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Archives: Stars

Leanna Knight

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Leanna was born and raised in Prineville, Oregon and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon to continue her education. She graduated from Portland Community College with a 4.0 GPA, and is currently enrolled at Portland State University where she is majoring in Biology with a minor in Public Health. She discovered early that she wanted to help people and eventually become a doctor. Two years into school, Leanna explored EMT classes so she could gain healthcare experience, and never thinking that she would enjoy being in EMS with the lights, sirens, and anxiety. But not only did she enjoy it, she excelled at it!

Shortly after receiving her EMT certification in 2014, Leanna joined Metro West Ambulance (MWA) as a member of the BLS team. Leanna stepped up to become a Field Training Officer (FTO) at MWA in the Wheelchair Transport Department, which allows her to polish her patient skills. Leanna cherishes moments such as holding patients’ hands when they’re scared or making balloon animals out of gloves for a smile. A career filled with patient care and focus rather than emphasis on emergencies, Leanna believes, can get personnel through the long days, failures, and heartbreak that is inherent in EMS. Teaching providers to stay compassionate while doing the hardest jobs imaginable is paramount to Leanna.

Leanna represents the BLS division and Vehicle Service Technicians on the Infectious Disease Control Committee. She created an infectious control guidebook for all of MWA as well as a specialized quick guide to protect new EMTs. Additionally, she submitted a proposal to change EMT training in the ALS division to cultivate leadership among new medics. She has also been an Activity and Skills Provider for People with Disabilities. Leanna is a great asset to EMS, to MWA, and to the communities in which she serves.

Leanna’s long-term focus is to become an emergency medical doctor, then eventually the medical director of an EMS agency. She is completing her medical school prerequisite classes now with a 4.0 GPA, and plans on taking the MCAT during the summer of 2016. One of her future goals is to make burnout uncommon among providers by changing the focus of EMS from emergencies to patient care. In the field, she has been a major part of amazing acts of heroism, compassion, and skill, but she’s also seen the toll this industry has on providers.

Kerry Krikava

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NDEMSA 2015 Star of Life

Kerry Krikava is the 2015 ALS Provider of the Year and recipient of the North Dakota Star of Life Award.

Kerry began her EMS career in 1981 as an EMT and furthered her career to the present day Nationally Registered Paramedic. Kerry is known as the “go-to person” and the “face” of her service. She can be found in the field as a Paramedic as well as working in the office recruiting, grant writing, providing education and training, and coordinating with the hospital staff in Watford City and medical providers across the state.

Kerry has been very active in the state assisting with medical evacuations during the Fargo and Grand Forks floods, providing legislative support with Oil Impacted EMS. Kerry was instrumental in having the EMTALA law changed for ground ambulances and has testified several times on EMS issues at Medicare hearings, federal and state government sessions.

Kerry still works part time for the McKenzie County Ambulance Service and also works full-time in disaster, emergency preparedness and response, for a multi-state engineering, botany, science and response consulting firm.

Erin Lally

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Erin Lally is Acadian’s Paramedic of the Year for Texas operations. Erin joined Acadian in 2008 and became a Paramedic in 2011. Also a Critical Care Paramedic, Erin provides a higher level of care and increases safety for critically ill and injured patients being transported from hospital to hospital. She also maintains an outstanding HSE performance record, creating a more positive work environment.

While she is an active volunteer for the Bridge City Fire Department, her long-term goal is to become a Flight Paramedic. In addition to being an outstanding clinician, Erin is a strong advocate for customer service.

Erin is invested in the success of Acadian in Texas and demonstrates this by her dedication to her patients and her involvement in her community. Erin says, “Acadian has helped me grow as a person and as a Paramedic. I love my patients, and I love my job.”

William Lang

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Bill is an innovator and devoted clinician with a unique ability to control any situation and bring calm to both patients and coworkers. With 21 years of EMS experience, Bill has performed numerous field saves and most recently lead the development of AMR’s Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program for the Portland operations.

