Johan Alvarado’s skill, EMS knowledge, and quick thinking are credited for saving the life of a patient in another company’s ground ambulance when that ambulance and an 18-wheeler collided.

Johan, along with Flight Nurse Juvencio Estrada, were dispatched to the scene of the accident, when they realized that one of the patients in the ambulance was experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, and right arm trauma with a tourniquet applied. Both Johan and Juvencio assessed that the patient needed to be immediately transported to advanced care, so they removed the patient from the ambulance and placed them into their aircraft.

During a fuel stop at Laredo International Airport, Johan and Juvencio determined that the patient’s left anterior chest was unstable along with other medical concerns. They deemed a needle decompression was necessary and performed both intricate medical procedures. Immediately, the patient’s condition improved.

Johan and Juvencio’s interventions were lifesaving. Even the patient who survived that ordeal credits their survival to Johan and Juvencio’s care.

Aubree Arneson is being recognized for her clinical expertise, which led to the successful resuscitation of a cardiac arrest patient. Aubree was off duty, working out at the gym when the person on the exercise machine next to her went down. Aubree recognized the signs of cardiac arrest, calmly had someone call 911, retrieved the gym’s AED and initiated CPR with the help of a gym employee. Together they applied the AED and performed CPR until an ambulance arrived, then assisted the crew in treating and transporting the patient. The patient had a return of spontaneous circulation shortly after the ambulance arrived. Aubree’s quick, calm and precise response to this sudden cardiac arrest greatly improved the odds of this positive outcome.

Aubree became an EMT about six years ago, then progressed to the Advanced EMT level two years ago. She plans to continue to advance her career by taking the Intermediate EMT course when it becomes available. She is also known for always helping fellow team members by taking on additional duties and sharing her skills and knowledge.

As an experienced U.S. Army combat medic specialist with more than ten years of service at Global Medical Response, Frank Alba is a well-respected EMS leader among his peers and community alike.

Frank is passionate about learning and teaching, often sharing his knowledge with coworkers in classes that he voluntarily leads. Always knowledgeable about the latest innovations in the emergency medical industry, Frank’s colleagues describe him as their go-to person when they have questions about patient care. He has mentored countless coworkers who have sought his expertise. Frank has also received multiple nominations for the “Employee of the Year” Award.

During his tenure at Global Medical Response, Frank has participated in multiple deployments totaling 16 weeks of service.

Henry Barsh is being honored as a 2024 Star of Life for his quick actions in recognizing symptoms of a stroke, which directly led to saving the life of a mother of three. Henry and his partner arrived on scene of a 911 call where the patient reported pain in her left arm which was the result, she said, of an assault the previous night. Through a quick assessment, Henry recognized the true nature of her pain—left-side weakness nearing paralysis, hallmarks of an active stroke.

Henry immediately placed a C-collar on the patient and called a rapid-trauma alert. He suspected possible spinal damage as the underlying cause of the stroke and began doing everything to support the patient’s shallow breathing and reduce her motion. Upon arrival at the healthcare facility, the patient was immediately brought into the trauma bay, where she was assessed and received imaging that showed multiple cervical fractures with transection of the left vertebral artery. The hospital staff commended Henry on his immediate life-saving actions.

Jason Burn’s exemplary service helped save the life of a patient who was critically injured during a hike and, as a result of injuries sustained, suffered cardiac arrest.

The incident happened in mid-May 2022, when Jason and Flight Nurse Jesse Mascarenas risked their own safety to help the patient who fell 200 feet down a mountain slope in cold and rainy weather. Jason and Jesse were able to stabilize the patient until he could be flown to the nearest Level I trauma center.

While the patient lost one leg the next day, the individual made excellent progress in regaining his neurological function. Today, thanks to the intervention provided by Jason and Jesse, the patient is working towards a full recovery, even exercising on a prosthetic leg.

What started as a quick lunch for Daniel Yandell and his partner turned into a heartfelt and perhaps lifesaving encounter with a fellow restaurant patron. Daniel and his partner were waiting for their food inside a fast-food restaurant when a man approached them, telling them he was experiencing mental health challenges and suicidal ideation. Daniel sat and talked with the individual, listening, empathizing, and eventually trying to connect the person with resources that could assist.

The dialogue between Daniel and the individual proved to be extremely effective, so much so that the person would go on to request ambulance transport to a hospital for further help. The kindness and empathy that Daniel and his partner showed the patient changed his mind about ending his life and guided him to get help instead.

Daniel and his partner saved a life, over lunch, by simply listening.

When Category 5 Hurricane Ian hit the Atlantic Coast, Danny Workman was one of the first to volunteer for deployment as part of a four-person neonatal team. Previously deployed three times, Danny knew what a valuable service this team would provide.

The neonatal teams’ mission was to provide rotor-wing EMS to newborns in the area impacted by the hurricane. Danny and his team helped lead the transport of many neonates who would otherwise have had limited options during this national disaster.

As one of the first helicopters to land at the area children’s hospital, the teams set off a chain of evacuation flights that would last nearly two days.

