JVEMS Wins EMS Service of the Year Award: DPHHS Honors Responders for Life-Saving Heroics

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) honored Montana Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel from White Sulphur Springs, Great Falls, Whitehall, Bozeman, Miles City, and Anaconda during an awards ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday, May 24.

The event included an address by Lt. Governor Kristen Juras to representatives from the Meagher County Volunteer Ambulance, Montana Medical Transport of Helena and Great Falls, Jefferson Valley EMS, Gallatin County Dispatch, Miles City Police Department, and the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program.

Governor Gianforte proclaimed May 21-27 as Emergency Medical Services Week and Wednesday, May 24 as EMS for Children Day.

DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said EMS workers are there for Montanans each and every day. In 2022, EMS services were requested more than 130,000 times, with more than 5,000 requests for children experiencing illness or injury.

"Montana's first responders are there for the communities they serve no matter the time of day," Brereton said. "Those who work in EMS deserve a tremendous amount of recognition for their commitment and dedication."

Nominated by their peers, awards were presented to:

Volunteer EMS Provider of the Year Award, Jack Berg, Meagher County Volunteer Ambulance. This award honors a volunteer EMS provider who is exemplary in his/her quality of patient care and dedication to their community.

"Improving and Protecting the Health, Well-Being, and Self-Reliance of All Montanans."

Berg was nominated by Eva Kerr, a nurse with the Meagher County Health Department and a Meagher County Ambulance Volunteer.

Kerr states: "Jack has been a volunteer EMT in Meagher County since 1984. He holds a Montana EMT license #14. Jack was one of the first EMTs certified in Meagher County and continues to be one of the first out of bed in the middle of the night when a page for help rings out. You can breathe a sigh of relief when you know Jack is on the call. He never stops learning and has tremendous skills. Jack is the essence of Where Emergency Care Begins!"

Career EMS Career Provider of the Year Award, Jerry Lyons, Critical Care Paramedic, and Lead Emergency Care Provider Instructor with Montana Medical Transport of Helena and Great Falls. This award is for a career EMS provider who exemplifies the quality of care and dedication to the community.

Lyons was nominated for the award by Joe Metcalf, Critical Care Paramedic and Service Director with Montana Medical Transport.

Metcalf states: "Jerry has dedicated his 35-year career to providing EMS care to his community. He was a student in the first paramedic class in Montana in 1990 in Billings and upon graduation held paramedic license #4. Jerry retired in 2020 from Great Falls Fire and Rescue after 25 years of active service and has worked as a critical care flight paramedic for Montana Medical Transport for the past six years.

Even after all these years of service, Jerry continues to expand his knowledge and pass it down to the next generation. Day or night, Jerry will take the time to answer questions and provide a level of genuine attentiveness that is rare to find."

EMS Service of the Year Award, Jefferson Valley EMS. The EMS Service of the Year recipient exhibits dedication to improving patient care through education, injury prevention, community awareness, medical director involvement, and collaboration with surrounding EMS services. Jefferson Valley EMS was nominated by former patient Cari Ray of Whitehall.

Ray states: "Jefferson Valley EMS is a volunteer ambulance service that serves southern Jefferson County and parts of northern Madison County. They respond every day to requests for both emergency and non-emergency calls for service. They provide 911 service as well as community paramedic services, assisting community members to stay in their homes rather than moving to long-term care or assisted living.

Even though they do not have a hospital in their community, they provide interfacility transport between facilities in neighboring counties.

On the night of April 25, 2022, JVEMS responded to my house for a medical emergency. I was suffering from a severe headache and ended up collapsing in my bathroom. Francine (Janik) knew right away that I was having some sort of neurological condition that needed attention ASAP. The crew called Life Flight from my bathroom to get them to St. James. I was ultimately diagnosed with a brain aneurysm which was treated by emergency surgery in Salt Lake City just a few hours after my call for help.

I almost lost my life that evening and owe the biggest debt of gratitude to the Jefferson Valley EMS crew Francine Janik, Topper Giono, and John Janik. The crew recognized the critical nature of the situation and requested a life flight meet them at the Butte hospital.

I believe they all deserve this award for going above and beyond for their life-saving heroics. They also worked closely with my family by consulting with them as decisions were being made to protect my health. I can't thank them enough."

911 Dispatcher of the Year Award, Jennifer LaCross, Gallatin County 911. This award recognizes a 911 dispatcher who has shown exemplary performance of duties as the "first, first responder" in medical emergencies. Jennifer was nominated by Tim Martindale, Jr., Director of Gallatin County 911.

Martindale states: "Jennifer has worked for the Gallatin County 911 Center for 27 years. In 2022, she received the Gallatin County 911 Lifesaver Award. She was instrumental in helping to find the location of a motorcycle crash in which the caller did not know the address. Through questioning of the caller, she was able to pinpoint the location and give life-saving instructions.

During Jennifer's time with Gallatin County 911, she unknowingly saved many lives and comforted many callers. She has dedicated her life to public safety and is the perfect candidate for this award."

EMS Supporter of the Year Award, Miles City Police Department. This award honors an individual(s) who has demonstrated exceptional support for EMS, EMS agencies, and the broader EMS system. The Miles City Police Department was nominated by Battalion Chief Sarah Lewin of the Miles City Fire Department.

Lewin states: "The Miles City Police Department was chosen as the EMS Supporter of the Year for their tireless efforts and dedication to their community. I can think of no greater supporter of EMS in our community of Miles City than the Miles City Police Department. Through training, certifications, AED deployments, and response to medical calls, Miles City PD have gone the extra mile to care for Miles City's patients and community.

In 2023, they deployed AEDs on two cardiac arrest saves and assisted at countless other medical calls, administering life-saving naloxone prior to the arrival of EMS."

The EMS for Children Supporter Award, Jason Mahoney of Anaconda. This award recognizes an individual whose actions contributed to saving a life and who remained calm in the face of a crisis.

Mahoney was nominated by Kelly Little of the DPHHS EMS for Children Program Manager.

Little writes: Jason works as the Pediatric Liaison for the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program in Montana. He is a licensed paramedic and worked for 20 years for American Medical Response in Billings. He also worked for 10 years as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings.

He assisted with the development of the Montana Hospital and EMS Pediatric Ready Recognition program and has worked since 2017 to identify Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators with EMS agencies across the state. Pediatric Care Coordinators are tasked with making sure their EMS agency has the equipment and training necessary to care for Montana's children. He is currently teaching EMS agencies across the state about the importance of the safe transport of children in ambulances. Jason has been instrumental in bringing pediatric-specific education to EMS agencies across the state.