Thanks to the countless hours Bill spent researching, training and meeting with mental health professionals, CISM has greatly benefited hundreds of AMR employees experiencing stress related to a difficult patient incident. In 2015, the CISM program was recognized by JEMS magazine with the Innovators in EMS Award.

Bill’s hard work and dedication to both his patients and fellow EMS professionals are why he is being honored as a Star of Life.

Tim Lewis

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Tim Lewis, Paramedic, is Medix Ambulance’s selection for our 2016 Star of Life. He has been with Medix since November 6, 2006 as an EMT and Paramedic.

Tim Lewis was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he lived until a 2000 move to Arkansas. While in Arkansas, he began working with adults with disabilities and volunteering with the local fire department. He soon found himself in school for his basic EMT certification, then started work for the local ambulance service. In 2006, Tim and his family relocated back to Oregon, where he began work with Medix Ambulance while completing his Paramedic degree in 2015.

Tim is very involved in his church, and began completing two mission trips to Mexico each year about seven years ago. While in Mexico, he conducts vocational training for mechanics, welding, and EMS. He is affiliated with a volunteer ambulance service in San Quintín, in Baja California, Mexico that provides education and training for EMS in the area. He has seen a great outpouring of generosity from hospitals and EMS providers with donations of equipment and training materials.

Tim has been married to his beautiful wife, Vicki, for 26 years and they have five wonderful children—three girls and two boys. Tim says, “I have been very blessed in my life to have a wonderful wife and family who love and support me as an EMS provider. With their encouragement, I have been able to serve my community and help other EMS providers in doing the same for the last 12 years.”

Kenneth Lujan

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Kenneth Lujan is devoted to both the patients he serves and his fellow co-workers. He takes pride in every aspect of his job, ensuring that patient care is supported by his attention to every detail.

In February of 2015, Kenneth saw an opportunity to improve gurney safety. He took his idea to the Safety Committee and, as a team, they developed a color-coded decal that displays a “green” color when it is safe to move the gurney carrying a patient.

Kenneth is constantly looking for opportunities to further his training, and regularly volunteers to teach continuing education and new training classes for EMS providers and students. Always approachable, Kenneth is often the person that will provide direction on how to improve care for patients. He is truly a mentor to his peers and is a trusted resource for his co-workers.

Darrell Mahrle

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Teacher, mentor, leader; these are words to best describe Darrell Mahrle. Darrell was nominated by several of his co-workers and selected by a panel of past Stars of Life award winners at LifeCare Ambulance Service. A common theme heard in all of the nominations: Darrell is awesome with both students and new employees in his caring and thoughtful demeanor in guiding people that are developing their skills as EMS professionals.

That dedication to helping new employees doesn’t end when orientation is complete. One co-worker stated, “I have seen Darrell grow a lot as a leader over the past year. He has even gone out of his way to check in on me from time to time to see how I was progressing as a medic, and he also encouraged me as I continue to learn. There are not many people who care about how their students have done once they are sent on their way.”

Darrell obtained both his EMT and Paramedic certifications from Kellogg Community College. Hired in August of 2006, Darrell has progressed steadily from his beginning as a part time EMT to a career Paramedic. Prior to his EMS career, Darrell worked for his uncle at his veterinary clinic for three years.

Floyd Mead

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Nature Coast EMS works hard to provide excellent and cutting edge prehospital medical care with integrity by “Serving with Excellence & Compassion.” It is with great pleasure that Nature Coast EMS announces Floyd Mead as our 2016 Star of Life.
Floyd has spent more than 27 years working in emergency medical services. He began working in Illinois as a Paramedic and firefighter before coming to Nature Coast EMS in 2004.

The last two years have forced Nature Coast EMS to be very flexible and Floyd is no stranger to that. With a changing medical climate, Floyd Mead has worn many hats. He rose from working as a Paramedic on the road to Lieutenant, and then on to QA Supervisor. This last year Floyd was tasked with the job of coming back out of the office and working as a Shift Supervisor.

