Tara began her EMS career in 2001 when she joined EMSA as an EMT-Basic and an Emergency Medical Dispatcher. In 2002, Tara found her home at Muskogee County EMS, working both as an EMT and an Emergency Medical Dispatcher. She went on to become an EMT-Intermediate and an Emergency Medical Dispatcher Quality Improvement Officer. Throughout the years, Tara has dedicated herself to the Communications Department, working her way up as a Communications Training Officer, QA/QI Supervisor, and now the Communications Center Supervisor. She has focused on improving the training program and the overall culture of the dispatch center.

Tara has been married to Dave Henry for 17 years and together they have three children. Although their oldest son, Braden, has recently moved out of the house, Tara keeps busy with her two adopted children, Maddex, who is involved with the Special Olympics, and Jensyn, who attends cheerleading competitions. Tara is very blessed with her life and her family that she cherishes.

Tara loves the people that she works with and takes great pride in seeing their success. She constantly demonstrates knowledge of dispatching and company procedures, and she shares her knowledge and experiences with the employees to ensure their success as well. Tara is now taking on the challenge of re-accreditation for the Muskogee County EMS Dispatch Center of Excellence. Muskogee County EMS is honored to present Tara Henry as American Ambulance Association Star of Life.

Tara Henry is being nominated due to her phenomenal work ethic throughout her career with Muskogee County EMS. It is time for her to be recognized for all of her hard work behind-the-scenes of the Communication Center, and for her efforts related to re-accreditation for Muskogee County EMS Dispatch Center of Excellence.

Tara Henry is being honored as a Star of Life due to her phenomenal work ethic throughout her career with Muskogee County EMS. She has been under-recognized for all her hard work behind the scenes of the Communication Center and for her efforts to meet the new challenge of re-accreditation for Muskogee County EMS Dispatch Center of Excellence.

Service has been the common thread running through Rusty Friske’s professional life. Rusty joined the EMSA team in August 2014, shortly after receiving his EMT certification. He had intended to join the fire service, but fell in love with medicine. Rusty earned his Paramedic certification in August 2016 and has since become a part-time Clinical Coordinator. He is responsible for leading the EMSA Field Training Officer program, and has taken responsibility for helping EMTs successfully transition to Paramedic roles. Rusty has received numerous kudos for excellent patient care and customer service during his time at EMSA.

Before entering the EMS field, Rusty worked as a youth pastor and then as a YMCA Director. Doing for others – patients, colleagues, parishioners, campers, and strangers – fulfills Rusty, and he and his wife encourage their young daughters to possess servants’s hearts as well. The family has adopted the values of faith, respect, integrity, sacrifice, kindness, and excellence (an acronym of “Friske”) and discuss how to align their lives with these values daily.

Emergency Medical Services is in Rachel Evans’s blood. Rachel joined EMSA fresh out of EMT school in March 2015 and ended up working alongside many of the same people her Paramedic father had decades earlier. Rachel earned her Paramedic certification, with valedictorian honors, in July 2017. Since then, she has made teaching others her mission. That includes Rachel’s partners, her patients, and the most recent group of EMSA EMTs to complete Paramedic school; they recognized Rachel for the hours she spent helping them to succeed. Rachel credits her grandmother, a long-time teacher, with helping her understand the importance of sharing what she has learned with others.

Last year, Rachel received a special administrative award for her professionalism and leadership. She has been recognized many times for providing excellent clinical care and demonstrating strong teamwork, and her patient care documentation is superb. An avid runner, Rachel has competed in half and full marathons, including the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. However, Rachel claims that she is most proud of the fact that her colleagues say that they would trust her to provide emergency care to their family members. 

Howard “Punky” Halcomb has been volunteering in emergency services for 47 years. He began his career as a Firefighter at the Pond Creek Fire Department in 1972. He served as Assistant Fire Chief for several years before serving as Chief from 1998 to 2006. He continues to have a major impact in the community as a Firefighter, Emergency Medical Responder, and Emergency Manager.

