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Archives: Stars

Holly Griswold

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Holly Griswold started her career in the EMS industry in May 2010. She accepted a position as a Para-transit driver with Arizona Ambulance Transport. During this role she attended the EMT program. After completion and successfully passing, she wasted no time in branching out into other areas of Arizona Ambulance to gain experience within the operation of the company. She took on the role of Event Organizer, facilitating both company and community events.

Within that first year, she proved her eagerness and dedication of her role and was offered another position as Field Training Officer. She quickly excelled in this role, proving to be one of the company’s top Field Training Officers. Holly’s ability to train new providers, both experienced and brand new, has been an integral part of our day-to-day operations. This level of performance and commitment earned Holly the Shining Star Award in early 2012.

In early 2014, Holly was the recipient of the Employee of the Year Award. Following this award, she was promoted to Operations Supervisor. In addition to her new supervisor role, she also accepted the role of Scheduling Coordinator. Holly accepting this role was proven to be very fitting and beneficial to Arizona Ambulance and its employees.

While she worked 24hr shifts on a ¾ schedule on the Critical Care Nurse Unit, she continued and continues to this day to make herself available to the employees 24/7-365. When an area hospital closed in 2015 without notice, Holly was able to reconfigure the schedule in a way that saved the jobs of all the employees who worked out of that area, with a deadline of fewer than 24 hours. She did this once again in 2017 when a major government contract we held was not put up for an RFP. In this event, she worked tirelessly to save the 16 jobs that would have otherwise been lost.

Holly continues to branch out and work in all areas that are available to her. During her 12 years, she worked a majority of those on the CCT unit and obtained certifications that her level of service would allow, amongst these areas she is also part of the Disaster Response Team and trains to maintain her red card for the Wildland Fire Team.

If you need something done or simply need help with a task, Holly is and always has been the “go-to” to get it done. She has earned and is unquestionably very deserving of the Star of Life award. Arizona Ambulance Transport is lucky to have her on our team.

Wendy Unmacht

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Wendy Unmacht is being honored as a Star of Life for a career that has featured more clinical saves than her supervisors can count. Throughout her tenure, she has consistently worked to ensure that her patients are all well taken care of. That same level of compassion extends to her colleagues as well. In fact, it is her selfless approach that has made her so successful in her EMS career. She is affectionately known as “Mom” and lives up to that name with her heart, her understanding, her helpfulness, and her caring. She can also be authoritarian when the situation calls for it. As a leader herself, she molds other leaders, sharing her experiences, good and bad, with junior crew members. But mostly she leads by example. She’s on the truck in the community or on the phone putting out fires in the office, generally working 12-36 hours straight. She is tireless, fearless, and an inspiration to all around her.

Wendy has been with AMR for 19 years. In that time, she has done BLS, IFT Transports, 911 ALS, Critical Care, Fire Strike Teams, ER Technician, and the list goes on. She constantly strives to continue to better herself through continuing education, as well as sharing that education with her junior staff members.

James Tarver

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

James Tarver is being honored as a Star of Life for his dedication, motivation, and composure in his supervisory role, even as he deals with health challenges of being on hemodialysis. James is highly respected by his coworkers who view him as a teacher who is always available for one-on-one talks. He stays updated on all current clinical training as well as non-clinical matters that influence the EMS industry. He is not only the go-to expert of the operation but often is its face, presenting programs to the public in his articulate, assured manner that puts all at ease. James serves as the Trauma Network Manager, a job that requires an extensive audit of Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement practices. In the seven years he has been in that role, his operation has remained at the top of their EMS Region in compliance.

James has been in EMS since 1994 and joined AMR 11 years ago. He has served as a firefighter and as an off-shore paramedic. Even while awaiting a kidney donor (he has one!) James voluntarily picked up 58 extra shifts (694.75 hours) in 2019, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to patient care.

