenging, the more I enjoy it.”

Ryan started his career at LifeNet in 2011. Over the course of his career, Ryan has served as a Field Training Officer and as an Operations Supervisor for the company. He also serves as a Flight Medic part-time for another agency.

“I enjoy training people. I trained a lot of people in the military, and I was a welding instructor while I was going to EMT school. I knew I could impact other people by teaching and training,” Ryan said, explaining why he became an FTO. “I really looked up to my instructors and mentors and felt it would be neat to bring in the next echelon of EMTs and Paramedics like they did.”

When Ryan was selected as the Senior Operations Manager for LifeNet, it was an opportunity he could not pass up.

“The leadership position lets me combine two of my passions. Not only do I get to help hire our team and teach and educate people, but I also get to respond and assist our crews on critical calls and difficult situations,” Ryan said. “I like being able to respond to situations when one of our crews is out on the streets needing help.”

Ryan was nominated for the Star of Life honor by his peers for being an “excellent supervisor, mentor, and friend to all.”

When Ryan is not at work, he enjoys being out on the lake on his boat or playing sports. He is married to Tori, and they have three children.

Timothy Dunne

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Timothy “Tim” Dunne joined Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois as the Inventory Control Manager in November of 2018. He has since obtained the title of Senior Supply Chain Manager, and oversees the inventory, assets, and purchases for the entire company. Tim’s work ethic is based on the empathy and compassion he has for helping others.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical supplies and PPE became exceedingly difficult to obtain. Tim worked diligently and consistently to locate and secure enough PPE for all of Superior’s employees. Tim was an intricate part in helping instill a sense of safety during a time in which others felt insecure.

Tim gives as much care to his job as he does to his family. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Samantha, and children, Liam, Connor, and Owen.

Superior Ambulance is appreciative to Tim Dunne for all his hard work and is proud to name him a 2022 Star of Life.

 

Linda Devereaux

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Linda joined Cataldo Ambulance Service in 2008 as an EMT and worked her way up to Paramedic. Linda entered EMS unexpectedly, but felt that after her time spent in many other trades, EMS offered her a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of strangers, and she certainly has many times over. Linda shows enormous pride for her work, never settling for anything but superb performance.

Linda always put the patient’s needs first from the moment she is dispatched for the call. She knows that when she punches-in for duty, it is about her job and helping the citizens of the cities we serve. We all know it is our job to care, but sometimes our body language can really speak volumes about how we feel, and patients can read that. Linda’s body language always shows care and concern. She goes right to their side, and offers human-to-human contact that can sometimes be more healing for individuals than any medication we have available.

Linda is a vital member of not just the Cataldo community but the EMS community, and her dedication and respect for the work she does goes above and beyond.

Jason Castleberry

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Jason Castleberry has been named a 2022 Star of Life for LifeNet, Inc. in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Jason attributes the start of his career in EMS to stories a high school friend told him, which inspired him to dedicate his life to serving others in the out-of-hospital care setting.

“When I was in high school, there was a guy who got to ride as an observer on the ambulances because his father was a police officer. He would come to school and tell my best friend and me all about what he did. After high school, my best friend and I signed up to go to nursing school. We took our classes for the first semester and didn’t like it. We remembered the stories that guy had told us, and we both transferred over to the EMT/Paramedic program,” Jason said.

Because of his age at the time, Jason could not immediately work as an EMT on an ambulance, but his instructor at Henderson State University allowed him to do Paramedic school at the same time he was working on his EMT certification.

“The instructor just kind of broke the rules and let me take both classes concurrent. I tested for my Paramedic just a few months after I tested for my EMT. That worked out better because back then you had to be 21 to drive the ambulance, and I could work as a Paramedic on the ambulance at 19 and not have to drive,” he said.

Jason started his career in EMS working for a service in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He also worked for two EMS services in Hot Springs. He was working part-time for the services in Hot Springs when LifeNet, Inc. took over the ambulance contract for the City of Hot Springs in 2005.

“I owned an asphalt seal coating company at that time. Another Paramedic friend of mine at LifeNet was named the director of the air program for LifeNet Air in Texarkana. He helped me get on there, and I was working full-time as a Flight Paramedic about a month later,” Jason said.

While working as a Flight Medic, Jason made the decision to go back to nursing school. He completed the Paramedic to nursing bridge program in Malvern, Arkansas, at what is now called Arkansas State University Three Rivers.

Jason flew for LifeNet Air 1 in Texarkana for seven years as a Flight Paramedic/Nurse, until the LifeNet Air 2 base was opened in Hot Springs. Since November of 2013, he has worked on the helicopter at the Hot Springs Base.

This year marks Jason’s twenty-fifth year working in EMS, and two words describe what he enjoys the most about his career: “helping people.”

