NorthStar Providers Recognized
Dennis Kerrigan named EMT of the year
June 1, 2010
Closing out National EMS Week, NorthStar held its annual recognition and awards banquet in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital to honor its staff of emergency medical technicians (EMTs). NorthStar is the ambulance service of Franklin Memorial Hospital and operates throughout the Greater Franklin County.
Speaking in praise of EMS and NorthStar specifically were a host of spokepersons including Anne Jordon, commissioner, Maine Department of Transportation; Jay Bradshaw, director, Maine EMS; Darryl Brown, chair of the NorthStar Advisory Board; Rebecca Ryder, president/CEO of Franklin Community Health Network (FCHN); Maine Representative Tom Saviello; Joanne LeBrun, TriCounty EMS regional coordinator; Richard Petrie, Kennebec Valley EMS coordinator; David Robie, vice president FCHN and executive director of NorthStar. Senator Susan Collins also videotaped a short presentation played at the event.
During the awards portion of the gala, Dennis Kerrigan, WNREMT-P, of Monmouth took the honors as NorthStar’s “EMT of the Year.” This award recognizes the NorthStar employee who best represents NorthStar’s mission of professionalism, patient care, community activities, fiscal responsibility and overall excellence. On a daily basis working throughout the NorthStar system, Kerrigan shows his dedication and untiring support of NorthStar and the EMS profession. Not only does he live the NorthStar mission but he also trains others in EMS skills, especially in wilderness medicine. In additional to his NorthStar commitments, he is an instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates and works just as hard for Monmouth EMS. A dedicated family man, a great mentor, and an unfailingly positive attitude are packaged with humor and great energy to make Kerrigan an obvious choice for the EMT of the Year Award.
In presenting the award, David Robie commented, “Dennis is all the things that are great about EMS professionals—highly skilled and giving freely of their expertise and time with a wonderful positive attitude. Dennis is a good friend to all, is good for EMS, and very good for NorthStar. We are proud and fortunate to have such an outstanding paramedic in our service.”
“Above and Beyond” awards were bestowed to Eric Baker, EMT-B, from North Anson; Wade Browne, WEMT-B, from Kingfield; Carol Pillsbury, WEMT-P, from Farmington; Steve Smith, EMT-P, from Wilton; Chuck Twitchell, WEMT-P from Kingfield; Peter Wade, WEMT-P, from Farmington; and Stan Wilcox, WEMT-P, from Weld. These awards are given for actions and performances that are above the norm; each recipient is an outstanding example of the professional staff of NorthStar.
The sole “400 Club” award (for 400+ ambulance runs in a year) went to Sam Davis, WEMT-I of Farmington, a two time winner. Several other awards—some serious, some humorous—were also presented. Each and every member of the NorthStar staff was recognized as a contributor to the success of the system.
It was noted that oak trees had been planted a year ago on the FCHN campus in honor of EMS. This year, benches contributed by Conley Gould, EMT-P, were added and dedicated.
Robie and the entire gathering also recognized Carol Pillsbury, WEMT-P, a past EMT of the year winner, for putting together the entire EMS week program including another outstanding awards night celebration.
Robie closed the ceremony by remarking, “We very proud of NorthStar’s accomplishments in the five short years we have operated as a combined regional EMS service. While we have state-of-the-art equipment and modern ambulances, our service is only as good as our professional EMTs who respond day in and day out. And it is clear tonight that our entire NorthStar staff exemplifies the best in EMS. We are pleased that we can honor them in this way. With the power of our regional strength and our focus on local responsiveness, we look forward to continuing to provide the highest level of emergency medical services to each of the 71 communities we serve.”
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