Bernard “Bernie” Cote is Rescue Inc.’s 2024 Star of Life, but he has truly been a star for many years. Bernie’s interest in EMS began in high school. Although he pursued a degree in computer science and business administration, he felt a strong calling to work on an ambulance. He received his EMT certification from a Cheshire Medical Center course in 1994, followed by EMT-I in 1998, which later transitioned to AEMT.

Bernie spent 15 years with the Keene Fire Call Company and joined Diluzio Ambulance Service in 1995. In 2006, he became part of Rescue Inc. In 2023, when Diluzio Ambulance closed its doors, Bernie was there to ensure that the community continued to receive experienced emergency medical care during the transition. He worked diligently with Rescue Inc. to help bring over the providers who were losing their jobs.

Bernie is known for his loyalty and consistency. He reliably shows up for his shifts, and his documentation and care are always of the highest quality. He puts in long hours including working nights and weekend shifts, often fueled by baked treats from his wife, Cassie. Throughout the years, he has provided excellent patient care, demonstrating unwavering dedication.

When asked what he enjoys about EMS, Bernie says, “I love helping people and providing quick solutions that lead them to long-term care.”

Bernie resides in Newfane, VT, with his wife and their two cats. Cassie suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and Bernie spends his free time supporting her and researching ways to help. Together, they enjoy their adventures as The Pirates Cassandra and Phelan in pirate reenactments and renaissance fairs.

We are truly grateful for Bernie and the invaluable contributions he makes to our community.

Rescue Inc. is proud to recognize Todd Perry as an American Ambulance Association Star of Life. He has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to our community and the EMS profession, going above and beyond the call of duty in every aspect of his work. Todd’s got that spark.

In 1987, Todd joined the fire department as a volunteer, and began responding to fire and rescue calls. Without medical training, Todd felt that his ability to help was limited. Todd is not the type of individual to stay limited, so he sought training to become an Emergency Care Assistant. He then quickly earned his EMT license. He’s got that spark.

Todd joined Rescue Inc in 2005, and since then has been literally saving lives daily. In 2006, he became an EMT-Intermediate. Next, he earned two associate degrees and his RN license in 2012 and 2014, respectively. After completing the requirements to become an Advanced EMT in 2014, he completed a bridge program to earn his national Paramedic license in 2017. He continued to advance his practice as both RN and Paramedic, and by the end of 2018, he had become certified in critical care in both fields.

Todd is deeply committed to continuous learning and actively seeks out opportunities to expand his knowledge and skills, ensuring that he remains at the forefront of best practices in medicine. Todd is a mentor and a teammate, and in 2021 and 2022, his peers awarded him ALS Provider of the Year. Now in 2023, Todd is a leading provider of our prehospital point-of-care ultrasound program and an experienced Critical Care Paramedic. He is also involved with the new rapid sequence intubation program at the agency. He hopes to advance his practice as a critical care provider to offer the best outcomes he can to all those in need. He is currently working full-time positions as both a Critical Care Paramedic and a Critical Care Nurse. He’s got that spark.

Todd feels that his dual Paramedic and nursing professions are interconnected and complement one another. During the pandemic, growing concerns that the healthcare system was going to become overwhelmed weighed heavily on Todd. He asked if he could assist by doing “Just-In-Time” training sessions for nurses and other providers not familiar with critical care, including ventilators. He felt that the best way to help the community as a whole was to prepare as many providers as possible to assist in the most challenging of circumstances. Fortunately, COVID was not as deadly in Vermont as it was elsewhere. However, Todd was able to prepare more than 100 providers to assist should the need have emerged. He’s got that spark.

Todd is the guy you want to see: He’s the guy you want to see if you are a new EMT on your first day looking for friendly guidance; he’s the guy you want to see if you are injured or sick and afraid; he’s the guy you want to see in the ER as your nurse or in your home as your Paramedic. Todd is that guy; he’s got that spark.

Todd lives with his wife, two children, 45 sheep, 20 chickens, and three dogs on his 18-acre farm in a town of 869 folks. When he’s not working or studying, he enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking, and making improvements to his 150-year-old farm house. He is a shining example of the kind of dedicated and compassionate professional that this award was created to honor. He’s got that spark.

Lieutenant Joseph (Joe) Thompson has been a devoted member of Rescue Inc since 1982. Joe began his career as a volunteer EMT covering the overnight shifts. Since that time, his role at Rescue has transformed into a full-time leadership position. He currently wears many hats within the organization – from Frontline Shift Supervisor to building maintenance, to Emergency Medical Responder to CEVO driver instructor. Joe is the “go-to” guy and has an answer for everything.

Not only does Joe always have an answer, but he always shows up – day or night. When you need Joe, he is there. There is not another individual more dedicated to the agency than Joe. In fact, he has his own internal radio system, named the “Joedio,” because he is always there and always listening.

Joe says he loves working at Rescue because, “every day is a new and exciting challenge that keeps me on my toes and thinking. It’s a wonderful place, otherwise I wouldn’t have been here for forty years.” Despite already wearing many hats, Joe is constantly being thrown into different roles. One minute he is conducting an on-road drivers test for a new employee, and the next he is driving a critical care transfer, and, as soon as he returns, he is doing a car seat check and then restocking all the supplies. He takes these new challenges and obstacles with stride and continues to hum his way through the day with a positive attitude and a smile on his face.

When Joe is not at Rescue (which is not often), he enjoys mowing lawns, going fishing, and spending time with his grandson. In addition, Joe volunteers his time at the local ski hill as a patroller. He loves to keep busy and to be in the community giving back in every aspect of his life.

Joe has truly made a positive impact on Rescue Inc, and we are honored to recognize Joe Thompson as a 2022 Star of Life Award nominee.

Mark Considine has played a very active role at Rescue Inc over the past 33 years. He has made a huge impact on the agency and each individual provider he has worked with. Mark is the former Chief of Rescue Inc and, although he has stepped down from that role, he continues to be actively involved in QAQI review and with training new Paramedics. He also works as a front line Critical Care Paramedic.

As a Paramedic, Mark continues to be the busiest member of our agency. The most remarkable thing about Mark Considine is that, even though he has been working 48 hour plus weeks for 33 years, he has never complained! He is the hardest-working, most dedicated worker in EMS. Mark also continues to expand his medical knowledge by attending numerous training programs each year and advancing his scope of practice. In our opinion, Mark is at the forefront of paramedicine in the state of Vermont and beyond.

Mark is an excellent mentor. He is eager to pass on his knowledge and assist others in transitioning into management roles. He never ceases to provide insightful and calculated feedback and advice.

In addition, Mark manages to stay fit and active through daily workouts with his wife, Lori-Ann. Throughout 33 years in EMS, he has managed to maintain a balance between work and home life, something that many in our line of work struggle to do. Mark also has two sons, one of which has followed in his footsteps and works full-time at a fire department as a Paramedic and Firefighter.