For the next 48 hours, the neonatal team worked tirelessly to help safely transport patients from impacted communities to NICUs throughout the state.

A critical thinker who knows how to act fast, Riley Wolfe’s intuition and EMS skills saved multiple lives while on a late-night shift when he and his crew came upon a traffic collision on the freeway.

The crash involved a driver who was trapped and unconscious in a car that was on fire and rapidly spreading. Riley, his student, and his partner quickly made entry to the vehicle. Fortunately, the crew and patient were able to escape harm as the car exploded. The crew then triaged the other passengers in the vehicles and simultaneously treated their patient, who they rapidly moved away from the blaze and into the back of the ambulance.

Riley remained calm and directed the additional resources to the other vehicles involved and told them the best place to stage to ensure everyone’s safety. Once additional AMR resources arrived, Riley and his team transported their patient to the local trauma center before any other public safety resources arrived on scene. Thanks to Riley’s dedication and skill, the patient ultimately survived.

On an evening in late November 2022, Bill Weber and his partner made a discovery that would eventually result in Bill rescuing multiple people from a fire.

It happened when the two EMS professionals were returning from a long-distance transfer. That is when they noticed a strong orange glow around the community of Desert Hills. When the two went to investigate, they realized they were the first ones on-scene of a multiple-vehicle fire that was adjacent to a mobile home park, which was also beginning to catch on fire.

As Bill, a former firefighter, exited the ambulance, several people stated there were occupants in the mobile home who were trapped. Knowing he had little time to act, Bill entered and found multiple occupants still inside. He directed everyone to exit the structure, but two elderly residents were unable to move quickly enough to escape in time. Bill then took the first patient in a firefighter’s carry and moved them out to the street. He then reentered and did the same with the second patient.

Bill’s swift actions ensured all four occupants were out of the structure and unharmed. He then assumed medical command and coordinated with the incoming ambulances to provide care.

Michael Taboniar is passionate about providing quality EMS to the Kaua’i community, a service he’s done for the past 28 years. Born and raised on this small island, Michael has taken a personal approach to ensuring that his “home” has the resources and personnel to ensure residents get the mobile healthcare they need when they need it.

A lecturer and assistant instructor in EMS at Kapi’olani Community College, Michael is enthusiastic about promoting the EMS profession through education. This past year, he taught a class of 20 new EMTs and led advanced courses for other EMS professionals. He was also instrumental in creating a community training center on the Kaua’i Community College campus where all active AMR providers can gain hands-on training on new tools and devices.

An EMS advocate who cares deeply about his community’s well-being, Michael is an avid volunteer who has often served as a standby EMS presence at local sporting events. He also spearheaded mock crash exercises to promote safe driving among high school students.

When the time to provide care at a moment’s notice came on a day in April 2022, Rob Spencer sprang into action. The call involved a young child, who had been riding on a mower when he was run over by the very vehicle he had been riding. Rob arrived to find this child still under the mower with horrific injuries. The injuries were so severe that Rob was forced to make a decision that could have drastic consequences for this young boy.

By the time the child was freed from the mower, an air ambulance was hovering overhead. Rob continued to treat and stabilize the child as the aircraft made its way to the designated landing zone.

Unfortunately, there was an issue that resulted in the grounding of the air ambulance. Rob then made the tough decision to make the lengthy transport with the unstable child by ground.

Through expert and rapid assessment and treatment, the child made it safely to the local children’s hospital. The young man had to endure multiple surgeries but was able to recover and return to a near-normal childhood.

Brad Sparks’ commitment to safety is credited for averting a possibly unfavorable situation.

During what was supposed to be a routine flight returning to base, Brad alerted the pilot that he was well below the established minimums for the instrument approach, which resulted in the pilot performing a go-around procedure and climbing out of the clouds. After the pilot initiated the procedure, he successfully landed the aircraft at a nearby airport.

As the base safety representative, Brad was able to quickly identify the issue, make a recommendation and save the crew from a potentially bad outcome.

During a mountain rescue call, Jay Shintaku responded to an emergency where a person had been thrown from a horse and suffered a severe, uncontrolled head bleed after hitting a rock.

Upon arriving at the scene via the sheriff’s department’s helicopter, Jay quickly began administering treatment and realized the severity of the patient’s condition. He convinced the pilot to fly directly to the trauma center due to the urgent nature of the situation. The patient was at risk of bleeding out and had multiple fractured vertebrae, making any delay in transport or transfer of helicopters potentially fatal.

 Thanks to Jay’s swift and persuasive action, the patient received timely medical attention and survived the ordeal, with the hope of one day riding horses again.

When a premature baby, born at 27 weeks’ gestation, was in respiratory distress, Dakota Shadwell’s expertise and training on the Bubble CPAP helped save the infant’s life.

It happened when Dakota and his partner, Kelly Hamill, were called to help a patient who had been taken to a local emergency department in a rural area that did not specialize in obstetric or neonatal care.