Punky’s leadership was crucial in establishing emergency medical services in Pond Creek and the surrounding areas. In 1974, Punky became one of the first registered EMTs in his area, and in 1975, at the request of the local funeral home, Punky and three other members of the fire department assumed the responsibility of providing transportation and care to the sick and injured using the funeral home hearse. By the late 1970s, Pond Creek Fire Department was able to purchase its first ambulance to provide emergency care. As the department grew, he continued to play a vital role in serving the community and still has a major impact today.

When not on fire or medical calls, Punky spends much of his free time at the station working on equipment or making much needed improvements. He still carries more responsibilities than most, including communications, storm spotting, tornado siren testing, and hydrant testing. He also volunteers his time at the school teaching the fire safety program.

Punky shares his passion for emergency medical services with his wife, Sara. She has served as a Firefighter and EMT for 24 years, and together they have helped countless people in their time of need, often working together on the same truck. Punky also handed his love for serving down to his son, Brandon. Brandon has made a career in emergency services as a full time Firefighter and Advanced EMT in Oklahoma. Punky has two other children, Mindy and Nicholas, both of whom have successful careers in other fields.

Pond Creek Fire and EMS is honored to recognize Punky Halcomb as a 2019 Star of Life Award nominee.

Joshua Lawler has served REACT Ambulance Authority for more than six years. During this time, he has used his many skills to benefit his community as a Single Response Paramedic, a Field Training Officer, and a Relief Supervisor.

Joshua was one of the first Paramedics assigned to a rural section of REACT’s response territory. Here, he was responsible for solo quick response to critical calls in under-served areas. Joshua worked with local first responders to form a team response to emergencies in many small communities. Joshua has also worked with senior citizen groups to set up medical screening days at senior centers throughout the area.

Joshua’s coworkers commend him as a “trusted and valuable asset,” and praise him for being “experienced, going above and beyond, stepping up over the years and contributing in multiple positions.”

Joshua is involved in the local Accredited Paramedic program at Gordon Cooper Technology Center. Joshua is an adjunct instructor in the lab, he lectures in the classroom, and has been involved in developing their new online Paramedic program.

When not serving the citizens of REACT’s response area, Joshua enjoys spending time with his wife, Erin, and their son, Killian.

REACT Ambulance Authority is proud to call Joshua Lawler a 2019 Star of Life.

Cale Varner has served REACT Ambulance Authority for more than five years. During his tenure, Cale has worked as a Single Response Paramedic, a Field Training Officer, and a Relief Supervisor.

Cale is currently assigned as a Solo Quick Response Paramedic in REACT’s rural response area. He is responsible for responding to critical calls in 455 square miles of under-served area in southern Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. Cale can be called on to work multiple different positions at REACT without skipping a beat.

Cale’s colleagues describe him as steadfast and reliable, and as a quiet leader who works multiple positions. He is well respected and can always be counted on for his critical thinking and level head.

When not serving the citizens of REACT’s response area, Cale enjoys spending time with his wife Kaitlyn, raising cattle, and spending time outdoors.

REACT Ambulance Authority is proud to call Cale Varner a 2019 Star of Life

Levi Wells has served REACT Ambulance Authority for more than three years. During this time, he has served as a Paramedic and a Field Training Officer. Levi has also established himself as a mentor for new Paramedics going through the REACT orientation process. In addition, Levi is involved in the Oklahoma State University-OKC Accredited Paramedic Program as an adjunct instructor, and he participates in the lab and as a clinical instructor. He is also serving as a proctor for NREMT skills testing at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City.

Levi’s coworkers describe him as a forward thinker, a great teacher to new employees and students, and someone who genuinely loves his job. As one peer says, “Levi enjoys investing in the development of new Paramedics to ensure the forward progress of their careers.” He is always looking for ways to reach higher and new ways to improve REACT, and sets an example of professionalism in EMS.

When not on the job, Levi enjoys soccer and traveling with his girlfriend, Alexus.

REACT Ambulance Authority is proud to call Levi Wells one of its 2019 Stars of Life.

Noelle Gettemy has been a Paramedic for 10 years. In the past, she worked for EMSA in Oklahoma City. She has served full-time at McClain-Grady County EMS for the past three years.