Rain Swift

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Rain Swift is being honored as a Star of Life for her leadership when Hawaii’s communication center implemented Emergency Medical Dispatch training. The rollout of critical new software required an overwhelming amount of planning and implementation. Rain stepped in and took on a major role, not only with frontline mentoring, but the mentoring of the communications leadership team as well. She began sitting in the dispatcher’s seat so she could better understand day-to-day challenges. She obtained her EMD certification to address the communications department’s needs more skillfully. In short: Rain made the rollout a success and continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the communications department. All of this on top of her regular duties as the Clinical Education Specialist and Nurse Lead for ground Critical Care Operations. She is always willing to take on tough projects and put in the work to ensure that they are done properly.

Rain has been in EMS for 25 years, 23 of those with AMR. She began, fittingly, in the communications department, transitioned to an EMT and scheduler, became an RN, and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing. She plans to continue her education and get her master’s as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Bryan McKeon

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Bryan McKeon is being honored as a Star of Life for his actions while off duty that resulted in saving a cardiac arrest victim’s life. He was at his local gym when a patient in their 70s collapsed. It was a lucky day for that patient as Bryan and an off-duty San Jose Fire Department medic were close at hand. Together, they began CPR and delivered a shock from an on-site AED. By the time first responders arrived the patient had a strong pulse and was regaining consciousness. Bryan stayed with the patient and continued to assist until transport. The patient was discharged two days later. This singular save is indicative of Bryan’s commitment and professionalism that have also served him as he has dealt with crises such as the death of a co-worker, the local paramedic shortage, and the rising opioid epidemic.

Bryan began his tenure with AMR in 2015. He continues to challenge himself, becoming an Alternate Supervisor, Field Training Officer, and Preceptor to paramedic candidates. He is active in the community assisting with CPR and Stop the Bleed training programs and with the EMT program at the local college.

Clifford Jacks

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Clifford (Cliff) Jacks is being honored as a Star of Life for his determined actions in saving a 12-year-old who had collapsed during P.E. class at a local school. Cliff and his partner responded to the call and found the child unresponsive. Thinking quickly, he was able to convert the refractory V-Fib, achieving return of spontaneous circulation after three defibrillations. Cliff made the decision to immediately transport the patient to the nearest emergency department to stabilize. But he knew he would need to be on hand to then take the patient and the critical care team to the local Children’s Hospital. This forward-thinking ensured that the patient got the correct level of care and contributed to the patient having a positive outcome. Cliff’s commitment to always providing the highest quality of care to his patients was truly on display that day.

Cliff has been in EMS for 20 years and has been a medic for almost 15. He has continued his education, earning a BS in Molecular Biology and serving as a Field Training Officer and a Paramedic Preceptor. He is widely respected as a leader and as someone who will go out of their way to help coworkers.

Mathew Cox

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Mathew Cox is being honored as a Star of Life for his off-duty actions that saved a boy from drowning. In January last year, Mathew was enjoying a vacation in Hawaii. While relaxing on the beach, he noticed a young boy splashing in shallow water near rocks. In what seemed mere minutes, the strength of the waves increased significantly, crashing violently on the sandy shore. Mathew looked for the boy and noticed he was being pushed by the waves into the sharp rocks. A moment later, the boy was pulled under by the strong current below. Mathew ran into the water. He caught a brief glimpse of the boy and dove in. Fighting the current himself, he reached the boy and pulled him back to the shore and his waiting parents. Mathew’s coworkers would not be surprised by his actions that day. They know he lives by the belief that you should leave a person or a place a little better than you found it.

Mathew began his career with AMR as an EMT in 2014 at a mere 18 years old. He quickly enrolled in paramedic school and earned that title. He continues to embrace educational opportunities, seeking out senior paramedics for tips and feedback. He strives for the best care for each patient he encounters.

