Bridget started at LifeCare Ambulance Service in 2001, working first as a paramedic and now in the dispatch center for the past six years. Bridget also received her Instructor/Coordinator license, and has been teaching the MFR/EMR course at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) for the past three years.

Bridget first discovered her interest in EMS while taking the Medical First Responder course as a prerequisite for her then chosen field of Physical Therapy. Bridget soon decided that EMS was her real interest and never looked back. Bridget went on to enroll in the EMT program and paramedic courses at Kellogg Community College.

Bridget’s co-workers and supervisor nominated her for a Star of Life as a result of the extra efforts she has put forth in improving LifeCare Ambulance Service’s dispatch operations. Bridget recently created and implemented LifeCare’s new dispatch training manual as well as a new training and orientation program for the dispatch team. Part of this orientation includes a presentation Bridget put together for new field staff to see during their training. Bridget has also been hard at work improving employee recruitment and retention. 

Bridget is always willing to help others, and take the lead when needed. Bridget works diligently to make sure our patients are happy with the service they receive. This means going the extra mile to make sure we have the documentation needed to get a patient’s ambulance transfer covered, or working with the hospital and facility staff to get transfers scheduled. Bridget is always looking for ways to help and LifeCare is proud to nominate her for a Star of Life Award. 

Donald “Don” has been proudly working at Jackson Community Ambulance (JCA) as a paramedic since 2012. Since 2011, Don has also served his community by volunteering on the Columbia Township Fire Department as a paid-on call firefighter. Don’s is well known for his conscientious work ethic; something he has developed because of his very close family and five years of service at JCA.

Don is a shining example of what a paramedic at JCA should be. Don’s character and outstanding work ethic make him an easy choice for this award. Don is selfless and his supervisors know they can always rely on him to go the extra mile to get the job done.

One fall afternoon, Don was in quarters waiting for that next call to come in. Soon the tones went off and he was called to the residence of a local woman with difficulty breathing. Upon arriving, Don found the first responders working hard on a woman who was only breathing four times a minute. Don and his partner immediately began to assist with ventilations and gave the patient medications to help open her airway. After placing the patient on CPAP, she began to have purposeful movements and was transported to the hospital, where she went on to make a full recovery.

Scott Bernhardt has worked for Huron Valley Ambulance Service for 8 years. Whether delivering babies or saving the lives of loved ones, Scott feels honored serving his community through his work.

In January 2015 Scott and his partner were the first to respond to a call with multiple pediatric patients, which unfortunately included one fatality and several children in critical condition. Scott was able to quickly assess and triage at the scene and relay to dispatch the resources needed to assure optimal patient outcomes. Calm, professional, and caring, Scott was able to provide excellent clinical care in an emotionally challenging environment.

Scott is loyal, honest, and committed to his company. He rarely misses a day of work and fills in when necessary for his fellow medics. In his time off, Scott enjoys vacationing with his family. Huron Valley Ambulance Service is proud to honor Scott as a 2016 Star of Life.

Ryan Davis has been a Life EMS associate since April 2007, and has held various operations roles from Paramedic to Field Supervisor. Ryan is an exceptional role model for his associates and has a passion for field training equaled only by his drive for continual improvement. His work has produced a variety of success stories at Life EMS and he consistently seeks to raise the bar in education. Ryan is a critical deliverer and developer of training in the field training tracker platform.

Beyond his role in associate training, Ryan is active in coordinating clinical third riders among KVCC, WMED, and KCC. Even with his additional responsibilities, Ryan still finds a way to carve out time to coach associates in their day-to-day work life, to serve as a Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner Investigator, and to complete his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University. Ryan is one to count on in times of crisis—always calm, level- headed, and hard-working yet approachable.

Ryan holds his critical care certification and is been a key link in the chain of success at Life EMS.

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.