Dominic Romero has worked with Medic Ambulance for almost three years, and he is being honored as Medic Ambulance Solano Division 2018 EMT of the Year.

He was also awarded Medic Ambulance’s 2018 Travis Grace “Excellence in EMS” Award and will receive a full-tuition scholarship for Paramedic school to Napa Valley College.

Most recently, Dominic and his partner Gordon were an integral part of Medic’s response during the devastating Napa and Sonoma fires. They worked countless hours and were part of three different strike teams to the impacted areas. Dominic and Gordon helped in the evacuation of 65 patients from a Santa Rosa skilled nursing facility.

Dominic has been a model employee at Medic Ambulance. He has provided excellent service to patients, and he has played an integral role in the company’s Quality Assurance Committee and Field Training Officer program.

Dominic recently became a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) leader within Medic’s new Caring for Ourselves and Others Affected by Critical Happenings and Everyday Stressors (COACHES) program, which helps employees remain mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy.

COACHES is a peer-support team staffed by employees who have received specialized training in psychological first aid, traumatology, and critical incident stress debriefing.

Peter Hastings has had several different roles, including vehicle service technician, EMT, and Paramedic, during his 15-year career. Today, Pete serves as an Operations Supervisor in AMR’s Stanislaus County operation. Pete is an active participant in a pilot project designed to help Paramedics to assess psychiatric patients in the field and route them for further care.

On April 8, 2016, Pete played the role of neighborhood hero. Pete was at home working in his garage when heard a scream come from a nearby home. Pete investigated and found a one-year-old girl floating lifeless in a backyard pool; the scream had come from the child’s terrified grandmother. Pete jumped into the pool to rescue the girl. Pete checked for vital signs and then began CPR. When responders arrived, the girl was awake and breathing. Pete’s young neighbor made a full recovery and suffered no neurological deficits.

When a clinical question arises, Paramedic Ivan Gonzales is the first person other paramedics and first responders approach. Though he has only been in the EMS industry for four short years, Ivan holds deep knowledge and inspires those around him to continue their growth.

Ivan is an adept Field Training Officer and highly principled caregiver. Many of the students and new employees Ivan helped teach have gone on to become excellent clinicians in their own right.

An exceptional caregiver, Ivan received three proclamations from county leaders within the span of two years. One of those came last year, when he was recognized for resuscitating a teenager who suffered a cardiac arrest. The boy made a full recovery, thanks in large part to the interventions Ivan performed.

Chana Alexander takes an active role in helping her colleagues and community thrive. As a Field Training Officer and Associate Supervisor, Chana teaches portions of her operation’s new hire orientation and education modules for other team members. She consistently works to empower others to provide the best possible patient care.

Chana is committed to increasing community safety and supporting local veterans. She is a volunteer for programs designed to decrease drunk and impaired driving. In 2013, Chana created a program designed to teach CPR to every local high school student. Since then, she and her program team have provided CPR instruction to more than 8,000 students. Chana also founded an annual charity softball tournament to benefit veterans. During its first three years, the tournament brought in more than $15,000.

Amanda Wilkinson has been in EMS for 15 years and has worked in a variety of private and non-profit EMS settings. Amanda has been a Paramedic for 11 years, and devoted much of her career to public and EMS education. Paramedic Wilkinson is a NAEMSE-trained instructor, and serves as an assistant Paramedic Program instructor, as well as a regional Paramedic preceptor. Amanda also holds additional instructor certifications for PALS, ACLS, and BCLS. Amanda also previously served as a NHTSA car seat instructor. Amanda is a full-time mother of three children, ages 14, 9, and 7 years old.

After American Ambulance of Visalia doubled in size in a three-month period, the company was left without a training supervisor. Paramedic Wilkinson was selected as the training supervisor and appointed to be the company’s prehospital liaison officer for the region’s EMS system. Paramedic Wilkinson has worked tirelessly to raise the bar on training, documentation standards, and internal educational programs. American Ambulance of Visalia is proud to recognize Amanda Wilkinson as a 2017 Star of Life.

Lyle Armstrong’s EMS career began in 1988 when he graduated from a Wyoming EMS First Responder Course with the aim of improving the safety of his local whitewater club. In 1989, he was hired as a career firefighter by the Rock Springs Wyoming Fire Department (RSFD).