Floyd has excelled in every job title he has held. He has proven himself to be a priceless asset not only to Nature Coast EMS, but also to EMS as a whole. Floyd was selected by his team members for this award for his dedication, compassion, and leadership in our organization. He has been described as a self-motivated leader who always does the right thing.

Floyd demonstrates the utmost level of integrity and cares for his patients and his team members as he would his own family. Floyd can be found on most holidays working for other team members who have young children so that they can be home with their families. The personal sacrifices he has made are countless.

As an organizational leader, Floyd provides the team members of Nature Coast EMS a tangible example of how to live and work with excellence. He developed and led a customer service education program to enhance our
patients’ and staff members’ experiences. Outstanding patient care and compassion for his fellow EMS workers are Floyd’s core values. He exemplifies what it is to be a forward thinking EMS leader.

Floyd and his wife, Hope, live in Inverness, Florida and have four children.

Brian Meader

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Brian Meader is a native of Concord, California and attended Concord High School. After graduating, he worked as a Computer Network Technician. Tired of sitting in front of a computer all day, Brian decided to take an EMT class.

Brian was instantly drawn to the EMS field, and enrolled in Medic School at the National College of Technical Instruction. He has been with Medic Ambulance for 11 years serving as an EMT, Paramedic, Field Training Officer, Paramedic Supervisor,
QA Manager and his current role of Operations Manager. Never one to shy away from hard work, he enjoys the variety of experiences he has gained working at Medic.

Brian was honored for his outstanding service as Medic Ambulance’s Paramedic of the Year, Solano Division in 2010. For the last two years, Brain has served as Operations Manager for Medic Ambulance. In 2013, Medic Ambulance was selected as Pilot site by California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) for the Community Paramedic Pilot Project.

Today, Brian is being recognized for not only his work as one of the Community Paramedics, but also for his role as the lead site educator for Medic Ambulance Community Paramedic Pilot Program. The State of California EMS Agency as a 2015 EMS Innovator recognized Brian for his role in coordinating the local training for Paramedics in the pilot program.

Community Paramedic is a new and innovative model in providing healthcare and Brian is one of only 77 community paramedics in California. Solano County is one of only 12 sites working under a groundbreaking pilot program sponsored by the California EMS Authority and the California Healthcare Foundation.

Brian was also recognized as a 2016 California Star of Life in March by the California Ambulance Association in Sacramento, California. Great Job Brian!

Chris Moore

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LifeNet takes great pleasure in selecting Chris Moore as our 2016 Star of Life representing our Oklahoma Division. His peers proudly chose him as a true example of prehospital excellence. While Chris has been with LifeNet for less than two years, his involvement in EMS began in 2005 and extends over several years of field experience and classroom influence. Chris possesses a never-ending drive for excellence that he embodies during patient care, instruction, and while at the station.

A coworker said, “One word to describe Chris is ‘passion’; to teach and to learn.” He has been involved with initial EMS education programs helping to develop newcomers to our industry. Chris excels at finding ways to
communicate his excitement for education to others in easy-to-learn formats. His students praise his ability to break down difficult concepts, and this affinity for sharing knowledge has led Chris to be a “go-to” instructor for his coworkers and managers. If a complicated subject needs to be communicated, Chris is the first to step up to develop a comprehensive and clear method of presentation.

As a Field Training Officer for LifeNet, Chris uses his experience to influence the development of new employees as well as to foster the growth of tenured providers. The patients and customers Chris serve always have praise for his care and compassion. Little do they know the effort he puts forth before the call with protocol development and operational influences that positively impact the outcomes for all of our patients.

Chris is known as a family man and for his spiritual walk. Chris and his wife, Caitlin, along with their son and daughter, recently served as a foster family for a young child in need of love and attention. Chris and Caitlin are active in their church and community, and they bring warmth to any gathering of LifeNet employees.

Bob Moye

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Bob Moye’s affiliation with Rural Metro Fire began as a fire explorer for Post 453 in 1978 in West Knoxville.