“I like being able to make a difference in their outcomes. I enjoy trying to bring some calm to the chaos that is going on in their life,” he said.

While Jason enjoys every aspect of EMS, his favorite calls to respond to are trauma related.

“I feel like those are the calls where you have the ability to fix the patient and help them. If it’s an MI or a stroke, for the most part, you are transporting those patients. For severe trauma patients, you can actually make a significant difference in their outcome,” he said.

For others considering a career in EMS, Jason offers this advice: “Just do it. If you have any interest at all, you should dive into it and see if you like it. Involve yourself in it and see if it fits. It’s not for everyone, but the people who are really drawn to it know that it’s the career for them.”

Jason was nominated as a Star of Life by his peers and selected by a committee of former Stars of Life at LifeNet, Inc. His peers describe his exemplary dedication to serving the community, his passion for making a difference in his patients’ outcomes, and his ability to share his knowledge with the younger generation of medics as reasons why they chose him for this honor.

When Jason learned he had been named a 2022 Star of Life for the Hot Springs Division, he was both excited and surprised.

“I didn’t at all suspect it. I appreciate it very much because I know that it comes from the employees. That probably means the most knowing it’s the people that I work with that chose me for this honor,” he said.

In addition to his work on the LifeNet Air 2 helicopter, Jason also has his CPR, NRP, and TNCC Instructor Certifications and is a CFRN and FPC.

When Jason is not at work, you can usually find him at the local dirt track making laps in his IMCA Modified.

Katherine Carroll

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Katherine’s impact in EMS began in 2004 when she graduated from Bunker Hill Community College’s Medical Technician Program. Katherine joined Cataldo in 2015 as both an EMT and a Dispatcher. She has played a vital role as a member of the Cataldo community. Whether on the road or on the phone, Katherine has always stepped up and gone above and beyond for every patient.

In 2018 Katherine was promoted to a Supervisor, where she has stepped up as a leader and has continued to go the extra mile for each and every call. She is an asset, not just to Cataldo Ambulance Service, but to the profession as a whole. Katherine is an extremely committed Dispatcher and Supervisor and she truly deserves this recognition for her dedication and compassion.

Edwin Boyle

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Edwin Boyle began his career with Cetronia Ambulance Corps in 2007 as a Paratransit Associate while attending George E. Moerkirk Emergency Medical Institute in Allentown, PA to become an EMT. Edwin achieved his accreditation as a licensed EMT in 2008, and was later awarded a scholarship through Cetronia Ambulance Corps to attend the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences to become a Paramedic, and graduated in 2011. In 2018, he was named Supervisor for the organization. Edwin went on to graduate with an associate degree in nursing from Excelsior College, NY in 2019 and passed his nursing boards in 2020.

As an active associate, Edwin has served as a Tactical Paramedic for the Eastern Pennsylvania Region II Tactical Emergency Medical Services team (TEMS) since 2014. EPA TEMS responds with the Lehigh County Municipal Emergency Response Team, Pennsylvania State Police Special Emergency Response Team, the City of Easton Special Emergency Response Team, and the Berks County Emergency Response Team. Edwin also received his certification from the National Parks Police for Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical Support in 2016. In addition, he served as a Community Paramedic for Lehigh Valley’s Congestive Heart Failure Pilot Program from 2017-2018. Edwin was also instrumental in the creation of a Pathways to Success program, which is distributed to local high schools to get students involved in EMS.

In November 2020, Edwin was promoted once again to Director of Operations, and now manages 125 Advanced Life Support (ALS), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Paratransit Fleet associates while also providing direction and support to the Communications and Field Supervisors. He is charged with facilitating a customer-first organizational culture that respects the organization, its people, and its customers.

Edwin lives in New Tripoli, PA with his wife, Dr. Courtney Boyle – OB/GYN for Lehigh Valley Physician Group and his two children. In his free time, he enjoys camping, hunting, and archery sports. He also coaches his son’s wrestling, football, and T-Ball teams.

Anna Baldwin

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Throughout her time at Medic, Anna Baldwin has proven herself to be an exceptional employee and representative of Medic’s mission. Anna consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. She is a true inspiration and example of what an EMT should be. Over her two years with the agency, Anna has received 54 commendations from Medic employees and the public, and 9 nominations for a Star of Life.

Anna’s nominations outline her passion for patient advocacy. She treats every patient like they are her only patient that day and with the utmost respect and empathy. Anna listens to get to the root of each patient’s issue and fights on their behalf at the hospital. Whether it be getting an appropriate bed assignment or getting the patient the proper assistance after their discharge, Anna advocates for her patient every time.

Anna also received the Burnette-Nobles Award in 2018 in recognition of her outstanding service to the people in her community. She relentlessly proves herself to be an exceptionally competent, professional, and caring EMT.