Larry Cardwell

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Larry Cardwell is being honored as a Star of Life for his role as an advocate for change and innovation in his organization. Larry built a Beta Weather and Flight Planning Station that is unparalleled in terms of ease of use, fidelity, scope and dependability of flight-planning information. His state-of-the-art system has helped REACH crews and patients fly safer, ultimately earning him the REACH Safety award in 2019. In addition to his commitment to safety, Larry is one of a handful of clinicians trained to transport neonatal intensive care unit patients. As such he has received the intensive training to care for newborn babies who require intensive medical care and specialized technology. All of Larry’s patients receive ICU-level care and his trademark compassion and respect. He is a vigorous advocate for them and goes well above and beyond in his service to them, his community, and his company.

Larry has been a paramedic for eight years. Based on his continued advancement of process improvement and innovation, as well as his clinical expertise, Larry’s colleagues believe there is no better candidate to receive the industry’s highest honor and represent the company in Washington.

Loretta Burton

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Loretta (Lorie) Burton is being honored as a Star of Life for her actions that saved the life of a cardiac arrest patient in April of 2019. On that day, she and her EMT partner were called to a dental clinic parking lot where they found an 81-year-old male in cardiac arrest. With the help of her partner, Lorie began CPR and then continued ALS care on her own. Lorie was able to establish a return of spontaneous circulation and the patient was transported to the emergency department of a local hospital. He was released a few days later with no neuro deficits or cardiac damage. This save was a direct result of Lorie’s dedication to the patients she serves. That dedication perhaps was demonstrated best when Lorie was the medic on the scene of a car accident involving the man who had earlier tried to shoot her policeman husband. She treated this patient with respect and he received the best of care, as anyone who knows Lorie knew he would.

Lorie has been in EMS for 18 years. She began her career as an EMT and continued her education to become a paramedic. She attained the rank of supervisor but reduced her hours to part-time to care for her five children. She is a proud member of the Youngstown community.

Lauryn Allgood

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Lauryn Allgood is being honored as a Star of Life for her contributions to quality improvement across her organization. Lauryn’s Quality Enhancement Program Director marked her as a standout contributor when Lauryn joined a committee tasked with mitigating or eliminating risk. When that leader moved into a new position, she transitioned Lauryn to lead the committee and continue the project to completion.

Lauryn accepted the challenge evincing an ingrained desire to lead and an innate knack for being a leader. She impressed her colleagues with her ability to learn, think critically, problem-solve, and—most importantly—ask the right questions. By the time Lauryn had completed the companywide project, her efforts had impacted every single flight crew member in the Air Evac organization. She has helped foster a culture of continuous improvement that is not limited to improving patient care but touches all areas of operations and all people.

Lauryn is a skilled clinician who holds a Master’s degree in Nursing and is committed to providing care at a moment’s notice. This makes her service outside the designated scope of a flight nurse all the more noteworthy. She reflects the best values of the company and is an asset on the job and off.

William Levi

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

William McKinley Levi, Jr. is being honored and remembered for serving as a proud EMS professional, who helped more than 1,000 students receive scholarships through his personal work as a videographer and sports columnist. Will had served the Las Vegas community for nearly twenty years in his professional and personal life. He is remembered for his smile and kind nature, both of which had an impression on coworkers and patients alike.

Will led by example. Friends describe him as someone who was always willing to teach, help, or support his fellow EMS responders in any way he could. He was a solid EMT who was skilled in his profession. His knowledge was respected, but it was his humility that was admired. Will was not a proud person who kept his expertise to himself. He was more than happy to mentor or offer advice to any of his coworkers who asked him for help.

Will’s deep sense of caring for his community was also present in his personal life. He enjoyed editing videos on sports-related events and had his own column. This side project helped many high school athletes receive financial support for a college education.

Clifford Fontaine

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Clifford Fontaine began his career in EMS at MedicWest (formerly Southwest) Ambulance in 2002 as an EMT-Intermediate (now AEMT). He has been described as “one of the most genuine and caring individuals around,” and was well known for his smile, bear hugs, and commanding saunter. He immediately drew everyone into his presence.