In addition to responding to emergency calls and providing patient care, Noelle works as the Quality Assurance Officer for McClain-Grady County EMS. She reviews every call that the ambulance service runs and monitors that patient care protocols are followed to the letter. She ensures that patients receive the best care and that the patient care forms are complete and written in a professional manner. Noelle is also known for providing outstanding patient care with compassion, regardless of the situation and severity of the patient’s condition.

Noelle is constantly looking for ways to update the patient care protocols and ensuring that the latest equipment and technology are available to deliver the appropriate care and medications to the patients during their medical crisis. She does thorough research to gain knowledge of the latest patient care practices and to decide what new equipment will work or not work for the service.

Noelle is well respected by her coworkers and emergency department doctors and personnel for her professional demeanor and medical knowledge obtained through continuous training and years of experience.

Shawn Svob is a Nationally Registered Paramedic who works for Life EMS in Enid, Oklahoma. He previously worked as an engineer for several Oklahoma energy and service companies. He also served 22 years in the US Army, both active duty and reserves, retiring as a Major in 2011.

Shawn grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and joined the Army after graduating high school, where he subsequently gained entrance into the United States Military Academy Preparatory School and ultimately the United States Military Academy at West Point. Shawn graduated West Point in 1995 with a degree in mechanical engineering and was then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, serving two tours in Bosnia in the Stabilization Force. He deployed to Iraq as part of a US Army Reserve group in 2009 where he was responsible for initiating the base closure plan for Victory Base in Baghdad, returning home in 2010. During his time in the Army, Shawn received multiple citations and decorations including the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, and multiple service and campaign awards. 

Shawn began his career in EMS in 2011 after joining the Pond Creek Fire and EMS department as a volunteer firefighter and earning his EMT-B certification from Autry Tech. Shawn used his GI Bill education benefits to attend Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City for paramedic school while working as a Senior Engineer for ONEOK. He completed his training in December 2017 and was selected as the student speaker for their completion ceremony. Shawn earned his National Registry credentials and his state license in February 2018. Shawn left ONEOK in April 2018 to pursue his passion for EMS as a full time paramedic.

Shawn is married to Dr. Erin K. Roberts-Svob, DDS, and has two boys, Cole (14) and Rowan (12). He lives in Pond Creek, Oklahoma, where he continues to serve his local community as a firefighter and paramedic. 

Two words describe Cindy Conley—selflessness and tenacity.

Cindy has served at McCurtain County EMS for 24 years. Although a single mother, Cindy’s tenacious character drove her to work her way up the ranks. She started out as an EMT, and then embarked on the journey to earn her Intermediate credentials while working full time and driving from Idabel to Durant at least three times a week, a 160-mile round trip. Cindy became a Paramedic in 1998 and was promoted to Assistant Director of Operations in 1999. In 2010, Cindy was promoted to Deputy Director, a position she holds to this day.

Cindy has overcome many personal hardships in her life but has always fought through them with dignity and grace. She always puts her job and family before her own personal needs. Whether it is managing staff scheduling, processing payroll, paying the bills, taking care of personnel issues, or going on calls, Cindy has always performed her duties in a manner that brings honor to our industry and especially our organization.

Cindy suffered a very rare brain stem stroke in February of this year and has been fighting with that same determination to get back to the job she has loved for so many years. Thank you, Cindy, and may God bless you in your recovery and for many more years of service. 

No matter the hour—or day of week—Kim McDorman is ready to respond when technology issues arise. Kim has earned a reputation as “Ms. Fix-It” during her nine years at EMSA. Whether it’s a desktop computer that’s stopped working, a tablet used for documentation that’s not charging, or a mobile data terminal that’s not synching, Kim has a knack for getting to the underlying cause of any IT issue. If solving the problem requires coming in to the office during her off-hours, Kim does so without complaint.

Kim is an intensely curious person. If Kim doesn’t know how something works, she does her research and finds out. She’s also quick to share information with others, in the hope of helping prevent future IT problems from occurring in the first place.

Kim has a wonderful sense of humor and unique way of making all team members feel important. Kim treats frontline EMTs and Paramedics with the same respect and consideration she affords to organizational leaders. Kim is a customer service star and integral part of the EMSA team.