Martha Augustine

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Martha Augustine became an Emergency Medical Technician and began her EMS career with Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois in 2006. In 2008, she obtained her Paramedic license. For a short time, she worked in Central Illinois, handling 911 and inter-facility response before returning to Superior to assist with the Deepwater Horizon BP (Gulf of Mexico) Oil Spill and with special events. During her EMS work at the oil spill disaster, Martha met her wife.

Martha enhanced her Paramedic credential by attending the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Critical Care course, which allowed her to work as a full-time Critical Care Transport (CCT) Paramedic. In 2016, she became the CCT Station Manager for Illinois, and continued through the ranks to become the Wisconsin and Rockford (Illinois) Regional Operations Manager in 2019. With her excellent leadership skills, Martha was the obvious choice to lead Superior’s Wisconsin operations as General Manager in 2021.

Since then, Superior of Wisconsin has opened seven new stations and has gone “live” with providing ambulance service to ten hospitals and two free-standing emergency departments. Martha has excelled in this role despite major changes during an EMS staffing shortage and the COVID-19 pandemic. On the horizon, Martha will lead the opening of Superior of Wisconsin’s eight stations. It is because of Martha’s fantastic leadership during significant growth and for the way she has faced the challenges in the industry during these unprecedented times that she was selected as a Superior 2022 Star of Life.

While not working on an ambulance caring for patients, leading the Superior team in Wisconsin, or helping with other important initiatives at Superior, Martha surrounds herself with the people, places, and animals she loves. She enjoys fishing (or pretending to fish) and spending time with her family, especially her wife and nieces, doing anything that involves being by a lake in the summer. She recently started obedience classes with her beloved dog, a wire-haired pointing griffon and black lab mix, who aspires to be a therapy dog someday.

Brian Smith

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Brian joined Medic as an EMT more than 20 years ago, and today has the highest consistent employee satisfaction rates for Operations Supervisors. Therefore, it is no surprise that Brian is known for being exceptionally dedicated to his employees.

A co-worker noted that his “commitment to his team and his peers has been a true test of character to which he passes with flying colors. I could not have asked for a more committed and passionate coworker who I have been honored to work beside.”

Brian has also been extremely instrumental in the operational management of Medic’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic during the pandemic, spearheaded numerous Mass Casualty Incident exercises, and most recently led a project focused on improving After Action Reporting and the development of an After Action Review Committee, which he is also the lead for.

During his experience with a fire department while in college, Brian was inspired to go into EMS to help even more during medical emergencies. Brian is from the Charlotte area and enjoys spending time with friends and family and being on the lake. Medic is honored to nominate Brian Smith with the much-deserved title of Star of Life.

Dani Balk

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Dani has been in EMS for sixteen years. She obtained her EMT in 2006, became a Paramedic in 2009, and received her Critical Care endorsement in 2010. 

Dani is one of Paramount’s more seasoned employees and offers a plethora of knowledge and experience to the team of EMS providers she works alongside. Recently, Dani has moved into a new role as a Field Training Officer to help train new EMT’s and Paramedics for fieldwork. She works closely with the program coordinator to offer advice and new and innovative ideas to keep training current, effective, and efficient. Dani is also an excellent team player and is always jumping at opportunities to help with employee training. She has truly found her niche in EMS through training; her passion for EMS was reawakened when she became an FTO and her work is greatly appreciated.

Dani’s interest in EMS began as a small child with a strong desire to follow in her dad’s footsteps to become a Firefighter. She spends most of her time off raising her two amazing children, Beau, age nine, and Quinn, age four. When she is not chasing her kids all over, she enjoys reading and riding her motorcycle. 

 

 

 

Matthew Skiffington

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Matthew Skiffington began his EMS career at Hunter’s Ambulance in 2009 as an EMT. He then achieved his Paramedic license in February 2013. After excelling in his field, Matthew was promoted to Field Training Officer.

Matthew’s drive has always left him seeking new challenges and opportunities. Recently, his passion for sharing his knowledge drove Matt to become a Paramedic Field instructor. Matthew’s continued dedication to the betterment of his fellow employees, students, and patients has made a profound impact on everyone around him. He consistently demonstrates strong clinical skills, asserts himself as a leader, and provides the very best of care. His dedication to his peers, patients, and the EMS profession sets Matthew apart in his field.

Matthew was recently chosen as a Hartford Healthcare Award of Excellence recipient.

 

Ian Pieper

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Ian Pieper began his EMS career at Hunters Ambulance in 2014. In addition to his current service as a combat medic specialist in the Army National Guard, Ian quickly established himself as a dedicated, hardworking stand out employee at Hunter’s. His personality shined, bringing out the best of all those around him. Ian’s skillset was matched only by his dedication to his patients and colleagues.

