Kelly Marsh is a Paramedic/RN with Action Ambulance Service’s New Hampshire Hub whose commitment to caring for others extends well beyond the patients she serves. Through clinical excellence, professionalism, and a genuine willingness to support those around her, Kelly has earned the respect and trust of her colleagues.

In the field, Kelly approaches patient care with skill, compassion, and dedication. She understands that providing excellent emergency medical care requires not only strong clinical abilities, but also professionalism and a commitment to serving each patient with dignity and respect.

Just as importantly, Kelly’s dedication does not end when a call is over. She is a dependable coworker who makes time to help others and can be counted on when her team needs support. Whether stepping in to share the workload or simply being there for a colleague, Kelly consistently demonstrates that strong EMS teams are built by people who look out for one another.

Her willingness to support those around her has a lasting impact on her workplace. By combining excellent patient care with teamwork, reliability, and compassion for her colleagues, Kelly helps strengthen the entire Action Ambulance Service team.

Kelly exemplifies the qualities celebrated by Stars of Life: skilled patient care, dedication to service, and a positive influence on the people who serve alongside her. Action Ambulance Service is proud to recognize Paramedic Kelly Marsh as a Star of Life.

Amy Major is an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) with New London Hospital Ambulance Service (NLHAS) who has dedicated many years to serving her community. Respected by her colleagues for her professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment to patient care, Amy brings both clinical skill and genuine humanity to every call.

Those qualities were especially evident during a recent response to a pedestrian-struck incident in a remote area of the NLHAS service district. Amy and her partner, Liam, encountered a critically injured patient who had been pinned between two vehicles. The patient had sustained devastating lower-extremity and pelvic injuries, significant blood loss, and severe pain.

Faced with an extremely challenging and time-sensitive situation, Amy remained calm and focused. She played an important role in controlling the patient’s injuries and hemorrhage, managing their pain, and preparing them for rapid transport to a waiting medical helicopter. Her composure and clinical judgment helped ensure the patient received the critical care needed during the transition to a higher level of treatment.

Just as important as Amy’s clinical care was the compassion she provided. In the midst of an extraordinarily frightening experience, she remained present for her patient, offering reassurance and comfort while she and her partner worked to address life-threatening injuries. Her ability to combine skilled medical care with empathy exemplifies the kind of provider Amy is.

Amy’s years of dedicated service have made her an important and valued member of the NLHAS team. Her actions during this challenging response reflect the professionalism, compassion, and commitment she brings to her patients and community every day.

New London Hospital Ambulance Service is proud to recognize Amy Major as a Star of Life.

Don Walker began his EMS career with Cataldo Ambulance Service in 2003 as a Paramedic and later became a Field Training Officer. In 2008, he left Cataldo to spend the next decade working in flight critical care. His career subsequently expanded to include hospital-based intercept programs, cardiac catheterization lab experience, international medical retrieval, and austere medicine, giving Don an exceptional breadth of clinical experience.

Don returned to Cataldo Ambulance Service in 2024 and currently serves as a Clinical Field Supervisor, a role he has held since April 2025. His depth of clinical knowledge and extensive experience make him an invaluable resource to providers throughout the organization. On critical calls, Don brings a calm, confident presence that reassures his colleagues and helps teams focus on providing excellent patient care.

One colleague recalled working with Don during a particularly challenging call: “I was a newer BLS provider and felt stressed during a call that suddenly became critical. Don Walker came into the room and immediately began taking charge, delegating roles and ensuring that everything went smoothly. Even though we had very little information and a critical patient, I felt assured and confident having Don with us.”

Throughout his career, Don has assisted with multiple field deliveries and contributed to several successful cardiac arrest resuscitations. Equally important is his commitment to developing the next generation of prehospital clinicians. Through mentorship and education, Don shares the knowledge and experience gained throughout his diverse career, helping other providers grow in both skill and confidence.

Don holds an undergraduate degree in emergency medical services. Inspired by his years in flight medicine, he went on to earn a master’s degree in aviation safety and is currently pursuing his doctorate. He also teaches airway and ventilator management, extending his commitment to clinical education beyond his supervisory responsibilities.

Don’s career reflects a remarkable combination of clinical expertise, leadership, education, and service. His ability to remain composed in critical moments while helping those around him become stronger clinicians exemplifies the spirit of the Stars of Life program. Cataldo Ambulance Service is proud to recognize Don Walker as a Star of Life.

Liam Benshemer is a highly respected Paramedic with New London Hospital Ambulance Service (NLHAS), where he serves as a frontline clinician, Field Training Officer (FTO), and member of the Quality Committee. Through each of these roles, Liam demonstrates a strong commitment to exceptional patient care, professional development, and the continued advancement of his colleagues and organization.

That commitment was especially evident when Liam and his partner, Amy, responded to a pedestrian-struck incident in an extremely remote area of NLHAS’s already rural service district. The patient had been pinned between a parked vehicle and a moving vehicle, sustaining extensive lower-extremity and pelvic injuries, significant hemorrhage, and severe pain.

Faced with a critically injured patient, limited resources, and the challenges of a remote location, Liam and Amy remained composed and focused. Working together, they managed the patient’s traumatic injuries and life-threatening bleeding, provided appropriate pain management, and coordinated rapid transport to a waiting helicopter for definitive care.

Incidents of this complexity demand strong clinical judgment, effective teamwork, and the ability to remain calm while making critical decisions under pressure. Liam demonstrated each of these qualities throughout the response. Although no single intervention can be credited with determining the patient’s ultimate outcome, the timely and skilled prehospital care provided by Liam and Amy gave the patient an important opportunity for survival and definitive treatment.

Liam brings that same dedication to his work beyond individual patient encounters. As an FTO, he helps develop and support fellow EMS professionals, while his service on the Quality Committee contributes to the continued improvement of patient care at NLHAS. His willingness to take on these responsibilities reflects his investment not only in his own clinical practice, but also in the success of his colleagues and the organization as a whole.

Through his clinical expertise, composure, teamwork, mentorship, and commitment to his patients, Liam exemplifies the professionalism and dedication at the heart of emergency medical services. New London Hospital Ambulance Service is proud to recognize Liam as an American Ambulance Association Star of Life.

Advanced EMT Jamie Hassam has been described by his colleagues as many things – patient-focused, community-minded, and “one of the partners that Paramedics pray for.”

Last summer, Jamie and his partner responded to a call involving a child who had been struck by a pickup truck. The scene was described as “complete and total chaos” – but not for long. Jamie managed to focus the efforts of other agencies’ responders and calm the child’s parents and bystanders, all the while providing essential support to his Paramedic partner. Once the child was under the care of hospital staff, Jamie disappeared to find a stuffed animal for the boy and then provided comfort and information to the frantic parents.

A consummate team player, Jamie is a natural leader who takes pride in the EMS profession and leads by example.