Bob became a reserve firefighter in 1982 after starting as a part-time dispatcher the previous year, and his service continues to the present day. Bob was one of the founding members of Rural Metro’s Station 15 in the Cedar Bluff community where he lives with his family.

In his full-time profession, Bob is a Doctor of Pharmacy for the University of Tennessee Medical Center, working as both clinician and faculty member.

He frequently combines both worlds, conducting classes and in-service training for EMTs and paramedics working for Rural Metro Fire and Rura lMetro EMS in Knoxville.

Tom Nahrwold

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Tom Nahrwold began his EMS career in 1976, arriving at Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) in Fort Wayne, Indiana during December of 1987. He became a paramedic while working in an adjacent service, Huntington County Emergency Medical Services. Tom has encouraged, mentored and inspired more than 300 EMT and paramedic students and countless coworkers throughout his career; all-the-while remaining humble and never looking for self-gratification.

Tom always displays a positive attitude and executes excellence in customer service. Tom leads by example and is attentive to patient needs, as well as those of his coworkers, and is always offering an encouraging word or lending a helping hand. Tom has displayed acts of caring, commitment and dedication throughout his career, and he lives to work versus working to live.

Tom continues to be an able servant of sorts in his profession. Most of all, Tom has achieved senior status. Through years of education and practical experience, he has developed the knowledge to perform his duties and become an expert in his field of work, and thus has gained the wisdom that so many others in EMS do not or will not achieve.

As an able and experienced medic, Tom certainly fits the bill. He is a master clinician and motivator within the emergency medical services field. During his tenure with TRAA, Tom has worked in several capacities, including a field training officer, assistant supervisor, and educator. Tom possesses a natural ability to remain calm in difficult situations. He communicates with a reassuring voice while simultaneously providing compassion both when issuing directives to first responders, and also when speaking to his patients and their families. Tom Nahrwold was the indisputable choice for this honor as he represents what it is to be a Star of Life.

Sandy Passera

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Sandy Passera came to LifeCare in 2011 to learn more about EMS so that she could better understand the passion that her sons, Michael and Ryan, had found in the Fire and EMS industries. She started her career with LifeCare as a Call Taker, and it wasn’t long before her outstanding leadership and innate customer service skills began to strengthen the Call Center operations.

It was Sandy’s excellent skills and dedication that lead to her promotion to Corporal of the Call Center. It was during this time that she took charge of the Call Center training process, and began training all new Call Takers, as well as providing the first level of training to all new Dispatchers.

Sandy currently oversees Call Center operations in her role as Sergeant. She tirelessly manages the department, answers calls, and trains Call Takers and Dispatchers in the precise work of the department. This is no small task. The LifeCare Call Center takes calls for its entire state-wide operations with a projected volume in 2016 of 80,000 transports.

The Call Center is a welcoming place because Sandy sets the stage for excellence in customer service for all of LifeCare’s customers – both external and internal. She decorates for every holiday, and ensures that her employees feel appreciated and empowered to do great work. They respectfully refer to Sandy as the “mom” of the Call Center.

Robert Perry

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Bob Perry started his work experience on his family’s dairy farm which ran 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. In 1978 Bob entered into the EMS field as a Basic EMT, then in 1985 he advanced to the Paramedic level. In 2010 Bob became a Critical Care Paramedic.

Throughout his time in EMS, Bob has always been eager to share his experiences and to help teach new EMS providers how to become the best at what they do. Bob is a very loyal person who fully commits himself to his family, work, and patients. He is upbeat and enthusiastic, and puts his patients first. Bob is always early for work, and maintains high ethical standards.

While he is a medic, he is always willing and able to assist with whatever needs the company may have, he has been seen many times assisting chair car attendants and running chair car calls himself. Safety is one of Bob’s strongest points—he has never had an injury on the job in his more than 45 years of EMS service.

We could not be happier to have Bob as a part of LifeLine Ambulance Service, and want to thank him for his outstanding commitment to excellence.

