[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 ____________________