In early October 2022, Rick Fikes and his partner responded to a call that a person at a group home was choking while eating a meal.

Upon arriving at the scene, a firefighter with the local department was already visualizing the patient’s airway. The firefighter told Rick the patient’s airway was full of pasta and that he could not clear it. Rick verified the patient’s airway could not be cleared, then performed a surgical cricothyrotomy on the patient. This quick thinking and clinical skill resulted in him achieving temporary return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The patient was an organ donor, so the procedure performed by Fikes ultimately saved many lives.

Rick was commended by everyone in the emergency department, including the physician, for performing this intricate surgical procedure in the field.

Victoria England is proud to specialize in providing care to neonatal and pediatric patients. Her love for her job is what led her to volunteer to lead the effort to help the youngest of patients receive the best care possible during Hurricane Ian.

Described by her leaders as an “integral source of knowledge and experience for all clinicians in the Northern California bases,” Victoria strives for excellence in her career, never shying away from a challenge. While she has focused her attention on serving neonatal and pediatric patients, she decided to increase her span of care when she moved from REACH 3 in Concord to REACH 17 in Mather. Here, she now cares for patients of all ages and levels of acuity.

Victoria always maintains a positive attitude and continuously demonstrates a passion for helping her organization in any capacity necessary.

Zach Dayton provided immediate medical intervention for a woman and her newborn baby who was born in a car at a parking lot. His resuscitation efforts and quick thinking ultimately saved the baby’s life.

On an afternoon in late April 2022, when Zach was walking his gurney out to the ambulance bay in Mesa, Zach noticed a frantic woman pounding on the glass doors of the ambulance entrance to Banner Gateway Emergency Department.

When he approached the woman, she led him to another woman in a nearby parking lot who was giving birth in a car. Zach immediately cared for the young mother and performed CPR on the newborn before rushing to the staff at the hospital, informing them of the mother and baby’s condition.

As a result, the mother and baby received the medical care they needed and were released a short time later, both in healthy condition, thanks primarily to Zach’s quick action.

Preston Crotwell is being honored for his leadership and service at a mass shooting incident that happened last April at the Mississippi Mudbug Festival. Preston and his partner were at the weekend event, serving as standby EMS, when gunshots rang out at the fairgrounds. Preston, a former Marine Corps rifleman, quickly took charge, collaborating with law enforcement while tending to the injured. One person was killed and at least six more were shot that day.

Preston, who served as the lead for managing the mass casualty incident, collaborated with his partner in performing all the roles of EMS command. They ensured swift and effective patient triage and treatment and led some mobile EMS interventions as well.

A well-spoken EMS professional who is highly adaptable, especially in stressful situations, Preston is a dedicated first responder who puts others first. He is an inspiration to his teammates and leaders.

Ian Carroll is being honored for his bravery and skill in two separate situations—one involving a patient whose vehicle fell into a river and another involving a patient injured in a mining truck accident.

The first incident happened when Ian was off duty, sitting in his car at an intersection. That is when he saw another vehicle run through that same intersection and into the nearby river. Ian quickly left his car, jumped into the river, and pulled the driver out of the sinking vehicle and onto the shore. He then stabilized the patient as more help arrived.

In the other situation, Ian entered a crashed haul vehicle and administered blood products to an injured driver whose leg was bleeding profusely. While fire personnel worked to extricate the individual from the truck, Ian realized more blood was needed, so he called for another AEL aircraft to deliver additional supplies. That decision was a critical factor in helping save both the patient’s leg and life.

With more than 35 years of healthcare service—25 of them at EagleMed—Cindy Betts is known for her compassion, knowledge, skill, and unwavering commitment to patient care.

Cindy’s dedication is evident in her ability to manage both the rotor and fixed-wing bases in Wichita as well as perform her full-time flight shifts. Also, in addition to serving with her EagleMed colleagues, Cindy works at Wesley Medical Center, the Wichita Level I trauma center. During the pandemic, Cindy not only managed both bases when they were facing staffing shortages and high-volume flights but also did so while working extra hours in the Medical Center’s COVID-19 ICU.

Cindy is unstoppable. Her commitment to serve, even when she is working multiple shifts, is remarkable. She is a mentor to new hires and has helped guide dozens of flight nurses and medics for decades with her knowledge and understanding of clinical care.

Jack Asbury III is the recipient of countless awards and recognitions for the many lives of cardiac arrest patients that he has saved, as well as for his superb patient care.

Jack’s kind and respectful demeanor ensures that he is well-liked by his co-workers, leaders, and members of his local Florida community.

Through his nonprofit, Masked Miracles, Jack visits and encourages ill, bullied, and hospice-bound children.

On one occasion, Jack traveled to Connecticut and partnered with one of AMR’s operations there, meeting with a child who had experienced a terrible situation that made the news. This was just another example of Jack’s commitment to caring for some of our nation’s youngest patients even after his formal EMS work is complete.

Jack is a shining example of a dedicated EMS professional who cares greatly about his patients and community.

Michael Arquette exhibited heroic leadership in response to the horrific mass shooting that took place in May 2022, at a local supermarket in Buffalo’s East Side neighborhood.

When informed of the shooting, Michael responded without hesitation. He quickly and expertly coordinated with police while triaging all the victims at the scene. He also protected other EMS providers from having to witness the tragedy, only involving them when it was an absolute necessity. Even after more help arrived, Michael insisted on staying at the scene to ensure that the crews onsite had the emotional and medical support they needed. Sadly, the massacre left ten people dead, and three others injured.

The courage and servant leadership Michael embodied that day are representative of the many reasons he is highly respected among team members and fellow supervisors at AMR Western New York.

Jacob Ambach saved the lives of five patients who suffered cardiac arrests last year. If it were not for Jacob’s collaboration with the local teams that were at the scenes of those incidents, the patients likely would not have survived.

In addition, Jacob has assumed leadership over his local operation’s Special Pathogen Transport team, which works directly with the Region 10 Special Pathogen Treatment Center. The team serves as the primary transport crew for all the Special Pathogens patients coming into the region. This includes helping care for the first COVID-19 patients diagnosed in the State of Washington.

A resolute EMS professional, Jacob believes many of the issues faced by the communities he serves can be solved through education and good communication. He is living proof of this principle given the obstacles he has overcome in his own life, including learning disabilities.

In every challenge he faces, Jacob remains steadfast, never allowing his setbacks to slow him down from becoming a trustworthy and accomplished Paramedic.

Danny Abalama is a gifted pilot with a talent for flying in difficult and remote areas throughout his home state of Alaska. As someone who grew up in a village himself, Danny is committed to providing the best care possible to hard-to-reach areas.

In one instance, Danny landed an aircraft in the middle of the night in a small rural region with only the community’s off-road vehicle lights to illuminate the runway. In another occurrence, Danny “hand-flew” an aircraft on a flight from Kotzebue to Kobuk, just above the Arctic Circle, when the aircraft’s autopilot malfunctioned. Despite the demands of that flight, Danny was described as “cool as a cucumber.” He never flinched or faltered.

Danny is always willing to help other pilots on his base. He supports his colleagues so they can be ready in the event they must serve as single pilots without a full instrument panel.

Humble, kind, soft-spoken, and funny, Danny Abalama is a true leader.

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 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 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 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 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 (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 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 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 (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 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.