Cliff is being honored and remembered for providing life-saving aid to victims of a multi-vehicle crash that happened while he was on his way home from vacation in Utah. After securing their children in their vehicle, Cliff and his wife began aiding the victims. Cliff relayed the seriousness of the incident to Utah Highway Patrol, giving fellow first responders vital information that helped them to prepare for their response. Cliff even performed CPR on a four-year-old girl while waiting for the arrival of the responders. The girl ultimately survived the accident. All this was done on Cliff’s personal time; he didn’t have to intervene, but he did. He will always be a hero and his compassion and intervention earned him a commendation from the Utah Highway Patrol.

Jacob Dindinger

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Jacob Dindinger is being honored and remembered for his faithful service in EMS. His young life was cut short following a senseless and deadly shooting spree that shocked the Tucson area last summer. Jacob left us as a fallen hero, who died in the line of duty on July 30, 2021. 

For those who knew him personally, Jacob was a dedicated EMS professional who was continually seeking ways to grow in his career. He was driven, but not arrogant. He knew that failure was a part of life and that it was a setback, but it did not have to be the outcome if you chose to pick yourself up and move forward. These are the words that Jacob lived by as he worked hard to succeed in his professional development.

Jacob left a mark on all of us and made an impact on his community with each interaction he had. We are all better people for having been touched by him and his family.

 

Todd Wobbe

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Todd Wobbe has dedicated his life to serving his patients and community. With more than forty years of EMS experience, Todd has been on several hurricane and COVID deployments. He has volunteered “at a moment’s notice” to pack up and travel across the country to serve those in great need, often leaving his family for weeks or even months at a time.

When he is not on deployment, Todd puts a lot of his time and energy into patient education. He goes out of his way to make sure every patient he cares for understands his or her medical conditions and medications. Patient care is so important to Todd that his partner reports that he is the only Paramedic she has ever worked with and was adamant that every patient has a pillow and a blanket. He never leaves the ambulance without both of those items on hand.

In addition, Todd loves his coworkers and treats them like family. He is always willing to lend a hand or an ear to help a fellow crew member. He has mentored a countless number of EMTs and Paramedics and is willing to take time out to help newcomers improve their knowledge and skills.

 

Lauri Wempen

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Lauri Wempen is being honored as a Star of Life for her leadership and service to her community and to clinicians throughout her state. Lauri has been with Guardian Flight Wyoming for the past six years and has been working in EMS in communities throughout Wyoming for the past thirty-five years. Among her many achievements, Lauri served as the EMS Director for Fremont County EMS from 1998-2013. During this time, she instructed new EMTs and helped to build the EMS personnel in Wyoming, many of whom are still working the front lines today. She also continued to take ambulance calls to support her staff and community. Additionally, Lauri was an appointed member of the Wyoming Governor’s Board for Public Safety and Communication from 2007–2013, and she represented Wyoming in 2010 during EMS on The Hill in Washington, D.C.

Lauri obtained her Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2, and Firefighter Instructor 1 certifications, and worked as a volunteer Firefighter in Fremont County, Wyoming. She started working in 2001 and retired from the fire service in 2021. In 2013, Lauri obtained her Paramedic degree and continued her education to progress to the Flight Paramedic level. Lauri joined Guardian Flight in 2016 as a Flight Paramedic and has worked her way up to the base lead.

 

Mario Vialpando

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Mario Vialpando is being honored for exhibiting exceptional patient care during several critical, high-profile calls. Mario is described as a “team player” who always goes the extra mile in his duties, and is praised for his skill and his willingness to offer extra help when the situation calls for it.

In one incident, Mario saved a twenty-two-year-old man who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his lower right jaw. The young man, who was bleeding profusely, was on the roof of an apartment building and was in excruciating pain. Through Mario’s medical expertise and serene composure, the man was safely extricated and transported to a facility where he received further life-saving care. This is just one example of the passion and command of knowledge that drives Mario to do his job so well.

