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.

Mentor, caregiver, and change agent are all words used to describe Lynford Lewis.

As a teacher, Lynford helps new team members acclimate to the EMS profession. He is respected by his peers for the way he approaches his job, cares for patients, and advocates for his team. Lynford demonstrates a positive attitude and solution-focused mindset. A champion for change, Lynford is involved in several organizational improvement initiatives.   

Last September, when severe flooding impacted his island nation, Lynford volunteered to serve in an EMT role as part of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross response effort. During a different flooding incident last year, Lynford was dispatched to a marooned area. His ambulance was unable to reach the patient, but Lynford found and boarded a truck that was able to take him and his equipment to the patient’s side.

Lynford’s dedication to serving patients and the EMS industry are commendable.   

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.

Susan Mohammed is passionate about health care. She joined the Global Medical Response team at its inception in 2005, having worked previously in public health. Early last year, Susan – who’d been working as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher – began her Paramedic training. She never missed a shift in the Communications Center while pursuing her professional development aims. Now a Field Paramedic, Susan relishes the opportunity to be involved in direct patient care.

Susan frequently mentors her peers and makes friends with everyone she meets. Her peers admire her strong work ethic, respect her expert opinion, and appreciate the shining example she sets. In addition to her multiple EMS certifications, Susan holds a National Nursing Certificate and works part-time as a registered nurse.

Rakesh has been a part of Global Medical Response of Trinidad and Tobago (GMRTT) for a little more than three years. He is an outstanding clinician, who often exceeds his patients’ expectations. His dedication to patient care and job excellence is evident in the level of enthusiasm he puts into each call.

In October 2015, Rakesh was honored by GMRTT at its Tenth Anniversary function. He won the “Adrenaline Junkie” award. He was resoundingly nominated by his peers, amongst whom he is well respected. He often dedicates his time to coaching colleagues and new team members to ensure their growth and success.

Rakesh is also a member of GMRTT’s Ebola Response Team, which was critical to the management of the pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2015, he enrolled in the organization’s Paramedic Training Program to advance his skills in the EMS field.