Casey Dodson joined LifeNet in April 2011. He was among a group of new employees who helped create an entirely new EMS delivery model for the Stillwater, Oklahoma area and surrounding communities. This new venture was challenging for all involved, and Casey contributed his years of EMS experience and knowledge to our success. He has now served in EMS for seventeen years.
His coworkers know Casey as a senior partner who can handle any scenario or difficult scene. He is frequently paired with new employees during Field Training and employee development processes. A new medic can be comforted knowing that if Casey is his partner the shift will go well.
Casey also likes to have fun at work. He revels in “poking the bear” whenever a manager is around, usually to get a reaction, but often to bring attention to an issue with possible solutions. When he is away from work, Casey enjoys spending time with family and friends. He helps with charitable functions in the community as a member and an officer of the Stillwater Elks’ Lodge.
Cyndy Rider is a full-time paramedic with Lifenet, Inc. in Texarkana, Arkansas. As a child, she split her time between her home in Texarkana and the family farm in Garland City, Arkansas where her father was a farmer and member of the volunteer fire department. After graduating from Arkansas High, she attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and Mass Communication.
In 2011 she moved to Providence Village, Texas with her husband, Thomas Rider. While living in North Dallas, she felt a strong desire to leave the retail industry after more 10 years and pursue a childhood dream of becoming a paramedic/first responder. In 2013 she completed her EMT training at UT Southwestern and began working for Allegiance Ambulance in Carrollton, TX. In 2015 she returned to school to become a Licensed Paramedic. She moved back to Texarkana and began working at Lifenet the following year.
Cyndy is well-respected among her peers and co-workers for her positive and cheerful attitude, passion for her job, and exceptional care and concern for her patients. Fellow employees describe Cyndy as, “…always coming to work with a positive attitude and is constantly showing compassion for her patients as well as her coworkers. She cares about her patients and always wants to do her best!”
Cyndy thoroughly enjoys working with students as a preceptor. She takes great pride in teaching others, not only the skills necessary to become a confident and proficient paramedic, but also how to maintain a positive attitude in stressful and sometimes difficult circumstances. She is grateful for the opportunity this job has given her to have a meaningful impact on the lives of her patients and fellow employees.
In her spare time Cyndy enjoys camping, traveling, spending time with her four dogs, playing piano, and serving the members of Fairview United Methodist Church.
Lindsey Duff consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. She often volunteers on missions during her off-time, some of which take Lindsey away from home for days or weeks at a time. One of these volunteer missions was a very complex bariatric transport to the Middle East. No other company had the resources to complete this mission. Lindsey was responsible not just for patient care, but also for the wellbeing of another medical crew member who became seriously ill during the lengthy transport.
During AMR Air Ambulance’s more than four-month FEMA deployment to the U.S. Virgin Islands for Hurricane Irma and Maria relief, Lindsey spent six weeks on duty with just two breaks, each lasting less than a week. Lindsey voluntarily sacrificed her personal time as well as the holiday season to support the Virgin Islands community. Lindsey is truly a selfless and loyal Flight Nurse who facilitated challenging patient evacuations while living in sub-optimal conditions in a post-disaster zone.
Lindsey received positive recognition from other Air Medical programs for her energetic and “can do” attitude, and represented our organization with honor. AMR Air Ambulance is extremely proud to have Lindsey represent our organization as a 2018 Star of Life!
Since he joined Pafford in 2015, Nick has impressed his colleagues by serving as a leader, staying motivated, and being positive. He has a work ethic that’s second to none, and that shows in his job performance as well as in his overall demeanor and attitude. He inspires people around him to take a little extra initiative at the station and go beyond expectations.
Nick is very dependable and often covers open shifts, and he played a significant part in all four Pafford EMS deployments this past year.
He is very goal-oriented and takes pride in his work, and he sets the bar for his fellow employees. Anytime he sets out to do anything to better himself or our service, rest assured, it will be done. And Nick doesn’t just complete things: He excels at the things he does. You can see this in his dedication toward his continued education, and by simply observing the way he completes delegated tasks.
Nick began his EMS career in 2013—earning Employee of the Year for Westville EMS—before joining Pafford as a PRN NREMT. Nicholas quickly obtained his NREMT-Advance; today he is an Nationally Registered Paramedic as well as a Field Training Officer.
