2011 Paramedic of the year
Derrick Phillips, EMT-P

In 2004 we had an EMT-IV come to work at Anderson County EMS; as many before him, he was someone that found himself in a career change: one of former active duty military, then diesel mechanic to now starting anew in EMS as an EMT-IV. He was new, not young, but he was dedicated, efficient, and hard working. EMS was a mission from his heart, where he has fully committed himself to growing. As he grew, he made the decision to pursue the ranks in EMS and go to Paramedic school. Paramedic school wasn’t the easiest thing for him, but he worked hard, put in his hours, made sacrifices, and eventually achieved his goal and stitched on the patch he so fondly pursued. This in itself could be a story of great success and personal achievement.

But sadly, in March of 2007, it was all ripped away from him. During his off duty time, he volunteered for a local first responder agency and found himself on an internal attack of a working structure fire. During this call, he was involved in an accident that found him without his SCBA mask and in a real crisis. As he inhaled the superheated toxic gases, he succumbed to the situation and lost consciousness. He was dragged out by the fellow rescuers and attended to by his own EMS family. He was flown to UT by Lifestar and spent a long time recovering from his internal injuries.

The prize he had worked so hard to obtain was now lost; as he healed he was not cleared to work in EMS. As a result of the accident, he had developed memory loss and pulmonary injuries. He found himself going through rehabilitation to help him recover and allow him to move on. He was able to come back to work for Anderson County EMS in August of 2007 as the supply officer. Yes, he was alive, he still had his family, he had a job working for the agency he so dearly loved, and there is no doubt that he had much to be thankful for, but yet again, his story doesn’t end here either. Being filled with determination and continuing to strive for his prize, he committed himself to not give up. In 2011, 4 years after his accident, Derrick Phillips was given full release to work as a Paramedic again, and now he finds himself back on an ambulance, living out his dream. This, my friends, is a story of true dedication, commitment, and pursuit of one’s dreams. Derrick is an excellent employee, great Paramedic, loving father, and dear friend.

 

2011 EMT of the year
Allen Brown, EMT –IV

2011 Lifetime Achievement Award
Tracy Skinner

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Tracy Skinner for the Lifetime Achievement Award.  Many of you may know Tracy as Sappy from back in the day.  Tracy started his commitment to EMS while he was still in high school by volunteering at the local fire department and rescue squad.  Once he graduated, he began training for what would be his lifelong dedication to serving his community and others around him.

His first full-time job came as a firefighter, where he completed fire school, and became a certified journeyman firefighter and driver/pump operator.  During this time at the fire department, Tracy went to EMT school, thus beginning his career in EMS.  As do the majority of people working EMS, Tracy worked multiple jobs.  While doing this, he chose to continue his volunteering with the rescue squad.  Prior to moving to Knoxville, Tracy was one of the first providers to respond to the mass casualty incident in 1990 on I75 in Bradley County.  After moving to Knoxville, Tracy began working for Rural Metro Fire and Rural Metro Ambulance Service, where he earned employee of the year in 1991.  While working for these services, he remained very active with the Knox Volunteer Rescue Squad.  He earned many certifications, such as vertical rope rescue, dive rescue specialist I, air crash rescue and recovery in the water environment, basic rappelling and rope management.  He became the dive team leader, member of the heavy rescue/confined space rescue, cave and vertical team, search team and assistant chief of operations.  Tracy continued working two full-time and one part-time EMS job until accepting a job as a fire operator at TVA Watts Bar, where he is now a foreman over fire operations.  He continues working PRN at Monroe and Meigs County EMS.

Tracy is a rare commodity left in the EMS field.  He is one of the most dedicated individuals I have ever encountered in EMS.  He exemplifies total selflessness when there is someone in need of first response, mutual aid or assistance.  He is perfectly happy with remaining an EMT.  But since he came over on the ark, I would hold his knowledge and skills comparable with any Paramedic or Nurse I know.  I have watched him on calls, and see the ease and patience he exerts.  I have also heard many EMS crews make the statement they are relieved when they see he is on a scene.  As many of you know, he remains very active with anything that involves him in EMS and fire.  To this day, he still keeps a pager to respond with rescue, EMS and fire.  I have witnessed him numerous times putting others and their needs ahead of his own.  He never thinks twice about responding to a call.  Tracy is an excellent asset to any department with his competence, skills and compassion to do what is right for his crew, coworkers and the patients he serves.  And for those of you that know Tracy, you know the type of dedication he portrays.  In this day and age, there are not many people that have the passion and love for the profession that Tracy has.  I ask that you please take my nomination and place serious consideration on presenting Tracy with the Region II Lifetime Achievement Award.  He has served our profession well for the past 35 years, and will continue to do so as long as the good Lord is willing.  I am more than honored to be associated with such an outstanding role model.

2011 Service of the year

Morristown-Hamblen EMS was established in 1984 by the Morristown Rescue Squad to provide ambulance services to the citizens of Hamblen County.  Morristown EMS maintains the highest Tennessee rating for Ambulance Services, class “A”, providing Advanced Life Support coverage on 95% of our runs.  The Service is a non-profit agency that receives no financial support from Morristown City or Hamblen County.  The service staffs four twenty four hour ALS trucks seven days a week. We also staff one twelve hour ALS truck seven days a week and one BLS truck five days a week.  The service has a total of eight ambulances including back-up trucks.  Morristown EMS employees 30 full-time Paramedics and EMT-IV to staff the ambulances.  The service has a total of 62 employees including part-time.  The annual operating budget for the service last year was $2,825,000.  We responded to 11,397 calls in Hamblen County which covers 174 square mile area and has approximately 62,000 residents.

Our personnel are professionals in the pre-hospital setting and have extensive training for the skills they are required to perform.  Our employees strive to go above and beyond and this is shown by the Service winning the EMSC Star of Life award three consecutive years in a row.

The Service is involved in many different community programs held throughout the year.  Naming just a few of the programs we are involved in and participate are the Senior Citizens Health Fair, Touch a Truck Program for the children, Halloween Boo Feast for the children, the 4^th of July celebration at Cherokee Park and Program Graduation at College Square Mall.

The service has implemented an education fund to assist our employee’s with advancing their licensure level by paying for Paramedic or Critical Care certification courses.  The service has implemented training officers and Supervisors for each shift which allows for employees and all new employees to receive training and assistance at work.

As an employee of Morristown EMS for many years, I have seen the Service continue to grow and strive to be the best for the citizens of Hamblen County.  It is time that the Service and all the employees that have worked so hard to make it a success receive recognition

Presidents Award
Angie Bowen