Hank Pfister

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Hank Pfister has been providing care as a LifeCare Medical Transports Paramedic for over five years, serving those in need in the Southwest Region of Virginia. His excellence in patient care and customer service earned him the position of ALS Field Training Officer.

Hank is truly a staple at LifeCare. He is a go-to provider for any question about policies and protocols, and his peers look up to him as a gentleman who always goes above and beyond the call of duty. A hard-working, loyal employee, Hank has earned the respect of not only LifeCare’s employees, but also the staff members of the hospitals and residential facilities in the region. They can count on his clinical competency and compassion.

Hank is the gentleman who will help out a friend or stranger in need without the expectation of thanks. That is why his fellow providers have chosen to nominate him as a Star of Life award recipient.

Larry Pickens

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2016 OKAMA Star of Life

Larry Pickens currently serves as Creek County Emergency Ambulance Service District’s Special Projects Manager. He was hired by Creek County in 2001 as an EMT-B. Larry served as a street basic until becoming a supervisor in 2006. In 2008, Larry became part of the office staff, serving as a “go to guy” for computer problems. Larry has kept the company current with the Oklahoma Emergency Medical Service Information System (OKEMSIS), has filled in for Creek County’s billing department when someone is on vacation or sick, and has kept the service’s technical programs running during severe weather or disaster events, as well as during many upgrades. Larry has frequently been called off duty to address issues with the company’s servers, and has responded without complaint, even at 3:00 AM. As a result, his file is always full of positive comments from other medics and patients.

In 2013, Creek County Emergency Ambulance Service District was exploring ways to be more involved within the communities it serves. As Larry was already a car seat technician, he developed Creek County’s only child safety seat program. In addition, Larry has been appointed to ten different committees that involve supporting and improving the health and wellness of the community. He currently serves on the Creek County Partnership Committee, the Creek County Healthy Living Program, the Substance Abuse and Prevention Committee, the Blue Ribbon Dash (a child abuse prevention committee), the Community Baby Shower (which supports young impoverished mothers), the TSET Committee (which supports smoking cessation), and the Sooner Success Committee, which promotes healthy living. Larry also serves on the Creek County Literacy program board.

In just two years, Larry has become the face of Creek County Ambulance in the community. It is therefore our pleasure to recognize him as a Star for 2016.

 

Robert Piernock

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Robert Piernock was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1955, then moved to Massachusetts in 1970. He is married to the former Ruth Carter and has three children; Michael, Jason, and Katherine. His youngest son, Michael, is a source of immense pride to him, as he is also an EMT on the squad and is currently training to become a paramedic. Bob has a varied background ranging from Laboratory Technologist to Project Manager to Web Application Developer, and also has a master’s degree in Business. He has now returned to his roots as a Laboratory Technologist at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington.

Bob initially trained as an EMT-Basic in 1985, and then as an EMT-Intermediate in 2013. He recently attained the level of Advanced EMT in 2015. Bob currently volunteers over 24 hours a month staffing the squad’s ambulances, and was recently nominated by his peers to the squad’s Board of Directors. This year, Bob is being recognized by his peers and Southern Berkshire’s Board of Directors as the Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad’s Volunteer of the Year.

Bob is also being nominated as a Star because of his commitment to the squad and his exemplary leadership. For many years, Southern Berkshire had been struggling with problematic staffing, internal strife, and poor response times. Through his vision, leadership, and tenacity Bob brought the service to a new level of professionalism, and upgraded the level of care from EMT-Intermediate to Paramedic. Bob saw the upgrade through by hiring a new full-time Director of Operations to manage the service, added another ambulance to the fleet, and hired seven full-time paramedics. These actions enabled Southern Berkshire to successfully provide full-time paramedic emergency and non-emergency ambulance transport and paramedic intercept services to the largest service area in Southwestern Massachusetts. Previously this area relied on paramedic services from another city over 30 minutes away.