He loves to be able to make a difference in the lives of the patients he treats, and he delivers critical medical attention and advanced life support at emergency scenes, both onsite and in transit. Nick also assists with daily truck and equipment checks, ordering supplies, and scheduling. He is motivated to achieve both personal and organizational objectives, including helping Pafford achieve CAAS accreditation.
Nick has participated on a volunteer fire department, responding to fire and first responders’ calls. He and his dog, a Dalmatian, also visited local schools to teach children about fire safety. Today he volunteers in the areas of education and skills check-off.
Robert Scott Morency has worn many different hats in his pre-hospital care career. Since his discharge from the US Navy in 1991—he was a corpsman in the Marines for seven years—Scott has dedicated his life to serving the sick and injured in Massachusetts as a Paramedic, firefighter, EMS manager, risk and safety manager, and clinical educator.
In Scott’s current role as Armstrong’s clinical services manager, he instructs not only Armstrong employees but also first responders and EMS providers from local police and fire departments in such areas such as ACLS, CPR, PALS, PHTLS, TECC, LEFT, AMLS, and TEMS. Scott is a true people person, and he is able to relate to his students in both the private and public sector, making him an invaluable resource.
Scott also serves as a clinical liaison between Armstrong and various municipalities, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, urgent care centers, and assisted living facilities, giving them an easy channel of communication and tailoring programs to meet their specific needs.
Throughout his eight years at Armstrong Ambulance, Scott has gained an impressive reputation as an instructor, and he continues to receive high marks from his students. He is known for making complicated subjects easier to understand, and he can connect to providers at all career levels. Scott has a passion for improving pre-hospital care through education, and he is frequently called on to mentor new EMS providers.
Scott has made a lasting impact on our employees and also significantly impacted the development of all trainees by building a Patient Care Simulation Laboratory on site at Armstrong Ambulance. As a result of his efforts, Armstrong’s customers benefit tremendously by practicing patient care and emergency response skills in a realistic home- or hospital-like setting.
Scott’s other major accomplishments and contributions include serving as Armstrong’s Designated Infection Control Officer (DICO) and Safety Committee Chair, as the Northeastern Law Enforcement Council’s (NEMLEC) Tactical Medical Operator/Supervisor, and as a member of the Massachusetts Region IV Pre-Hospital Systems Committee.
When he is not working, Scott enjoys spending time as a Delivery Captain in the summer and as a competitor on the Ridgeway Racing snowmobile team in the winter months.
Ken started his ambulance service career at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan in July 2009, working as an EMT and qualifying as a Paramedic in 2013.
After working in the field for two years, Ken gained additional experience serving as a dispatcher and inventory controller, working his way up to operations supervisor and eventually station manager.
In 2015, he was promoted to operations manager for the entire Michigan region of Superior—a vital role, where he very capably leads six station managers through every aspect of daily operations for EMS and Non-Emergent Medical Transportation.
Superior of Michigan is a large ambulance company, and his position requires dedicated, consistent leadership. Ken continuously proves himself instrumental at managing and planning the tactical and strategic initiatives that directly affect with the mission and vision of Superior.
Ken is well known by his peers for his friendly, composed demeanor. He leads by example through his positivity and exceedingly strong work ethic. His key strengths are his competitive, analytical, and strategic thinking and planning, but Ken is also empathetic and thoughtfully balances his personal and professional attributes to be an effective leader and respected colleague.
Ken was a key contributor to Superior of Michigan’s achieving CAAS accreditation in November 2017. He doesn’t rest on this achievement, though, and he continues to promote the understanding that he manages a company that must constantly live up to the challenge of exceeding industry standards and find ways to translate this into everyday actions.
The ambulance industry needs managers with this attitude, and that is why Ken is recognized as a highly valued member of the Superior team. He is vital to our organization’s growth and elite status in the ambulance industry.
If you ask Ken why he decided to become a Paramedic and work in the ambulance industry, he will tell you simply, “It’s because of the excitement of helping people.”
In his personal time, Ken enjoys spending quality time with his family, truly focusing on the joys of life with his wife, Brittany, and his 2-year-old son, Alex (who looks just like him in miniature form). Ken and his wife are expecting their second child in September.
Dane began his EMT career as a member of the Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service team in July 2007. Since then, he has happily taken on more responsibility as he’s advanced within the organization.
