[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E748-E749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TRIBUTE TO EMS PERSONNEL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL LUTHER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 8, 2001

  Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, in 1997 alone there were almost 960 million 
ambulance trips made to health care providers in the United States, an 
overall rate of 3.6 visits for every American. While ambulatory care 
makes up a relatively small part of the federal budget for health care, 
paramedics and EMS personnel are providing vital services to our 
communities. These are the men and women who form an important safety 
net of emergency care for millions of Americans every year.
  Too often we do not take the time to recognize individuals for their 
outstanding accomplishments serving others. I want to take a moment to 
recognize the EMS personnel who are there when we need them most.
  Every year, those men and women who go beyond what is expected of 
them and perform truly outstanding acts of service are recognized with 
the Stars of Life award from the American Ambulance Association. Chosen 
by their peers, these professionals are selected to represent them in 
Washington, DC as part of the National EMS Week activities.
  This year, 109 individuals from across the United States, including 
my home state of Minnesota, are honored as Stars of Life for their 
exceptional service and selfless courage.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit the names of the 2001 American Ambulance 
Association Stars of Life honorees to be printed in the Record.

                         2001 ``Stars of Life''


          States and Star's Name; Ambulance Service, and City

                              ARKANSAS--1

     Julia Key, Columbia County Ambulance Service, Magnolia

                               ARIZONA--1

     Randy Perkins, Rural/Metro, Scottsdale

                             CALIFORNIA--11

     Timothy Beverlin, American Medical Response, Palm Springs
     Adrienne Bosel, American Medical Response, Burlingame
     Erin Hughes, American Medical Response, Garden Grove
     Lisa LaRusso, American Medical Response, Riverside
     Randy Lyman, American Medical Response, Santa Rosa
     Joe Matthews, American Medical Response, Cerritos
     Steve Prater, Hall Ambulance Service, Bakersfield
     Jeff Tanner, American Medical Response, Riverside
     Sloane Valentino, Medix Ambulance Service, Mission Viejo
     John Van Aalst, American Medical Response, Cerritos
     Karen Wright, American Medical Response, Concord

                              COLORADO--1

     Christian Weber, American Medical Response, Denver

                             CONNECTICUT--4

     Sue Bednarik, American Medical Response, Waterbury
     Robert Phelan, American Medical Response, New Haven
     Lynn Vergnetti, Hunter's Ambulance Service, Meriden
     John Worobel, Hunter's Ambulance Service, Meriden

                               FLORIDA--3

     Mary Jo Strosnider, Rural/Metro, Orlando
     Armando Toledo, American Medical Response, Miami
     Jeff Young, American Medical Response, Largo

                               GEORGIA--3

     Kevin Harralson, Mid Georgia Ambulance Service, Macon
     Cedric Scott, Mid Georgia Ambulance Service, Macon
     Valerie Spratin, Rural/Metro, Augusta

                               HAWAII--1

     Chris Gilbert, American Medical Response, Kahului-Maui

                                IOWA--6

     David Edgar, Jr., West Des Moines EMS/IEMSA, West Des Moines 
         Kelly
     Freeman, Monroe County Ambulance, Albia
     Keith Gilman, Lee County EMS Ambulance, Donnellson
     James Lange, Medic EMS, Davenport
     Max Maes, Medic EMS, Davenport
     Nadine Tice, American Medical Response, Charles City

                               INDIANA--1

     Lisa Christen, American Medical Response, Fort Wayne

                              LOUISIANA--5

     Richard Billiot, Priority Mobile Health, New Orleans Anthony
     Cramer, Jr., Acadian Ambulance & Air Med Services, Lafayette
     Shannon Jones, Med Express Ambulance Service, Pineville
     Carl Theriot, American Medical Response, New Orleans
     Michelle Wiggins, Med Express Ambulance Service, Pineville

                           MASSACHUSETTS--16

     Teresa Anyon, American Medical Response, Worcester
     William Barry, Armstrong Ambulance Service, Arlington
     Frank Carabello, Lyons Ambulance Service, Danvers
     Rollie Citroni, Lyons Ambulance Service, Danvers
     Paul Dalton, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     Davin Fors, Armstrong Ambulance Service, Arlington
     John Haley, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Somerville
     Scott Jones, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     John Kulis, Armstrong Ambulance Service, Arlington
     Vaughan Mason, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     Arthur Melvin, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     Mark Miller, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     Kevin Moore, Lyons Ambulance Service, Danvers
     Richard Raymond, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham
     Kenneth Reynolds, American Medical Response, Natick
     Peter Viele, Action Ambulance Service, Stoneham

