LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Mercy Health St. Rita's is celebrating the 50th anniversary of National EMS Week.
More than two dozen first responders were presented awards for outstanding life-saving measures and medical care at this year's EMS Banquet. Awards were handed out in categories like stroke and trauma care for incidents where their quick action made a big difference.
Mercy Health says that those who make a career out of emergency medicine often don't seek out praise, but it's important to remind them each year that their work matters.
"A lot of people in the community don't know all that can be done in the back of a squad. Our first responders throughout this area; they're the first link in patient care. Whether you're having a stroke, a heart attack, whether you have a traumatic accident of some sort, a lot of times they're starting the same treatment that we're going to do in the hospital, but they're starting it in the back of a squad," said Brian Anderson, the EMS injury and trauma outreach coordinator at St. Rita's.
This year's award winners are:
Greg King Award:
- David Coulter, Lima Fire Department
Stroke Care Awards:
- Markie Fruth and Michael Miller, BKP EMS
- Jacob Berelsman, Scott Boecker, and Connie Rhodes, Ottoville EMS
- Andrew Follas and Rich Wilson, American Township Fire Department
Trauma Care Awards:
- Brian Hilvers, Leanna Horstman, and Ryan Smith, Putnam County EMS
- Kevin Bellman, David Dowling, Trey Sager, and Jacob Steiner, Wapakoneta Fire Department
- Noah Babcock and Abbey Sudlow, Leipsic EMS
Cardiac Care Awards:
- Alex Barden, Renee Hunsaker, and John Lowry, Uniopolis Fire Department
- Barb Coil, Pete Seiling, and LuAnn Youngpeter, Spencerville EMS
- Michelle Garman, Tonya Germann, Brad Schaadt, and Kara Smith, Rockford EMS
- Toby Atkinson, Miles Conrad, David Coulter, Rich Duebler, Holden Purdy, Craig Recker, and Marc Salas, Lima Fire Department
OB Award:
- Aaron Cunningham, Blaici Lee, and Erin Werner, Cridersville Fire Department
- Dylan Herzog and Miles Truex, Cridersville Police Department
- Margie Reichelderfer and Lisa Lowe, Auglaize County Dispatch