In his current role, Dane is responsible for the supervision of more than 100 EMT professionals. It’s a demanding, all-encompassing role that includes the on-boarding and acclimation of new hires, quality assurance training, education, new employee development, employee relations, customer service, problem resolution, and assorted management and leadership tasks, for good measure.
Dane is the kind of person who will do whatever he can to help those around him succeed, and he has the passion, love, and enthusiasm that make him one of our agency’s most up-and-coming leaders.
When he’s not working at Superior, Dane enjoys spending time with his family, which includes his wife, Nicole, and daughter, Baily. Dane proudly serves as an usher at his church during Sunday services.
He has adopted or fostered many abandoned animals, and he loves being greeted by his dog, Mabel, every night when he returns home.
Dane has always shown an interest in politics from a very young age and hopes one day to take part in a campaign.
Public service has been the focus of Pat’s career. Indeed, he has a total of 35 years of public service experience—28 years with the Clarksdale Fire Department, where he attained the rank of assistant chief, and 12 years with Pafford.
He has been a valued member of the Pafford EMS team since he joined the company full-time after retiring from the fire department.
Pat demonstrates a true commitment to his patients and keeps his lines of communication open to family members, readily answering their questions, and often making sure patients are doing well after the call. He goes beyond the call of duty.
Pat aims to provide optimal service to patients and he leads by example, supporting his coworkers in their quest to offer the finest care. He single-handedly revamped our station supply system for improved accessibility and inventory—the behind-the-scenes work that’s not always seen but keeps the company running at top efficiency.
He is a can-do medic who is always willing to help out around the station, no matter what the task. He’ll happily stay over covering shifts, building cabinets, or giving the rookie crew members sound advice. He takes the initiative to improve the workplace and the company’s morale—and save lives.
Pat has been honored by Pafford twice with the Johnny Gage Award for most patients transported in his district.
He displays a true example of giving your all and asking for nothing in return, each and every day. We are so pleased to nominate him as our Star of Life for our Mississippi operation.
Demel entered EMS in 2002, right after he graduated from Chicago’s Malcolm X College School of Health Sciences. He fell in love with the profession, and went on to earn his Paramedic license in 2006 from St. Francis in Evanston.
When he entered management a few years later, he ended up working just a few blocks from his alma mater, providing care and treatment to people in the local community and the Greater Chicago Area.
In 2011, Demel took the next step in his career by earning his Critical Care Paramedic license from University of Maryland-Baltimore. Demel has worked since then as a CCT medic in the Chicago area, and his dedication and professionalism have been recognized by his recent promotion—he now oversees two of Superior’s south suburban stations.
Demel has had several cardiac arrest saves in the field, and he has touched countless lives during his career. He has proven that hard work, mixed with dedication and compassion, does a great service not only to the company but—more importantly—to the community. We are proud to nominate him as a 2018 Star of Life.
Randy Nichols has been a part of AMR in LaGrange, Georgia for four years. He started as an EMT, then quickly progressed to Paramedic. During this time, he has also assumed additional responsibilities including Field Training Officer, Shift Supervisor, Disaster Response Team member, Director of Education, and part-time fleet mechanic, all while making sure that the 74 people in his EMS family feel welcome.
One day, Randy asked if we could launch some educational classes for staff. Once he got the green light, he was off and running; taking on all aspects of the project from ordering books to researching the Georgia licensure requirements. Randy created an EMT Basic Class and an AEMT Class, while simultaneously developing three Level 3 instructors. Word has gotten out about the success of the AMR LaGrange education programs. We are now hosting four classes and have a waiting list, all because Randy recognized we needed to do better as an industry in teaching the next generation.
Randy’s compassion for his team and his “never say no” attitude empower him to help staff of all experience levels, from new recruits on day one of employment to seasoned staff with 20 years of service history. As Randy would say, his goal is “Making AMR great in two thousand one eight!”
Rosemary O’Keefe-Kirschner truly embodies the best of AMR-New Haven. She is its heart and soul, and there is not an employee who has not been positively affected by Rosemary. She constantly looks for ways lend a helping hand to her coworkers and her community.
Rosemary is the kind of person who is always looking out for those around her, no matter what she herself may be going through personally. She is truly a selfless individual who will stop at nothing to help someone in their time of need.
The entire New Haven staff looks up to Rosemary. She is the Paramedic colleagues go to for advice, mentorship, or to discuss a difficult call.