Furthering his work in EMS, Ian was then promoted to Field Training Officer. In this role, he has bestowed his vast knowledge in the training and excellence of new Emergency Medical Technicians. Ian produces an energy amongst his peers, inspiring others to excel in the profession as he has. His leadership, compassion, dedication and willingness teach others, coupled with his passion for the mobile healthcare profession, makes Ian truly embody all that is best about EMS.

Ian was recently chosen as the Hunter’s Ambulance Service EMS 2019 Distinguished Service Award recipient.

 

Marcello Miranda

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Marcello Miranda began his EMS career at Hunter’s in 2005. In addition to serving as a Sargent in the Army National Guard, his commitment to excellence in his profession is demonstrated by his role as a Field Training Officer.

Marcello carefully guides new hires through the orientation process and takes an active role in training EMT students. His willingness and dedication to build the skills of new EMTs has proven to be essential for others to succeed. Marcello’s leadership qualities and the manner with which he uses his field experiences position him as a standout among his peers. His care for his patients exemplifies the skilled care provider that he is. He is a strong leader and willing to help his peers or anyone in need.

Marcello was recently chosen as a Hartford Healthcare -Award of Excellence recipient.

 

Nicole Mazzone

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Nicole Mazzone was hired in 2013 as a Non-Emergency Telecommunicator. She excelled very quickly in her duties and transferred to EMS Dispatch in 2015.

Exhibiting a desire to conquer further challenges, Nicole worked diligently to obtain the certifications necessary to transition from Call Receiver to Dispatcher. Nicole continued to show her proficiency and leadership by becoming a Field Training Officer and inspiring our new Dispatchers to strive for excellence. Her most recent certification in Emergency Medical Dispatch Quality Assurance is a critical role in maintaining our center’s IAED accreditation.

Nicole stands out as a leader among her peers. Nicole exhibits extreme professionalism under pressure. She is efficient, clear minded, calculated, fair, knowledgeable, and takes pride in every aspect of each job that she performs. Nicole is a true example of what a leader embodies through her dedication to her profession.

Nicole was recently chosen as the Hunter’s Ambulance Service 2019 Distinguished Service Award recipient for Telecommunications.

 

Michael Horbachuk

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Michael Horbachuk began his EMS journey in 2009 as an EMT for Hunters working part-time while balancing his full-time position as a high school teacher. Michael would share his knowledge freely and with great enthusiasm and quickly established himself as a source of knowledge for many of his peers. 

Michael transitioned to full time, then completed Paramedic school in 2017. He has since quickly established himself as a very skilled care giver. His congenial personality makes him a quick friend to his peers and brings comfort to his patients.  

Michael has become an EMS Instructor and effectively combines his field experience with his talents as an educator and is a positive force in the classroom. He keeps his knowledge and skills sharp both by teaching the next generation of EMTs and by serving as a leader in the Field training officer program.

Through his efforts, care, skill, and passion, Michael Horbachuk is setting the standard for professionalism in our industry. Michael was recently chosen as the Hunter’s Ambulance Service EMS 2019 Distinguished Service Award recipient.

 

Kelly Augeri

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Kelly Augeri began her EMS career at Hunter’s in 1999 and achieved her paramedic license 2008. She also served in the Army National Guard and the Westfield Fire Department, which sharpened her natural leadership skills.

Kelly takes charge on challenging scenes while rendering the best of patient care. Kelly is well respected by her peers and fellow agencies. She consistently challenges herself and her colleagues to be better clinicians, patient advocates, and leaders. She is always willing to help others whether by taking on another call or being an encouraging voice in a time of need.

Kelly embodies all of what this profession should be. In addition to her selection for Stars of Life, Kelly was recently chosen for a Hartford Healthcare Award of Excellence.

David Battaglia

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David Battaglia is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) and Driver Trainer with Mohawk Ambulance Service. He joined the company in 2017, but his career as a first responder dates back to 2012 when he began volunteering with his hometown fire department, Niskayuna Fire District 2.

At the start of 2019, David took on the additional role of Driver Trainer, working with new hires to set forth expectations of what it truly means to be a mobile healthcare professional and Mohawk Ambulance employee.

David truly appreciates each and every moment he is able to experience as a first responder, and enjoys the sense of fulfillment when he is able to make a positive impact in the lives of others. His work ethic and dedication to others have not gone unnoticed. Last year, David was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from Mohawk Ambulance. He notes that the nomination from his peers to receive the Star of Life has been his greatest professional accomplishment thus far.

Having worked as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, David recognizes that public service is one of the greater gifts we can give. Outside of work, he continually looks for ways in which he can volunteer his time to charitable causes. He exemplifies the core values of Mohawk Ambulance Service and the company is proud to have him as part of our crew.  We look forward to his continued growth in the field of emergency medical services.