Once there, Dakota and Kelly delivered excellent patient care to not just one, but two patients—the mother and her baby—until additional specialty help arrived. The baby, who weighed just two pounds, would go on to receive additional care from a ground pediatric specialty team while Dakota and Kelly transported the mother by air to another regional health facility.

Hiram Sanchez demonstrated extraordinary courage and skill during a routine call that turned out to be anything but, on a night in mid-December 2022.

While en route during a patient transfer, Hiram came upon a traffic collision involving three cars; no other emergency vehicles were on scene. Hiram quickly identified four patients, one who was unconscious and gasping for breath. Hiram then immediately grabbed the airway equipment bag and returned to provide patient ventilation.

San Mateo County communications were alerted, and additional resources were requested. Approximately two minutes later, Hiram returned to the ambulance to obtain the fire extinguisher because one of the victims was trapped in a car while the car adjacent was on fire. Hiram then positioned himself on the passenger side of the vehicle, closest to the fire, and used his body as a shield to protect the patient and a citizen who offered to help. The patient was quickly pulled from the car and away from danger.

Hiram’s management of this scene ensured the safety of the victims and bystanders and directly resulted in the patient being freed from the vehicle, likely saving their life. Hiram has also been nominated for a California EMSA EMS Medal of Valor for his heroic actions during this response.

Putting others above himself, Randall Roberson’s commitment to serving his community was on full display when historic flooding ravaged Eastern Kentucky.

On one evening in late July 2022, Randall was on duty as flood waters began rising. It quickly became clear to him that it was no longer safe for his family to remain in their home. Randall’s supervisor approached him and told him he should probably go home and be with his family, he replied that his family was in a safe place, but that other families might not be so lucky. He asked to continue helping those community members who were not as fortunate.

Although Randall and his family ended up losing everything they owned, he remained steadfast in his duties and lived at the station for more than two weeks, taking every opportunity to help that he could.

Stephanie Nocita is admired and respected by her co-workers and the leadership team alike for her ability to quickly assess a medical condition and for her skills that enable her to provide the needed intervention in critical situations. These characteristics were clearly on display in two recent circumstances: one involving a newborn and the other an individual in a busy shopping area.

Stephanie and her partner resuscitated a 17-day baby with a congenital heart defect who had gone into cardiac arrest. The newborn underwent heart surgery and made a full recovery.

Then, in early September 2022, she successfully helped resuscitate a person who collapsed at a crowded shopping plaza in Carmel. In that situation, a bystander and two police officers began CPR until Stephanie and her partner arrived and took over the care until more help arrived.

On the way to the hospital, the patient regained a pulse and was eventually discharged after making a full recovery. The patient later came back to visit Stephanie and the others who had helped them survive their medical ordeal.

Jesse Mascarenas proved to be a true hero when he helped save a critically injured hiker at the risk of his own safety. In May of 2022, Jesse and his partner, Flight Medic Jason Burns, responded to a call to help the hiker, who fell 200 feet down a mountain slope in cold and rainy weather. The patient was severely hurt and suffered cardiac arrest while Jason and Jesse were treating and rescuing him.

The two EMS professionals were eventually able to stabilize the patient until the individual could be flown to the nearest Level I trauma center. Although the patient lost a leg, the individual today is working toward a full recovery, even exercising on a prosthetic leg.

Daniel Lee distinguished himself through courage and skill by going beyond the call of duty to rescue his fellow crew members after the unthinkable happened.

On an afternoon in May 2022, Lee picked up a shift on an AL3 Klamath helicopter to help out his team and keep the aircraft in service. He, along with a newly hired registered nurse, a respiratory therapist, and the pilot had completed one call. While sitting on the helipad, the team was dispatched to another hospital. Arriving at the scene, the aircraft lost stability and crashed.

Lee reacted quickly and pulled all remaining crew members from the damaged aircraft. He triaged his peers based on acuity, started IVs on everyone, and gave medications as appropriate. He continued to care for and advocate for his team, even though he was also injured. He made sure everyone had help and insisted on staying with the newest team member to make her feel safe.

His quick thinking and expertise saved lives that day.

Matthew Kohl’s supervisors recognize him as an ultra-professional Paramedic who has rapidly risen through the ranks. In 2016, he was at the EMT level. He became AMR Evansville’s first-ever EMT-level Field Training Officer as that role had previously been reserved only for Paramedics. By 2020, he was graduating from Paramedic school, with a degree, in the middle of a pandemic, as the overall college Outstanding Graduate. Throughout his meteoric career, he has shown deft skill in trauma care, exemplified by his actions in January of this year.

Matthew responded to a scene where a nine-year-old child had been hit by a motor vehicle. The patient had multiple injuries and was in extreme pain. The scene time was only six minutes. Care during patient contact included spinal motion restriction, oxygen, IV access, and appropriate pediatric analgesia as well as patient monitoring. The time from dispatch to arrival at the Level II trauma center was 15 minutes.

Matthew’s patient care was lauded as “perfect” upon review by the trauma center, and the patient is recovering after multiple surgeries.