Likewise, Mario cares for the well-being of his coworkers just as he cares for his patients. Mario is a staunch supporter of his colleagues’ mental health. He openly gives out his phone number to coworkers, encouraging them to call him if they want to talk or have something heavy on their minds.

Mario also mentors new EMTs and Medics, while fostering a healthy and safe learning environment for them. He is known for always being kind and courteous to everyone he meets.

Lauren Van Damme

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Lauren Van Damme is being recognized for her commitment to her base, and for her public relations efforts during COVID deployments. Lauren began her career as a secretary with EagleMed in Kansas before working her way through the ranks to become a frontline pilot in King Air 200s. In October 2021, a pilot was injured in an off-duty accident. Along with the other pilots at the base, Lauren worked a ten days-on-five-days-off rotation to ensure that the base stayed in service and that the patients and customers were served. Her concern for her patients’ care is mirrored by her concern for her teammates’ welfare.

Similarly, in August 2021, another of her coworkers, a Flight Paramedic, was injured in a rock-climbing accident that left him immobile for a short period of time. Lauren took it upon herself to cook several crockpot meals, freeze them, drive them more than four hours away to his home, and show him and his wife how to warm them up for quick meals.

 

Robert Sebree

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Robert Sebree has saved many lives in the twenty-five years he has been with AMR, though one recent incident, in particular, stands out.

On August 24, 2021, when Robert was working a shift in Simi Valley, a call was made about a four-year-old boy who was having trouble breathing. Upon Robert’s arrival, Simi Valley police were already on-scene trying to help the developmentally disabled child with a cleft palate who appeared to be choking. Robert intervened and visualized the child’s airway with a direct laryngoscopy, which revealed an anterior airway with an oblong-shaped object with one rounded, smooth closed end and one rounded open end. The diameter was approximately the size of a penny, and the smooth side was found facing downwards in the hypopharynx. Robert used Magill forceps to remove the object with the result of an immediate improvement in the patient’s mental awareness.

The child was transported to Adventist Health in Simi Valley and made a complete recovery. Robert was hailed a hero by his colleagues and was called the medic, “who saved this kid’s life!”

Dylan Schoch

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Dylan Schoch performed life-saving techniques to save a child who was suffering physical trauma from a vehicle accident. On Easter Sunday last year, Dylan was called to a motor vehicle accident on a busy stretch of a local highway. Upon completion of the initial triage, it was determined there were five patients; three adults and two children. Dylan was assigned one of the pediatric passengers, a seven-year-old boy, who was pulseless and apneic. Dylan jumped into action, extricating the child and treating him. He at once recognized that the child’s best chance for recovery was at a pediatric Level 1 trauma center, and called for helicopter transport. Dylan and his partner worked to establish and maintain the patient’s airway, performing ventilation and compressions when Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) was achieved. A needle thoracotomy was successfully performed with a return of lung sounds.

Thanks to Dylan’s skill and medical judgment, the young patient survived. And while the child has undergone a series of extensive surgeries and therapies, he is progressing well and is back at home. 

Franchon Robinson

Written by Aaron Director on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Franchon Robinson is being recognized for building and maintaining an extraordinary communications center. AMR’s Central Mississippi is the state’s busiest provider of ambulance services. As a result, everyone who supervises at that center must be sharp, quick on their feet, and fully knowledgeable about how the center works. Franchon fits that description to perfection.

In addition to being the “public face” of the communication center, Franchon ensures that her staff is efficient, effective, resourceful, and courteous with all customer groups with whom they interact. She has immeasurably contributed to managing mass casualty situations as well as short-term disasters. In such situations, she has had to quickly assemble additional crews and ambulances while engaging with on-scene incident commanders and hospitals, determining which hospitals can receive multiple patients in a short period of time.

In the last few years, Franchon’s communication center has worked hard to ensure that all field crews were immediately informed of the policy and procedural changes related to the pandemic. As a result, her operation has had a very high compliance rate.