When Hunter Poston graduated from Perkins-Tryon High School in 2013, he wanted to dedicate himself to something related to emergency medicine; it was not until college that he realized EMS would be his career.

Poston began working towards an associates degree in Health Services Technology at Northern Oklahoma College which resulted in him enrolling in an EMT class. Poston’s education and interaction with the community fostered his passion for EMS.

As a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Poston dreamed of securing a position at LifeNet EMS after he earned his EMT certification. The company, unfortunately, was not hiring at that time. Determined to fill his time with EMS work, he took a job offer with Life EMS in Enid, Oklahoma. After just three months of working there, Poston seized the opportunity to work full-time for LifeNet EMS in his hometown.

Although Poston was content with being an EMT Basic, he strove for greatness. With Poston being unable to start Paramedic school until 2018, he sought to work towards his Advanced EMT in the latter months of 2017. Following this, he started Paramedic school in 2018, and is set to graduate in July 2019.

Poston’s colleagues have proclaimed, “Hunter is extremely dedicated to caring for his community and puts his heart and soul into his work.” Additionally, they praise Poston’s dedication, saying, “He is in the process of completing Paramedic school while still working full-time to further provide the best care he can to those in need and is in the top of his class.”

Another colleague echoed those sentiments through nominating Poston: “Poston is always professional and clearly loves his profession… Hunter holds himself to very high standards and simply does not know how to do a bad job at anything. He has a great ‘bedside manner’ and takes his job very seriously.  Even the smallest complaint from a patient does not escape him. He studies nonstop working his way up to a higher medical license and he is always willing to help another employee. Recently, he dug through the garbage to help another EMT find her wallet. Poston always has a smile and has an amazing energy about him.”

Wayne has been working in EMS since 1982 and has had a distinguished career. In addition to his duties as a paramedic, Wayne has been involved in almost every facet of EMS. He established what was to become McClainGrady County EMS, worked as director for Lindsay EMS, trained hundreds of people, both lay persons and EMS personnel as a BLS Instructor, In-House Instructor, ACLS Instructor, PALS instructor and PEPP Instructor. Wayne has also been a member of our local DMAT team, a federally sponsored citizens medical disaster team that responds to domestic disasters. As BLS instructor, Wayne teaches the local school faculty, local police department employees and numerous civic group members the skills of CPR and AED use. He also teaches first aid and how to react in an emergency situation to people whom have no prior training or experience to emergencies. Wayne has spent hundreds of hours writing refresher programs for the EMR to Paramedic level responders to ensure everyone involved in our local EMS system is updated in training and skill levels and meet the DOT and Health Department requirements for relicensing. During what little down time he has on shift, Wayne is the quality Assurance Administrator for our service, reviewing every run form that is entered into our computer system. Each call is reviewed and those meeting certain criteria are sent to our medical director for his review and comments. Wayne is very interested in making sure our service provides the best patient care and that each medic follows the patient care protocols approved by the medical director. Wayne has responded to numerous disasters in Oklahoma and within the continental United States. He has provided emergency medical services during tornados, floods and hurricanes. His area of response and expertise knows no boundaries.”

When tornadoes tore through central Oklahoma in May 2013, Melody Spruill shepherded field crews and communications personnel through the crisis. Radio and cell phone networks were overloaded, making communications incredibly difficult. During this time of intense chaos, Melody figured out a way to coordinate with external agencies and internal resources to secure and position additional response assets. Melody has a passion and intensity that sometimes catches people off-guard. Once she has taken ownership of a project, she assumes an accountability for it that is admirable and influences her peers. Melody is an EMT-Basic and has earned Emergency Medical Dispatch certification. She joined the EMSA team in November 1985.”

Melissa Hudson’s career with EMSA dates back to June 1992. She started as an EMT-Basic, and was quickly promoted to a preceptor before moving into EMSA’s 911 communications center. Melissa has achieved Emergency Medical Dispatch and EMD-Quality certification. Over the years, she has helped train scores of new dispatchers and has talked thousands of callers through CPR, emergency childbirth, basic trauma management and other life-saving interventions. Recently, Melissa was honored by the Tulsa City Council for her role in rescuing a newborn baby born prematurely at home. When not saving others, much of Melissa’s time and energy is devoted to her own personal battle with ovarian cancer. Melissa continues to work a full-time schedule while undergoing chemotherapy treatment.”