Rosemary has been honing her skills and serving this community for 39 years. In an interesting parallel, these skills which were recently demonstrated when she had a code-save of a 39-year-old woman. Thanks to Rosemary’s knowledge and experience, this young mother of three returned home to her children.
Mike Schwenke is a respected member of the EMS community in Effingham, Illinois, and has been for 14 years. He enjoys teaching almost as much as he loves being a Paramedic. Throughout his career, he has taught countless numbers of first responders, EMTs, and Paramedics. Mike excels in his teaching, and wants to make sure his coworkers can meet the same standards of excellence he holds for himself. While Mike has only been with Abbott EMS for one year, his dedication to the profession has proven invaluable to our operation.
Mike wants everyone to be knowledgeable, and is always first to answer questions from his team and others. He took the time to meet with local hospitals and train them on Abbott’s preferred airway devices, as they had not previously used the i-Gels brand. Mike also met with the local fire departments to improve communication and collaboration on emergency calls.
If you are lucky enough to be partnered with Andrea Strongman, the chances of your having a slow shift are low: She has a reputation for being dispatched whenever a big event or rough call occurs. This reputation was solidified on October 8, 2017, when a devastating fire hit the Sonoma Valley region.
Andrea and her partner were working the night shift when the fire began. High winds quickly spread the fire across the region, knocking down power lines and inundating the area with smoke and ash. The pair were dispatched to evacuate a paraplegic patient from his home, which was in the direct path of the fire. They arrived to find the house engulfed in flames with no firefighting resources available. Despite making every effort to gain entry, the flames were so hot and destructive it became clear the fire would prevent any further rescue efforts.
Distraught, Andrea and her partner had to compose themselves so they could continue to run calls being dispatched that night. Together, they performed countless residential, hospital, and skilled nursing facility evacuations, in addition to emergency medical transports to the ERs that were still open.
Andrea accomplished all of this in the midst of consoling and reassuring several of her colleagues who had lost their homes. Andrea’s partners may not always benefit from her reputation, but without question her community and her patients do.
Jimmy and his partner were returning a patient to his nursing home when another vehicle smashed into their ambulance twice, flipping the truck onto its side. Jimmy suffered potentially life-threatening head, neck, and chest injuries.
Despite his serious trauma, Jimmy continued to focus on his patient. Jimmy told rescuers to remove his patient from the ambulance first. At the hospital, from his own stretcher, Jimmy saw his patient wheeled by. Jimmy called out to the patient’s nurse and gave her a detailed report, just as he does with anyone in his care.
While recovering, Jimmy missed four months of field work. During that time, Jimmy taught classes as one of his operation’s Field Training Officers.
Jimmy’s supervisors said, “He is excellent in all that he does. Jimmy personifies everything a Paramedic should be: skilled, deeply compassionate, a patient advocate, and a mentor to his colleagues.”
Jimmy is also known for helping his co-workers with their personal needs. As one co-worker said, “I think helping others is simply in his genes.”
Duane has been a member of Global Medical Response of Trinidad and Tobago (GMRTT) for just over 11 years. Duane is deployed in field operations as an Emergency Medical Technician; however, prior to this he has served in the Communications Department as a System Status Dispatcher. Duane is also currently enrolled in the company’s Paramedic certification program which aligns with his career path of advancing his skills as an EMS professional. Duane often serves as a mentor for new EMTs.
Duane’s passion for helping others extends beyond the corridors of GMRTT. He is currently the Health Coordinator for the Bournes Road SDA Church. In addition to this, Duane conducts compression only CPR training at schools in his community, where he volunteers providing fitness training, thereby encouraging healthier lifestyles. Duane is known for lending his passion for fitness and health to his community. Therefore, it came as no surprise when Duane agreed to the request by the Petit Valley Football Club to provide his services as a physio trainer, assisting the team to the league championship.
Duane wears his heart on his sleeve, and it is because of these attributes he has been nominated resoundingly by his peers to be the 2018 GMR Star of Life.
Some people are known to wear their hearts on their sleeve. Brandon Jones is known to wear his life’s mission on his forearm – literally. Two verses from the 82nd Psalm are tattooed on Brandon’s arm and speak to his commitment to be a servant and protector of those in need. It’s both ironic and poignant, given that Brandon has found himself in great need more than once.
