July 26, 2011 MR 11-05 [Georgetown, Del.] – Sussex County paramedics offer the best emergency medical care money can buy, and a national group is awarding the County’s EMS division with top honors.

The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians recently announced that Sussex County Emergency Medical Services is the 2011 winner of the Dick Ferneau Paid EMS Service of the Year award, to be presented at the end of August in Las Vegas.

The award is the most significant national recognition for Sussex County EMS in its 20-year history, and adds to a long list of other achievements and accolades earned by the organization. Earlier this year, a competition team from Sussex County EMS won a gold medal during the 2011 Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) Games in Baltimore.

Other previous honors for the organization include JEMS gold medal performances in 2005, as well as silver medals in 2006, 2009 and 2010. Sussex County EMS also placed third during the Magen David Adom (MDA) 2008 Olympics, an international EMS competition held in the Dead Sea region of Israel.

EMS Director Robert Stuart said the latest honor is a reflection of the professionalism and high-standards practiced every day by the agency and its 92 medics.

“We’re extremely flattered, honored and humbled to have even been considered for this prestigious national award,” Director Stuart said. “This award speaks to the dedication, professionalism and quality of the people who make up this organization. This achievement would not have been possible without the continual support of our County officials, our County Council, and the people of this community.”

Founded in 1975, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is a 32,000-member national association dedicated to representing the professional interests of all EMS practitioners, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders and other professionals working in pre-hospital emergency medicine. NAEMT members work in all sectors of EMS, including government service agencies, fire departments, hospital-based ambulance services, private companies, industrial and special operations settings, and in the military.

In recognizing Sussex County EMS, the association lauded the paramedic service for its advancements in EMS education and training, innovations in pre-hospital care, coordination and involvement with the medical community, and the development of injury and illness prevention programs.

Sussex County Administrator David B. Baker congratulated Director Stuart and his staff for this latest achievement, adding that the honor puts Sussex County in the national spotlight among other service providers.

“This is a proud moment for of our paramedic division, for the County government and for the people of Sussex County,” Mr. Baker said. “With or without this award, though, we are proud of what this organization has become, and we are thankful for the life-saving work our dedicated men and women perform each and every day for the citizens of our county.”

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For more information, please contact Eric Huovinen at (302) 854-5255.