In his time off, Bob enjoys playing his guitar and working with computers, but most of all, enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering for Southern Berkshire. He is truly deserving of this recognition. Bob is a true Star and represents one of the best that Massachusetts has to offer.

Kim Poindexter

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Pafford EMS of Oklahoma is proud to nominate Kim Poindexter as an American Ambulance Association 2016 Star of Life. Kim has been a very loyal and productive employee both on and off the truck.

Kim began her EMS career 12 years ago after watching a close friend pass away before her eyes, unable to provide any assistance. She decided at that moment that she never wanted to be in that position again, and enrolled in the next EMT course she could find.

For 12 years, Kim has served the citizens of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, the past 10 of which have been with Pafford EMS of Oklahoma. In those ten years, Kim has proven to be an invaluable asset to both the company and her peers.

Most EMS providers look at their peers in EMS as an extension of their immediate family, and Kim is hardly an exception. She often takes this family approach to unforeseen levels. Kim goes out of her way to ensure the crews who are working on holidays are invited to her home to enjoy a warm holiday meal and fellowship with her family. Whenever her peers face difficult times, on either a professional or a personal level, Kim has always been the first person to come to their aid, offering them any support she can provide, whether it be a shoulder to cry on, a warm meal, or just simply letting them know that she cares.

When natural disasters strike, such as widespread wild-land fires, or tornadoes, Kim always rushes to the aid of the front-line personnel, firemen, or first responders. She has been known to purchase pallets of bottled water and cases of snacks, and to deliver them to these responders to ensure they have some simple necessities to continue their work.

Kim has always been the kind of EMT that takes her peers into consideration, often volunteering to take emergency calls, inter-facility transfers, or posting assignments, just so other crewmembers can catch a break, or get something to eat.

Kim has always strived for excellence in everything she does. She is passionate about her job and peers, compassionate with her patients, and is a model person and employee.

Darlene Riley

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Darlene has been working as an EMT for 24 years, 12 of which have been with Action Ambulance Service. Throughout her tenure at Action, Darlene has proven to be a highly valued member of the team. She is an asset when it comes to mentoring new employees and truly cares about her job, patients, and co-workers.

Darlene became an EMT because she grew up watching Emergency, with Squad 51. “Ever since that, I was interested in doing the same, which I did, and this will always be the best job that I have.” Darlene likes the uniqueness of the people she works with and the sense of community within the service. She says, “No one from the outside can truly understand what we go through, and why we do it. We do our job because we like it, and certainly not for the money. I like helping people, and I also like making a difference in their lives.”

Darlene also offered her talents in Texas during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and claims that was one of the highlights of her career. “We left with little notice, and just focused on getting there, not knowing what to expect. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to venture out beyond our comfort zone and work in another area of EMS.” Another highlight for Darlene was the first baby she delivered. “A firefighter and I were going shoulder to shoulder, and trying to push each other out of the way. Of course, I won, and I delivered a very healthy baby boy.”

Darlene has earned her associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies, and just received her real estate license. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her grandsons.

Alex Rose

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Alex Rose has been working in EMS for eight years, three of which have been with Action Ambulance Service. In the time Alex has been with Action, he has truly proven to be a shining example of its values. Alex is being awarded the Star of Life for his level of compassion towards his patients and fellow co-workers. He says he decided to become a medic because he “thoroughly enjoys helping people. I wanted to make a positive difference in the world.” Alex does just that as he goes above and beyond to care for patients, both clinically and also with regard to their emotional wellbeing. He has been known to go back to hospitals to see if his patients’ family members needed anything, and has even picked up items to help keep a child busy while the child’s mother was being cared for in the E.R. Alex is an incredible resource of support to his coworkers, whether it is taking a new medic under his wing or just being there when a co-worker needs him. Alex says his “favorite thing about the job is being there for somebody when they need it most.”

Outside of work Alex likes to play sports, play guitar and hang out with his family. His future plans are to continue his career in EMS by making a difference, day by day.