Brandon joined the EMSA team as an EMT in 2009. He started Paramedic school in 2010, but battled alcohol abuse, financial crises, and ultimately, homelessness. With support from his EMSA family, Brandon got back on his feet, stopped drinking, and graduated. Brandon experienced a relapse after responding to an apartment fire that killed two children. Then, while working to maintain good health, Brandon suffered a devastating injury that took him off the ambulance. Brandon was offered a position as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher in 2014 and has since flourished, personally, and professionally. Brandon is renowned for making quick, strategic decisions, and for championing the interests of patients and field crews alike.
Sheri Jones is a hero of the October 1, 2017 Route 91 shooting. Sheri was part of the initial wave of providers responding to “man down” calls. Sheri made her way toward the incident, ending up at one of the nearby hotels, where she found victim after victim, all deceased.
The radio was assigning more and more calls as reports of multiple casualties and shooters flooded the system. Although her heart was broken by the carnage she saw, Sheri remained determined to help. She set up a triage area at the hotel and began sifting through hundreds of patients. She is credited with making a difference and saving many.
In her more than 25 years of service, Sheri has progressed from EMT to CCT Paramedic & Field Training Officers. She instructs EMTs at the local community college, volunteers for long distance CCT calls, and pitches in to help with anything else that needs to be done. Always a caring voice for even the sickest of patients, she can be counted on to be an advocate for her patients as well as her partners.
Luke Tschirhart truly embodies AMR’s core values through his dedication to the mission. He has been a part of the Rural Metro Fire Department family for more than 10 years now, where he is known as a mentor, leader, and friend. He spends countless hours working alongside our medical director, pre-hospital coordinator, and leadership team to direct committees, perform research, and participate in policy development and revision. He also provides instruction for most of our continuing education hours.
Luke is a Field Training Officer for new Paramedics, guiding them in all aspects of the job while they are on probation. He is also a member of the department’s Technical Rescue Team, where he helped to design and build the program from the ground up. This included SOG/SOP development, equipment selection, and countless training hours. No matter the time of day or number of calls, Luke responds promptly with a smile on his face to provide the best possible customer service and patient care.
Laura has been a member of the AMR team since 2003. She became a Certified First Responder, then an EMT, and served her community as a volunteer at GVEMS/Caledonia Ambulance for six years. During this time, she realized she had found her calling. In 2005, Laura decided it was time to go back to school. In 2006, she attained her Paramedic certification.
In her work as a medic on the overnight shift at AMR, Laura has responded to many disturbingly violent scenes. She and her partner were the unfortunate witnesses of a near-homicide, having arrived on a scene prior to law enforcement to respond to a non-specified emergency incident. Laura cared for the first critical patient on this scene after witnessing that patient’s brutal attack by a pitbull. She maintained her professional demeanor and composure, and requested law enforcement to the scene. This is just one of several high-stress incidents that Laura has responded to in the recent past.
Additionally, Laura has responded to multiple mass shootings over the past several years. While she manages her own emotions, Laura always works hard to help others cope. Laura is a medic who is always available to support others. She continually works to enhance safety in EMS by sharing her experiences with new providers. Laura is a resilient professional, and as a full-time caregiver in a challenging urban environment, she is certainly a most deserving Star.
Tim Hoffman has been a dedicated AMR employee for over 12 years. Tim grew up in Holland, Michigan and followed in his father’s footsteps becoming a Paramedic. Tim’s father, John, is also a Paramedic who works for AMR in Holland, Michigan.
Tim started with AMR as a wheelchair van driver on August 16, 2005. He worked through school and became an EMT, then a Paramedic, and finally a Critical Care Medic. Tim has had nearly perfect attendance throughout his employment. Tim frequently volunteers for charity runs and local community events. He is easy going, well liked, warm hearted, and always has a big smile.
Early in the morning of August 7, 2016 everything changed. Tim and his partner Kevin Jongekryg were on duty and at approximately 4:30 a.m., as they were driving through a rural coverage area, they were hit head on by a drunk driver. Tim was in critical condition with a devastating head injury.
On Monday, January 29, 2018 Tim returned to light duty work at AMR. He has verbalized that he loves to “help people” and still wants to be able to help in any way he can. Tim will always have that “care giver” spirit that sets apart our AMR employees.
It is wonderful to see how excited Tim is to be back in his uniform and working in the building. Tim is still the same easy going, warm hearted, smiley person, that he was before.
Tim is so proud to work for AMR and we are so happy to see how far he has come.
