Governor’ EMS Award winners announced at annual Virginia EMS Symposium

The 2018 Governor’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Award winners were announced at the 39th annual Governor’s EMS Awards Ceremony in Norfolk. These awards, given in Gov. Ralph Northam’s name, recognize outstanding EMS providers and organizations from across the Commonwealth for their demonstrated level of excellence and dedication to the EMS system.

Presented in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Emergency Medical Services’ Annual EMS Symposium, the awards ceremony caps off the weeklong training event. The largest EMS training event in the Commonwealth and one of the largest in the nation, this year’s symposium welcomed more than 1,600 participants. The symposium offers each participant the opportunity to earn up to 26 hours of continuing education credits for recertification as an EMS provider, via more than 360 class sessions.

“I am always so honored and astounded by the hard work and dedication that Virginia’s EMS providers demonstrate, and it’s during this special event that we can recognize all of their efforts and contributions to our EMS System,” said Gary Brown, director, Virginia Office of EMS. “It is because of every one of them that we can bring the best prehospital emergency care to all people in Virginia. I am so proud of their continued commitment and congratulate all nominees and winners of the 2018 Governor’s EMS Awards.”

The VDH Deputy Commissioner for Public Health and Preparedness Dr. Parham Jaberi, who also attended the Governor’s EMS Awards ceremony said, “We are thankful to all of our EMS professionals across the state who respond selflessly to the call of duty each and every day. The awards ceremony, however, offered the chance to give special recognition to a select group of individuals and agencies who demonstrated a particular achievement or contribution within their communities over the last year.”

The 2018 Governor’s EMS Award winners are:

• The Governor’s EMS Award for Excellence in EMS – Terrence J. McGregor, Lancaster County Emergency Services
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Administrator (The Kent J. Weber Trophy) – Daniel Norville, Norfolk Fire-Rescue
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Physician with Outstanding Contribution to EMS (The Frank M. Yeiser Trophy) – Edward Reed Smith Jr., M.D., Arlington County Fire Department, Virginia Hospital Center
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Nurse with Outstanding Contribution to EMS – Sarah Beth Dinwiddie, R.N., Carilion Clinic
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Prehospital Educator – Jason Ferguson, Central Virginia Community College
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Prehospital Provider – Maxie Skeen, Cleveland Lifesaving Crew
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Health and Safety – Chesterfield County Fire and EMS Peer Support Team, Chesterfield County Fire and EMS
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS for Children – Kelli England Will, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Portsmouth EMS
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Agency – Newport News Fire Department
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Telecommunication – Mindy Secrest, Arlington County Fire Department
• Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Emergency Preparedness and Response (The James A. Nogle, Jr. Trophy) – Near Southwest Medical Reserve Corps

An additional award is presented at the ceremony to recognize the outstanding contributions to EMS by a high school senior. This is a scholarship award provided by the State EMS Advisory Board.

• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS by a High School Senior (The Dr. Carol Gilbert $5,000 Scholarship) – Mikayla Cunney, Fredericksburg Rescue Squad