For Release on May 18, 2007 after 6 pm MR 07-10: Sussex County EMS (SCEMS) announces the kick off of National EMS Week beginning with the presentation of annual awards during the Sussex County Annual awards banquet at Club House at Baywood, in Millsboro, Delaware on May 18, 2007.
Those awards include Special Recognition awards; District Supervisor, Field Training Officer, Emergency Communications Specialist, EMS Nurse, EMS Physician, Administrative Excellence, EMT and Paramedic of the Year.
District Supervisor of the Year-ANN TAIT
Ann Tait, who has been employed with Sussex County since it’s inception in 1991, received the award for District Supervisor of the Year. Tait, who is assigned to B-Shift East, was chosen by her peers. According to Tait’s coworkers, she provides the gentle guidance to allow our people to develop into excellent employees while at the same time remaining extremely consistent in her managing of the shift. Her nominations contained words such as “honesty” and “integrity”, and she’s described by one as, quote, “the most organized person I have ever met”. In addition to her duties as a Supervisor she assists with the EMS banquet and SOP Committees. Ann remains the unofficial “Historian” for SCEMS. In her spare time she races horses with her husband. Ann and her son are active members of the Dagsboro Fire Company. She holds two degrees from Delaware Technical and Community College in Paramedic Technology and EMS Management.
Field Training Officer of the Year - JOHN JACOBS
John Jacobs received the award for Field Training Officer of the year for his dedication to ensure that the medics he trains perform not just to the minimum standard, but to the very best of their abilities. John not only helps those new medics who are assigned to him, but is always willing to help anyone who asks for it. One person who John trained describes him this way; “He is someone who sincerely cares about the education of the candidate or student. He is patient, understanding, honest, professional, and someone that you are not afraid to talk to. He sets the bar high, but he is always there to help you get over it.” John has been a member of the department for six and a half years. He has an associate’s degree in paramedic technology, and a bachelor’s degree in information technology. John lives in Seaford with his wife and child and in his spare time enjoys kayaking and golf.
Emergency Communication Specialist - KEVIN BRUMBLY
Kevin Brumbly received the award for Emergency Communications Specialist of the Year for his dedication and continued education both locally and at national conferences to stay on top of this rapidly changing field. Kevin serves as an Assistant Shift Supervisor and handles critical situations always keeping the safety of EMS personnel in mind by advising them of hazardous situations. Kevin lives in Laurel with his wife and child. He is also an active member of the Laurel Fire Department.
EMS Nurse of the Year - CHERYL LITTLEFIELD
Cheryl Littlefield received the award for EMS Nurse of the Year for her ability to remain calm in the mist of chaos and always with a smile. Cheryl according to one nomination has what is described as, quote, a “great relationship with EMS”. In even the busiest of times, she makes sure to take the time to interact with both BLS and ALS crews as partners in patient care. Our nominators all agree that no matter how busy the ER is, she always has a smile and a nice word for the EMS crews. Cheryl was honored with this award in 2005. Cheryl has been employed with Beebe Medical Center for the past six years as a Charge Nurse in the Emergency Department. Cheryl has been a nurse for the past seventeen years and lives in Lewes with her husband and two sons.
EMS Physician of the Year – DR. SUZANNA VASS
Dr. Vass received the award for EMS Physician of the Year for her dedication and support for the EMS community while employed as an Emergency Department Physician at Nanticoke Hospital for the past six years. In addition to her work in Sussex County, she is the Chief of Aerospace Medicine for the Pennsylvania National Guard. She is board certified in Emergency Medicine, and is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Vass has been a supporter of EMS and a true team player. She has always considered pre-hospital care as an extension of the Emergency Department. Dr. Vass will be missed by the EMS community as she is leaving to take a position out of state.
Administrative Excellence - TIM COOPER
Tim received the award for Administrative Excellence for his dedication as the Special Operations Coordinator. The position of Special Operations Coordinator was created in response to our department’s increasing role in hazardous materials incident response, interaction with the Delaware Emergency Management Agency for WMD and terrorism strategies, along with our pre-existing commitment to pro-active Public Information and Education Programs and increasing requests for event coverage by our Special Events and Bike Medic Teams. Tim has been recognized throughout the department for his work in improving our haz-mat capabilities, obtaining grant funds and equipment to provide needed equipment for our expanding roles, and coordinating the activities of all the groups that come under the heading of Special Operations. Tim lives in Rehoboth Beach with his wife and daughter.
EMT of the Year - KATHY MYERS
Kathy Myers received the award for EMT of the Year for her caring and calm approach to patient care and support for EMS county-wide. Kathy has been involved in EMS and the Fire Service for the past twenty years. Eight years ago she answered the call for EMT-B training from her department, and has been one of their top responders every year since. She also pitches in with several neighboring departments when they need help with ambulance staffing. Most recently, she completed Fire Instructor I training and has begun instructing future EMT’s at the State Fire School. In addition to her duties as an EMT-B, she is a familiar face at Sussex County EMS, assisting with our Public Information displays and Special Events activities. She has cooked, sewn, and recently even cleaned carpets for our medics. Kathy lives in Laurel with her husband and daughter and remains an active member for the Laurel Fire Department.
Paramedic of the Year – KEITH BENNETT
Keith has been a Paramedic with SCEMS since 2003 with several years of experience prior to his employment with SCEMS. Paramedic Bennett has been active as a member of several committees, including the HazMed Team, Bike Team, Equipment Committee and Chart Review Group. Keith has two sons and lives in Preston, Maryland where he is a member of the fire company. One of the people who nominated him described him as, quote, “the quiet one who does his job very well without a lot of fanfare”. His skills are outstanding, and the number of thank-you letters he has received tells you how well he treats both his patients and their families. He goes out of his way to mentor newer medics, and one person who has worked with him said that they have gained, quote, “enormous amounts of information”. Keith is described as having a thirst for knowledge and a friendly caring attitude toward his patients, their families, and his co-workers.
In addition, Special Recognition Awards were presented to Nanticoke Hospital, Lisa Robinson from BayHealth Occupational Health, Pot-Nets Security, and Sussex County EMS Office Manager Nancy Hamilton. Nancy will retire from county government this fall with thirty years of service to the county and the last eight with Sussex County EMS. Nancy was honored in appreciation of thirty years of service to the citizens of Sussex County and her dedication to the mission of Sussex County EMS. Since Nancy came into the office our agency has doubled in personnel and budget. Nancy keeps our office humming along and she will be sorely missed.
Lisa Robinson was recognized for her dedicated service to the health and well being of our paramedics at the coordinator of BayHealth Occupational Health Services for Sussex County EMS. Pot-Nets Security was recognized for their assistance to SCEMS when responding to calls in their community, and their dedication to the safety and well being of the residents they serve.