Ian Carroll is being honored for his bravery and skill in two separate situations—one involving a patient whose vehicle fell into a river and another involving a patient injured in a mining truck accident.
The first incident happened when Ian was off duty, sitting in his car at an intersection. That is when he saw another vehicle run through that same intersection and into the nearby river. Ian quickly left his car, jumped into the river, and pulled the driver out of the sinking vehicle and onto the shore. He then stabilized the patient as more help arrived.
In the other situation, Ian entered a crashed haul vehicle and administered blood products to an injured driver whose leg was bleeding profusely. While fire personnel worked to extricate the individual from the truck, Ian realized more blood was needed, so he called for another AEL aircraft to deliver additional supplies. That decision was a critical factor in helping save both the patient’s leg and life.
Tracey Gray serves as the Director of Education at Jan-Care Ambulance Inc., where she is at the forefront of training over 400 emergency services personnel. Under her guidance, Jan-Care has seen innovations in hybrid EMS education, making it accessible, accredited, and always relevant. As she says, “I take pride in developing personnel competently to be ready to work once certified.”
Tracey’s commitment to EMS is rooted in her service to the nation. Beginning her journey at the Army Medical Department, Department of Combat Medic Training in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, she achieved distinction by graduating from the U.S. Army’s pioneering non-segregated combat medic training. Her 26 years of simultaneous service in the Army Reserve and civilian EMS culminated in her retirement as a soldier, but her spirit to serve the community as an EMS leader never waned.
Achieving the rank of 1SG E-8 in the Army, Tracey held profound responsibilities in a Ground Ambulance Unit. Her military training, encompassing combat medic to military-specific medical evacuation procedures, combined with her role as an Army Basic Instructor and Army Reserve Career Counselor, showcases a breadth of leadership and expertise. These accomplishments are underscored by a host of military achievements including the Army Commendation Medal with V Device and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
In the civilian realm, Tracey’s commitment to EMS is unyielding. Having attained her National Registry Paramedic certification 28 years ago, and later her Critical Care Paramedic in West Virginia, she is the clinical helm for critical care at Jan-Care, supervising 30 Critical Care Paramedics. Beyond the ambulance, Tracey has served as a firefighter with the Ansted Certified Fire Department for over a decade, and specializes in Vertical and Swiftwater Rescues within New River National Park.
As an educator, Tracey’s aim is clear: cultivate tomorrow’s leaders. She ardently believes in removing barriers for students and ensuring when they graduate, they are fully equipped for the job. Her mottos, “Train as we fight!” and “BE, KNOW, DO,” encapsulate her philosophy of genuine mentorship and active skill-building. This passion for education is further evidenced by her myriad teaching certifications and her active participation in curriculum development for the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services.
With an educational background that boasts a Certificate in Paramedic, an Associate Degree in Emergency Medical Services, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership, Tracey is a beacon of knowledge and capability. Yet, at the heart of it all, she remains a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, cherishing her family and the outdoors.
For all her accomplishments, Tracey Gray remains dedicated to the ethos of service, education, and paving the way for future EMS leaders. She is truly deserving of the 2023 Stars of Life award.
Paul Seamann’s EMS career began on a chilly October weekend in 1981, when West Virginia implemented the crazy idea of closing down its recently constructed 876-foot-high single arch bridge and allowing BASE Jump parachutists from around the world to legally plunge into the near vertical gorge resplendent with its hardwood trees at the height of their fall colors, only to land on the rocky shores of a Class 5 mountain river.
While traveling cross country with his newly minted EMT card, Paul came upon the wild celebration and assisted the local Jan-Care Ambulance rescuers, treating the injured jumpers whose three crash landing options appeared to be rock, tree, or river. Forty years later, Paul Seamann is still present at every WV Bridge Day, and is still leading the Jan-Care medical operations on the shores of the mighty New River.
Over the past four decades, Paul has added a few additional accomplishments to his résumé. He has become a Paramedic and has worked 137 cardiac and traumatic arrests, and has provided advanced care as a CCT Medic. Paul also has his RN degree, and has worked in the ED And ICU while simultaneously instructing over 150 National Registry EMT and Paramedic students across the mountains of southern WV. He is also a frequent presenter at state and national conferences.
With a master’s in healthcare administration and a busy career as Director of Operations of the state’s largest EMS agency – overseeing 120,000 responses across twelve rural counties – Paul’s continuing love for the raw and interpersonal aspects of the EMS profession has kept him deeply involved in helping guide EMS forward. He has continuously held leadership positions in local EMS and hospital councils, the state EMS Advisory Council, and the statewide Medical Review Committee. Paul also is President of the WV EMS Coalition and the WV EMS Administrators, as well as an active member of the Legislative Task Force and of numerous protocol, active threat, pediatric, and other specialty committees. He is an NAEMT state advocate, and is an active participant in many AAA programs.
Paul Seamann, who has driven across all fifty states and has traveled to twenty-five countries, is fond of inspiring new recruits to EMS with a simple statement: “If you want to BE SOMEBODY, to make a real difference in a person’s life, then EMS is your home and we welcome you aboard.”
Paul has been instrumental in the progress of EMS since the 1990s. He is a staple at Jan-Care Ambulance, and has played a major role in the overall success of Jan-Care Ambulance.
