Nic Heller began working in EMS four years ago after a good friend and neighbor gave him an application to volunteer for Polk County Fire District. After six months of initial training, Nic began responding to calls and was immediately hooked. He received his EMT-B certification and joined Pacific West Ambulance (PWA) two months later. 

Nic is currently training to be a Paramedic while working two full-time jobs. In addition to his job as an EMT, Nic serves as a Behavior Consultant subcontractor for the state of Oregon and writes behavior plans for adults that live in assisted living and memory care facilities. He also continues to work as a volunteer for Polk County Fire District. Nic plans to attend the National College of Technical Instruction (NCTI) next year and to return to PWA upon completion of his degree.

Nic and his wife, Cassandra, have two children, Mercy and William, two dogs, and two cats. Nic enjoys spending as much time as he can with his family, as well as playing bass guitar for his local church.

Candice Dickson’s first day as a paid EMT on an ambulance was September 11, 2001, with AMR Rancho Division in Southern California. A year and a half prior, Candice found herself suddenly widowed and was looking for a sense of control and security, which the challenges of mobile healthcare fulfilled. Of her experience in EMS, Candice says, “I found that I got back from it so much more than I ever expected. I found like-minded people with tons of curiosity and interesting senses of humor, people that took their skills very seriously, but didn’t have to wear their scars.”

In 2003, Candice became a Paramedic after studying at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, California. She received a field internship at Yucaipa City Fire, which lead to a paid position as a Call Firefighter, in addition to her full-time Medic job with AMR. Candice also began teaching in the EMT and Medic program at Crafton Hills. In order to improve her wildland fire skills, Candice also worked for a short period for the California Department of Forestry.

Candice moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 2006, and worked for South West Ambulance, before returning to the West Coast and relocating to Lincoln City, Oregon in 2008. She has been a Medic with Pacific West Ambulance (PWA) since 2009, and has enjoyed the challenges of working in a rural community with a rigorous Medical Advisor. In 2017, Candice attended and graduated from the North Lincoln Fire & Rescue Academy, which has allowed her to live her passion for EMS and serve her small community even more.

When not on duty, Candice loves to go fishing.

Nathan Rasmussen came to Pacific West Ambulance as a Paramedic intern in 2011. He was quickly liked by all the staff and was given the nickname “Monkey”.This nickname came from the auto commercials where a monkey would jump out the trunk of a vehicle, and come to the aid of the vehicles driver. As an intern, Nathan was very eager to arrive on scene and jump out of the ambulance ready for action. Nathan gained the respect of those that worked with him, and he was hired on full time after he completed his schooling. Nathan has a strong passion for EMS and continuing education that he shares with those that are around him. His enthusiasm for his job is contagious and this is why he was awarded Pacific West Ambulance “Paramedic of the Year” in 2013 by his peers. Even though Nathan is at the start of his career in EMS, he is able to function at the level of a seasoned Paramedic. Nathan has become an asset to Pacific West Ambulance due to his willingness to step in and lend a hand when needed with special projects, staffing, and taking a vital role in the growth in the company. During his off time Nathan enjoys an active lifestyle of mountain biking, racquetball, and has a strong passion for his Subaru STI.”

Laura joined Pacific West Ambulance as an EMT a little more than four years ago and has since become a Paramedic. During this time, she has proven herself to be a deeply compassionate caregiver for her patients as well as a true team player. She is always ready to help at a moment’s notice.

She started in EMS when she was working at the hospital in Poplar, Montana. The hospital had a volunteer ambulance service that often put on classes. At first she wasn’t too sure that EMS was where she wanted to be, but then she ran her first call. She says she immediately fell in love with the ambulance, the field, the constant newness…and the rest is history.

Laura is the chairperson for Pacific West Ambulance’s Safety, Operations, and Quality committee, which helps shape the day-to-day operations of the organization. She has been instrumental in advising management on different aspects of the operation and then making changes with the goal of producing better employee job satisfaction and patient outcomes.

In Laura’s off time, she enjoys spending time with her 9-year-old, Tristan, her other half, Chris, and their wiener dogs, Duck and Goose, along with an assortment of chickens. Her family enjoys outdoor activities including kayaking, fishing, hiking, hanging out at the ocean, beachcombing, reading, painting, and a bit of video-game playing.

Pacific West Ambulance is proud to name Laura T. Ballanger our 2018 Star of Life.

Tommy Walker began his career in EMS in St. Louis, Missouri. He has since gained almost ten years of experience as a paramedic before joining our family at Pacific West Ambulance. In Tommy’s time as a paramedic he has been a prior Stars of Life recipient, a mentor and preceptor to paramedic students, and an EMS Bike Team Captain. As a bike captain he was responsible for providing medical services for participants at a range of events as well as coordinating medical staff and care. This has given him the ability to be a great leader and a highly qualified and competent paramedic. He has continued to learn and grow his medical expertise, even completing training to become a Critical Care Paramedic, a program that educates paramedics to better understand the needs of extremely sick or injured patients during extended transports to higher levels of care. He finds that being the first line of defense for his community in their times of need gives him great pride. He is a man that truly enjoys serving and making his community proud.

Tommy brings a lighthearted but caring energy to our team and displays a passion for providing a genuine type of care to our patients. He has an infectious spirit that helped him integrate and become a valued member of our team. He is always ready to provide a helping hand, tell a joke, or be the one to run command in a time of high stress. His ability to function as a lead paramedic and be the driving force on his calls, while never missing an opportunity to make someone smile or teach someone something, has made him more than deserving of this honor.

In his free time, Tommy is an avid photographer and travels with his wife, Karly. Photography is only one of Tommy’s many talents that he is always happy to share. Tommy and his wife lead a happy life of laughter and love. They are proud to say that they actually met at the Stars of Life celebration years ago when Tommy was being honored for the first time and Karly was accompanying her cousin, who was also being honored. The pair has added to their duo by adopting three rescued Weimaraner puppies. Tommy’s days are spent working hard, serving his community and loving his small family. He is a point of pride for Pacific West Ambulance and we hope nothing but fine things for his future.