Rick Garcia has been employed at EMSStat since 2010 when he started as an EVO. After Rick received his paramedic license he took an early retirement from the Watonga Fire Department and accepted a full-time paramedic position at EMSStat in 2012. He remains a volunteer Watonga firefighter. The knowledge and discipline he acquired during his career in the US Navy have been put to excellent use at EMSStat. During his career at EMSStat he has been an advocate for improving education for his co-workers. He has also worked on improving education for all EMS providers. He is a Field Training Officer at EMSStat, a role he helped develop. Rick is also involved in Emergency Vehicle Operations classes and is a Train the Trainer in this capacity. He is also a valued member of EMSStat’s Disaster Response and Haz-Mat teams. An excellent clinician, Rick provides quality, efficient and compassionate care to his patients. Rick is well liked and highly respected by his co-workers, who look to him as a resource. EMSStat greatly appreciates the hard work, professionalism and commitment that Rick has shown as a paramedic.”

Mechele Cruz is a shining star of Muskogee County EMS. She has an attitude of “don’t-quit” rarely seen in any industry, much less, EMS. Mechele is known for her kind and caring attitude, not only with staff, but with medics and students as well. Occasionally in life, one is lucky enough to encounter a person who goes above and beyond as a normal course of their day and never thinks anything other than “it’s just business as usual.” We at Muskogee County EMS get to work with one such person every day and that person is Mechele. Mechele has been an AHA CPR and first-aid instructor for several years. She has been AHA Regional Faculty for Oklahoma for the last 4 years and is currently the Oklahoma region Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee Secretary. Her students routinely rave about her abilities and about how comfortable she makes them as they learn this life-saving skill. Many of her students relay how they were able to successfully use what she taught them to aid someone in need, and even to save a life. We may never know how many lives Mechele has impacted by this skill alone. Working several years on the ambulance, it is routine for her partners to see her going out of her way to help a patient. She has (and still does) bought groceries for elderly patients who couldn’t get to the store, cooked dinner to take to someone whose loved one was ill, bought school supplies and clothing for a needy child, or driven someone to a doctor’s appointment, all out of her own pocket and all of her own volition. At times, it seems unbelievable that one person could be that giving, but she is. Mechele gives of her time, her money, and her self, strictly out of a love for people and those in need. Besides being an incredibly skilled EMT-I, Mechele has worked for several years as a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher. She is very knowledgeable and compassionate to the callers who dial 911 and calms them in the face of crises. It is not uncommon for Mechele to call back later just to check on them and see if she can be of further help. Since Mechele started at MCEMS, she has always been very involved in our community events and public relations. She has been at more health fairs, EMS tours, blood pressure checks, and job fairs than could be counted, and has been instrumental in developing our “Sentimental Journey” program. Mechele is also a certified child passenger safety technician and has an additional specialized certification in child passenger safety technician for children with special health care needs. Because of her outgoing personality, her involvement with multiple aspects of patient care, and her willingness to seek out new opportunities to serve, Mechele was promoted in 2013 to the position of Community Relations Officer, and is now in charge of our public education and public relations programs. Even now, she never stops looking for ways to provide care to the citizens that rely on us. Because of this, the administration and her peers have recognized her as the MCEMS Support Staff of the Year for 2014. When described as having a “don’t quit” attitude, it’s because Mechele does all of these things (and more that we may not even be aware of because she doesn’t call attention to them), on top of bravely fighting through a rare kidney disease that required multiple trips to the Mayo Clinic and multiple rounds of chemotherapy. It was only in January of this year that she was declared to be in remission. Mechele and her husband, Sonny, have a blended family with three children: Tyler, Dalton, and Kala. She and Sonny are very excited to be expecting their first grandchild in September. Please accept this as our enthusiastic and unreserved nomination of Mechele Cruz for an OKAMA Star of Life for 2014. She is very deserving and will represent not only Muskogee County EMS, but also OKAMA, with honor and distinction.”