Over the next few years, Lyle responded to several incidents that inspired him to further his training and experience within the EMS profession. Lyle took an EMT Basic course in 1994 and began working part time for Vase EMS in Rock Springs. Lyle advanced to ALS by obtaining his Wyoming EMT Intermediate Certification in 1996, and continued to work part-time for Vase EMS for 10 years.

Lyle always states that his goal is to be the best firefighter/EMT that he can be. Lyle’ career evolved as he served two years as firefighter, two years as fire captain, 14 years as Battalion Chief, and finally by serving almost seven years as fire chief. In the midst of his career progression, he also continued to advance his education, obtaining his Associate Degree in Fire Science and completing the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program.

Lyle’s focus was to give as much back to emergency services as it had given to him. Lyle served as an adjunct instructor from 1994–2007 for the Wyoming Fire Marshal’s Office teaching hazardous materials awareness, operation, incident command, and technician courses throughout the state. Through the years, Lyle also served as an adjunct instructor for several of the Wyoming Fire Schools. From 2003–2014, Lyle ran a business providing training to the industry on firefighting, hazardous materials, technical rescue, and EMS.

Lyle has also been active in many local leadership activities and committees. Lyle served as the City of Rock Springs Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator from 1993–1995, and Emergency Management Coordinator 1995–1999 and 2008–2015. Lyle was a member of the Sweetwater County Local Emergency Planning Committee from 1994–2014 and was the Chairman of the Sweetwater County Ambulance Service Board, Rock Springs from 2013–2014. The board was tasked to oversee the area’s medical transportation and successfully created, marketed, and executed a five-year ambulance contract.

Lyle has also served in several state positions. As the RSFD fire chief Lyle also served as the administrator for the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security Regional Emergency Response Team 4. Lyle served on the Wyoming Fire Marshal’s Firefighter Certification Committee from 1999 to 2011, serving six of those years as chairman. During those six years, the committee was successful in obtaining NPQS (ProBoard) national certification of seven of the committee’s 17 fire certification levels. Lyle also served six years on the Wyoming Fire Chiefs’ Executive Board, with two years as president of that organization. Lyle also served on the Wyoming Fire Chiefs’ Legislative Committee from 2005 to 2014.

On December 12, 2014, Lyle retired from the RSFD and moved to Del Norte County, California. Looking to continue his efforts to give back to the community, Lyle filled a vacant Board of Directors position on the Smith River Fire Protection District from July 2015–November 2016. Lyle also participates on the Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services Emergency Operations Center team and was hired as a part-time EMT at Del Norte Ambulance in April of 2016.

Lyle is a natural leader and his experience in the field makes him a very valuable asset. Lyle is the EMT-B that all Paramedics want to work with. Many younger EMTs seek Lyle out for ideas, help, and guidance.

Lyle is always upbeat, ready to help others, and prepared to take on tough assignments. Lyle Armstrong is not only a terrific EMT, but he is also a terrific human being.

Marc and Robert Gutierrez are partners operating out of AMR’s Redlands operations in San Bernardino County. On December 2, 2015, they were among the first EMS personnel to arrive at the scene of the devastating terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center where 14 people were killed and 21 were injured.

Upon arrival, Marc and Robert moved into the triage area which was surrounded by police personnel and protected by rooftop snipers due to concerns the shooters would return to attack first responders. Immediately the two paramedics encountered numerous gunshot victims, and began adapting triage protocols to address the volume of victims and nature of the injuries sustained, and at times moving from patients who had succumbed to injuries to try and save others.

Marc and Robert, in addition to numerous AMR and public safety personnel, were able to rise to the occasion on this day, stay calm and focused, and do what they needed to do to save the lives of patients in a very difficult and dangerous situation.

Richard Allan Buckles, Jr. was born and raised in Visalia, California. At a young age, Richard was introduced to sports, and he has played football and baseball his entire life. Richard attended local schools and excelled at playing baseball while in high school. He met his wife, Erin, while in middle school and got married in June of 2002. To support his wife, Richard aspired to do something in public safety. As a first step, he went to an EMT class at a local college, and in 2003, he started working as an EMT. Richard also spent a short time as a volunteer firefighter with the Tulare County

Richard started with American Ambulance in 2005. Since then, Richard has continued to excel. He has been involved in various programs within the company, and has taken on restocking, ordering, and even leading the process for the annual California Highway Patrol inspection.