                              MICHIGAN--5

     Jules Baumer, Medstar Ambulance, Mt. Clemens
     Brian Beckwith, LifeCare Ambulance Service, Battle Creek
     Chad Crook, Life EMS, Grand Rapids
     Tom Mackey, Huron Valley Ambulance, Ann Arbor
     Danial Sanchez, Medstar Ambulance, Mt. Clemens

                              MINNESOTA--3

     Gary Olson, LifeLink III, St. Paul
     J. Todd Rather, Mayo Medical Transport, Gold Cross Ambulance, 
         Rochester
     Michele Sundberg, Allina Medical Transportation, St. Paul

                              MISSOURI--3

     Randall Bennett, Metropolitan Ambulance Services Trust, 
         Kansas City
     Steven Harris, Taney County Ambulance District, Branson
     Scott Wolf, Emergency Providers, Kansas City

                             MISSISSIPPI--2

     Sharon Hinson, American Medical Response, Natchez
     Roger Wade, American Medical Response, Gulfport

                               MONTANA--1

     Jason Mahoney, American Medical Response, Billings

                           NORTH CAROLINA--5

     Nathaniel Archie, Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Charlotte
     Phil Carter, FirstHealth of the Carolinas,
         Montgomery EMS, Pinehurst
     Robert McNally, Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Charlotte
     Djuna Melton, FirstHealth EMS--Hoke, Raeford
     Jeffrey Roberts, Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Charlotte

                            NEW HAMPSHIRE--2

     Dwayne Hogencamp, Rockingham Regional Ambulance, Nashua
     Debra McCartney, Rockingham Regional Ambulance, Nashua

                             NEW JERSEY--2

     Paul Leidenfrost, Rural/Metro, South Amboy
     Nancy Neuhaus, Med Alert Ambulance, Sparta

                             NEW MEXICO--1

     Janet Mauro, American Medical Response, Alamogordo

                               NEVADA--3

     Mark Kelly (deceased), American Medical Response, Las Vegas
     Tracy Kramer, American Medical Response, Las Vegas
     Kevin Romero, REMSA, Reno

                              NEW YORK--5

     Richard Brandt, Mohawk Ambulance Service, Schenectady
     Eric Conley, Rural/Metro, Buffalo
     Blaine Fremantle, Mohawk Ambulance Service, Schenectady
     Marcus McKenzie, CHS Ambulance Service, Farmingdale
     Daniel Smith, Rural/Metro, Syracuse

                                OHIO--2

     Jacqueline Punka, American Medical Response, Akron
     Patrick Straker, Rural/Metro, Youngstown

                               OREGON--2

     Lucie Drum, American Medical Response, Portland
     Brian Murdock, Mercy Flights, Medford

                            PENNSYLVANIA--2

     Wanda McKinney, Rural/Metro, Farrell
     Robert Walbert, Cetronia Ambulance Corps, Allentown

                           SOUTH CAROLINA--1

     Brian Harbin, Medshore Ambulance Service, Anderson

                            SOUTH DAKOTA--1

     Greg Beaner, Rural/Metro, Sioux Falls

                              TENNESSEE--1

     Gary Watlington, Rural/Metro, Knoxville

                                TEXAS--7

     Shay Britton, Dallas Ambulance Service, Dallas
     Vickie Elliott, Dallas Ambulance Service, Dallas

[[Page E749]]

     Stacy Fisher, American Medical Response, Cleburne
     Kim Higginbotham, Life Ambulance Service, Canutillo
     Joe Kammerling, Prime Care Ambulance, Houston
     Allen Snell, Rural/Metro, Waco
     Kenneth Stanley, LifeNet EMS, Texarkana

                              VIRGINIA--5

     Ted Marshall, LifeCare Medical Transports, Fredericksburg
     Michael Martens, Sentara Medical Transport, Virginia Beach
     Dawn Novisky, LifeCare Medical Transports, Fredericksburg
     Ben Walker, American Medical Response, Richmond
     Danny Wildman, LifeCare Medical Transports, Fredericksburg

                               VERMONT--1

     Kandis Holden, Regional Ambulance, Rutland

                             WASHINGTON--1

     William Engler, American Medical Response, Seattle

                              WISCONSIN--1

     Tina Nicolai, American Medical Response, Kenosha

     

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