The National Emergency Medical Services Week is held each year during the month of May. To celebrate, the Yakima County Department of EMS along with the assistance of community members holds an “EMS Award Ceremony”. The ceremony closes EMS week with a celebration and a thank you to those agencies, men and women who serve our community each and every day. Volunteer firefighters make up over 60% of Yakima Valley’s EMS response. Men and women waiting for their pager to go off, calling them away from their families or jobs to medical calls, fires and more. Kids and family events are interrupted repeatedly as they sacrifice those events for us. The system would not be functional without the services of the local fire department volunteers, the full-time firefighters, ambulance crews, emergency rooms nurses and physicians, dispatchers, and so many more. On this day, we say thank you. Thank you for the commitment you’ve made to our community and thank you for providing excellent care. We hope to see you and your family at this year’s EMS Award Ceremony being held on May 26th, 2012.
Come and join us at the Capitol Theatre, the 3rd Saturday in May 2012 for the EMS Award Ceremony and celebrate your EMS providers!
Download the current flyer for this years schedule of events here.
Plan now to get those collegues nominated early for the providers awards.
Download the 2012 nomination form and send it to the EMS office.
2nd Annual EMS Awards Ceremony - May 15, 2011
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Opening Remarks - C. Hamilton welcome and introductions |
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Guest Speaker - Dr. Chris Schmelzer, YVMH ED |
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Guest Speaker - Dr. Linda Seaman, YCMS |
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Winner of the $500 Art Program Contest: Outlook Elementary, Judith Weden, Art Teacher |
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Runner-Up $250 Art Program Contest: Nob Hill Elementary, Mrs. Watson, Teacher |
| picture coming soon | Runner-Up $250 Art Program Contest: Lince Elementary, Susan Petterson, Principal |
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“Friend of EMS” Award to Andrew Dale, Security Guard at YVMH |
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“RN of Excellence” Award to Rachel Putnam, RN at YVMH |
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“Physician of the Year” Award to Dr. John Zambito, YRMC |
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“EMS Educator of the Year” Award to Brian Paul, EMS Office |
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“Dispatcher of the Year” Award to Bob Clark, YCFD #5 |
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“Volunteer of the Year” Award to Gary Jackson, Selah Fire Department |
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“EMT of the Year” Award to Alex Langbell, City of Yakima Fire Department |
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"Paramedic of the Year” Award to Jeff Davie, Advanced Life Systems |
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“Administrator of the Year” Award to Chief Aaron Markham, Sunnyside Fire Department |
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Medical Program Director Award I & II to Tom Watkins & Jerrod Zabik, American Medical Response Medical Program Director Award III & IV to Kevin Gaidos & Nick Henle, American Medical Response |
| no picture | Cardiac Arrest Save Award: April 1, 2011: AMR - Eric Fordahl, Trevor Quandt (YFD send for crew) |
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Cardiac Arrest Save Award: September 21, 2010: SSFD - Ryan Savage, Josh Roe, Mike Beckwith |
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Cardiac Arrest Save Award: March 21, 2011: EVFD and AMR Medic 10 - FF. Ryan Evers, LT. Keith Schrank, Chf George Spencer, CD; Mike Riel, Lt. Nick Henle, Trevor Lenseigne, Jori Derrey, Tony Fortier |
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Cardiac Arrest Save Award: January 11, 2011: YFD - Jeremy Rodriguez, Chad Williams, Beau Watson (ALS send for crew) |
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Cardiac Arrest Save Award: March, 2011: YFD, ALS – Jeremy Rodriquez, Chad Williams, Jameson McDougall and Donald Sharp |
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Hosts Candace Hamilton and Juan Acosta |
Special thanks to everyone who made the 2011 EMS Award Ceremony a success: Dr. Chris Schmelzer, Dr. Linda Seaman, Karen Jackson, Kim Bersing, American Medical Response, Advanced Life Systems, Chief David Willson, and Battalion Chief Tom Sevigny and Leslie Porter (photography).
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Mayor Micah Cawley with opening statements |
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High School Essay Winner (Kelly Gooss) |
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Middle School Essay Winner (Natalie Bartlett) |
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Middle School Essay Award (Kylie Thorndike) |
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Middle School Essay Award (Alicia Alvarez) |
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“20 Years of Service” Award to Diane Koch, EMS Secretary |
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“Friend of EMS” Award to Pete Orgill, Davis High School |
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“RN of Excellence” Award to Tamara Pettis, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital |
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“Tele-Communicator of the Year” Award to Cheryl Miller, SUNCOMM |
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“Educator of the Year” Award to Lora Robinson, Yakima County EMS Office |
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“Administrator of the Year” Award to Ken Shipman, Fire District #5 Dispatch |
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“Volunteer of the Year” Award to Wayne Guckert, Toppenish Fire Department - with over 30 years of service |
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"First Responder of the Year” Award to Brandon Torson, West Valley Fire Department |
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“EMT of the Year” Award to Dwight Derby, Advanced Life Systems |
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“Paramedic of the Year” to Jim Curtice, Gleed Fire Department |
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Medical Director Award to Roger Nelson, Yakima County Fire District #5 |
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Medical Director Award to Cara Bardwell, American Medical Response |
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Medical Director Leadership Award to Candace Hamilton, EMS Manager |
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Brother Jack Hendersen closing prayer |
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Special Thanks to the Capitol Theatre |
Thank you to everyone who made the 2010 EMS Award Ceremony possible: Brother Jack Henderson, Mayor Micah Cawley, John Stouffer, Chief Charlie Hines, Chief Steve Smith, American Medical Response, Advanced Life Systems, Kim Bersing (YVMH) and the Yakima Valley School Districts and Leslie Porter (photography).