He has also reached out this year to help with one of American Ambulance’s initiatives for senior citizens, Heart of Seniors, a program to promote cardiac health in women. Earlier this year, Richard and several paramedics from American Ambulance even served as volunteer “escorts” for the ladies attending the event at the local senior center. This program is growing and becoming more popular every year in the senior community.

Richard and Erin have two boys who are very active in sports. Richard spends his off-time coaching his sons’ All- Valley Youth Football and Cal Ripken Baseball teams.

One of four original team members chosen to staff the City of San Diego’s Resource Access Program (RAP), Leto has been instrumental in RAP’s efforts to conduct crisis intervention with repeat 911 users and assist other vulnerable populations experiencing medical or social issues. Leto holds the record for most home visits for patients under this nationally recognized program. She has also led Rural Metro’s SWAT Medic Team.

In addition, due to her training as both a Paramedic and Physician Assistant, she was selected to teach medical students how to identify “hot spots” in underserved communities that need coordinated care. A 30-year veteran, devoted clinician, and community member, Leto embodies all that a Star of Life should be.

Robert and Marc Archer are partners operating out of AMR’s Redlands operations in San Bernardino County. On December 2, 2015, they were among the first EMS personnel to arrive at the scene of the devastating terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center where 14 people were killed and 21 were injured.

Upon arrival, Marc and Robert moved into the triage area which was surrounded by police personnel and protected by rooftop snipers due to concerns the shooters would return to attack first responders. Immediately, the two paramedics encountered numerous gunshot victims, and began adapting triage protocols to address the volume of victims and nature of the injuries sustained, and at times moving from patients who had succumbed to injuries to try and save others.

Marc and Robert, in addition to numerous AMR and public safety personnel, were able to rise to the occasion on this day, stay calm and focused, and do what they needed to do to save the lives of patients in a very difficult and dangerous situation.

Cliff is the model of a homegrown made-in-Solano County success story. Cliff was born and raised in Benicia, California, which he still calls home today. EMS caught Cliff’s interest early. He went to EMT school at Solano College, then applied to work at Medic Ambulance, where he quickly became part of the family. Cliff put his time and effort into becoming the best EMT he could be, and when it was time he knew he was ready to take on the challenge of becoming a Paramedic. Cliff not only has passed that challenge but also led the way for others. Cliff is now finishing his eighth year as a Paramedic at Medic. He is a Field Training Officer, County Preceptor, and the Chair of Medic Ambulance’s Internal Quality Improvement Committee.

Cliff is being recognized as a Star of Life for his role as one of Medic Ambulance’s Community Paramedics. Community Paramedicine is a new and innovative model in providing healthcare, and Cliff is one of only 77 Community Paramedics in the state. Cliff dedicated many hours to mandatory didactic and clinical training as part of the program, all while still performing his normal job duties as Paramedic.

Cliff always takes the time to instruct, improve and create a better environment for others. Whether it is a Paramedic student or a new employee, Cliff is always there to lend a helping hand.

Cliff’s commitment to excellence shows in everything he does, and thus he has been selected for the third year in a row as Medic Ambulance’s 2016 Paramedic of the Year. Cliff was also recognized as a 2016 California Star of Life for his performance excellence in March by the California Ambulance Association in Sacramento, California.

In Cliff’s free time he loves spending time outdoors and with his son, CJ. Great job, Cliff!

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!

A nine-year veteran, Heidi is a well-respected paramedic in the San Diego EMS community, with a career that has traveled from Texas to New Zealand and back to the city where she was born. Last year, Heidi and her partner, AMR Paramedic Supervisor Theresa Conrad, witnessed a traffic collision as they were completing another call. The vehicle, with two passengers inside, caught fire almost immediately after the crash. Instinctively Heidi, a former rugby player, and her partner pulled both occupants out of the burning vehicle and began rendering aid. The fire was so hot that Heidi’s cell phone exploded from the heat while in her pocket causing minor burns to her leg. The bravery Heidi showed during this event, and her dedication to her patients and the residents of the City of San Diego, are what make Heidi stand out as a Star of Life.