Life EMS is honored to submit Randy Cowger as our 2014 Star of Life. Randy began his career in EMS in the year of 2000 as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher in the Life Communications Center. Randy was honored by the City of Enid for his role of providing pre-arrival instructions to a family member of a four year old child who was found face down in a swimming pool. Randy provided CPR instructions to that family member while dispatching an ambulance to the residence. Randy was credited for his quick actions and efficient use of his EMD skills in the resuscitation of the child who survived the near tragedy with no mental or physical deficits and is currently living a happy and normal life. Randy, a basic EMT, is always willing to help in any area of operations at Life EMS when needed, as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher or an EVO on an ambulance, in addition to his duties as Supervisor of Uplift wheelchair services. Randy has a very outgoing personality and is endeared by patients, nursing staff and fellow employees at Life EMS. He willingly steps up and does anything asked of him with a big smile. Thanks Randy!”

Cody Chaney’s peers described his attributes well when they nominated him as LifeNet’s Star of Life. Among their accolades were these words: “Cody has great integrity and compassion for his job and for our customers,” “He has held close our mission, values, and vision,” and “His attitude and presence are always uplifting to employees and patients!” Obviously Cody’s personal impact is as strong as his solid clinical contributions to healthcare in LifeNet’s Oklahoma service area. A relative newcomer to prehospital medicine, Cody joined LifeNet a little more than two years ago as a part-time EMT while he worked toward his Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection and Safety Technology at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. This winter, as his course work neared completion, Cody was able to further impact LifeNet staff and customers by accepting a full-time role. And Cody’s influence extends beyond the workplace. For nine years Cody has volunteered countless hours and entire summers at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch in Avant, Oklahoma providing a place in the country for kids to spend their summer exploring God’s creation. Through his ministry at Shepherd’s Fold, Cody has supported the camp’s vision by planning and executing camps for children, managing properties and facilities, and investing his talents into developing staff and participants. Cody participated on the OSU Firefighter Combat Challenge Team as both competitor and Training Officer. During his tenure the team qualified for World Competition three consecutive years. We are pleased that you can join us in celebrating Cody Chaney as our 2014 Star of Life.”

Brianne Bourne, Paramedic and Field Training Officer, is the REACT EMS Star of Life for 2014. Paramedic Bourne started her career with REACT EMS in August 2009. She began as a Basic EMT while she attended Oklahoma City Community College for her Paramedic and passed her National Registry. She expertly completed her Field Training and Evaluation Program and has performed proficiently as a Paramedic since. Brianne has cared for her patients and managed her calls with admirable skill. Her fellow medics comment frequently as to her compassion for patients. Her Supervisors commend her work to reliably respond and handle nearly every scene as though she has been doing it for years. In emergencies, they count on Brianne to give patients every chance at positive outcomes. When asked, Brianne says her most memorable call involved a multi-patient MVA, with 5 patients. One was flown, and four were transported to the Trauma Center by two REACT units. Brianne cared for two of those seriously injured patients on scene and during the 45 mile transport. A few months later, the OU Trauma Services held a special event to honor Brianne and her fellow medics. Brianne enjoyed seeing her former patients as they were recovered and able to attend as an example of how excellent trauma care can make a difference. Brianne is so dependable that she is now teaching and training paramedic students. She works part time as an instructor at Gordon Cooper Technology, performs as a preceptor for clinical experience and works as a Field Training Office for REACT. She says she enjoys watching students learn what she knows, enjoys seeing the moments when it starts to “make sense.” New and future paramedics benefit from her efforts. Brianne worked previously in retail and restaurant management and started an education to apply for nursing school. She realized she did not like nursing, continued to work, and started her Basic EMT class 9 years later. She knew quickly that she had found her new career. Brianne says she enjoys the challenges. She says she enjoys the job never being the same, from day to day. Brianne and her husband, David, stay busy on her days off raising their children. They have two children of their own, but they also offer their home for foster children. Brianne says they have at least 3, but have had as many as 9 at any one time. And if that isn’t enough, Brianne also enjoys working as a volunteer for Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps. She teaches and works to provide first aid for large events in the Metro area. Brianne is a vital part of the REACT team and we are proud to recognize her as our 2014 Star of Life.”