Sacramento, CA…Dr. Howard Backer, Director of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), has announced the recipients of California Emergency Medical Services Awards for 2016. Launched in 2007, the annual awards honor and recognize exceptional acts and service by individuals working or volunteering in California’s emergency medical system.

EMS personnel are trained to provide stabilizing and lifesaving care. These EMS awards are intended to honor and recognize noteworthy or exceptional acts and service while working as EMS certified or licensed personnel, administrators, educators, volunteers or civilians within the EMS system.

“I am pleased to announce a select group of EMS professionals who are being honored for their exhibited professional excellence and exceptional service,” said Director Backer. “These men and women epitomize the spirit and commitment to quality that embody these awards and deserve official recognition for their contributions in making California’s EMS system one of the best in the world.”

Most of the awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony following the regular meeting of the Commission on Emergency Medical Services on December 14th in San Francisco at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel. Clinical Excellence Awards will be presented at the recipients’ home stations and are not part of the formal ceremony in San Francisco.

The award ceremony is generously sponsored by Hospital Council of Northern & Central California, Bound Tree Medical, California Professional Firefighters, Philips Healthcare, Z-Medica, Life-Assist, American Medical Response, California Fire Chiefs Association, California Ambulance Association and Physio-Control. The event is held at no cost to the State of California. For additional information about the awards and the ceremony, visit www.emsa.ca.gov/awards. List of recipients below.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Miles Julihn, San Rafael, Marin County EMS Agency

Leveraging his 30 years of experience in the fire service, Miles is being recognized for his proactive, statewide EMS systems leadership. Together along with his experienced team, Julihn works closely with local fire departments, hos­pitals, private ambulance companies, and other stakeholders to champion mutual respect and a rigorous commitment to EMS system quality improvement. During his tenure as president of the EMS Admin­istrators’ Association (EMSAAC), Julihn worked closely with EMS leaders, elected officials, and other professional organizations to build collaborative partnerships in continuing efforts to improve EMS systems and patient care. Miles continues to serve as an active member of EMSAAC where he plays a key role in manag­ing the organization’s website and offers his counsel to incoming members.

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Ruth Grubb, Santa Ana, Orange County EMS Agency
Ruth is being recognized for nearly 40 years of providing exceptional prehospital education to providers in a variety of settings. Upon first entering the EMS system in 1977 as a mobile intensive care nurse, Grubb regularly worked with paramedics to ensure they were providing exceptional patient care. Later, Grubb assumed primary responsibility for providing paramedic instruction at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital. Since 2010, Grubb has held the positions of EMS educator for the Orange County EMS Agency and faculty at Saddleback Community College where she teaches EMT and paramedic training courses. Grubb’s leadership and innovative thinking have been great assets to the various committees she has served on, including Daniel Freeman Hospital’s paramedic training advisory committee and Orange County EMS Agency’s quality assurance board. Throughout the course of her career, Grubb has endeavored to create an environment in which a collaborative effort exists between fire service, hospitals, ambulances, local and state authorities in order to ensure the EMS system operates smoothly so as to provide excellent patient care.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Dr. Samuel Stratton, Santa Ana, Orange County EMS Agency
Dr. Stratton’s service to California’s EMS system began in 1978 when he joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. During his long career, he has served as the assistant medical director for St. Mary’s Medical Center; as medical director for the Paramedic Training Institute in Torrance; as the director of base hospital services U.C. Irvine Medical Center; and as medical director for both Los Angeles and Orange County EMS agencies. Stratton’s advocacy in Orange County has resulted in the expansion of the county’s stroke, STEMI and trauma receiving systems, as well as led to the development of an electronic patient care reporting system. Dr. Stratton has served on many state and local committees, including the State of California Paramedic Regulations Task Force, the EMS Committee of the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and EMSA’s Trauma Funding Research Advisory Committee.

CIVILIAN AWARD

Christian Beecher, Sacramento

Christian Beecher is being recognized for his quick thinking and brave actions that saved a family of five when their home caught fire. In February of 2016, as Beecher was sitting in his house, he noticed an explosion and flames coming from his neighbor’s house. Quickly running to the house, Beecher helped get the family of five to safety before jumping over a fence to help another neighbor escape flames that had spread to her adjacent home.

David Danberger, Groveland

David Danberger is being recognized for coming to the aid of a motorist who had suffered a heart attack while driving and subsequently crashed his vehicle on the afternoon of February 4th. Upon hearing the crash, Danberger approached the scene to discover the motorist unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel inside his locked vehicle. With the assistance of three other civilians who had also witnessed the crash, Danberger managed to break the driver’s side window with a rock, extricate the passenger, and render CPR until EMS personnel arrived on scene. The group’s quick thinking is being credited for saving the victim’s life.

Jesse Danberger, Groveland

Jesse Danberger is being recognized for coming to the aid of a motorist who had suffered a heart attack while driving and subsequently crashed his vehicle on the afternoon of February 4th. Upon hearing the crash, Danberger approached the scene to discover the motorist unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel inside his locked vehicle. With the assistance of three other civilians who had also witnessed the crash, Danberger managed to break the driver’s side window with a rock, extricate the passenger, and render CPR until EMS personnel arrived on scene. The group’s quick thinking is being credited for saving the victim’s life.

Randall Deaton, Groveland

Randall Deaton is being recognized for coming to the aid of a motorist who had suffered a heart attack while driving and subsequently crashed his vehicle on the afternoon of February 4th. Upon hearing the crash, Deaton approached the scene to discover the motorist unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel inside his locked vehicle. With the assistance of three other civilians who had also witnessed the crash, Deaton managed to break the driver’s side window with a rock, extricate the passenger, and render CPR until EMS personnel arrived on scene. The group’s quick thinking is being credited for saving the victim’s life.

Bruce Faber, Modesto

Bruce Faber is being recognized for coming to the aid of a motorist who had suffered a heart attack while driving and subsequently crashed his vehicle on the afternoon of February 4th. Upon hearing the crash, Faber approached the scene to discover the motorist unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel inside his locked vehicle. With the assistance of three other civilians who had also witnessed the crash, Faber managed to break the driver’s side window with a rock, extricate the passenger, and render CPR until EMS personnel arrived on scene. The group’s quick thinking is being credited for saving the victim’s life.

Isabelle Heinken, Coronado

Isabelle Heinken is being recognized for placing herself in danger in order to help save a young boy who had been carried into the ocean by a riptide current. While swimming with her friend off Coronado’s Gator Beach on the afternoon of June 4th, Heinken heard a young boy screaming and observed that he had been pulled out into the ocean past the surf. Along with her friend, Heinken began swimming towards the terrified boy, and upon reaching him, managed to bring him back to shore, despite not being able to touch the ground and swimming against a strong riptide current. Heinken and her friend safely returned the young boy to his mother who had ran into the water to meet the girls as they returned to shore.

Lou Meyer, Stockton

Lou Meyer is being recognized for his quick thinking and rendering of CPR to an individual suffering cardiac arrest. While in a hair salon, Meyer witnessed a customer who was getting his hair cut lose consciousness and slump over in his chair. Meyer, utilizing his many years of first responder training and experience, quickly moved the victim from the chair to the floor and began to administer CPR. Despite injuring his own back in the process of moving the victim, Meyer administered several breaths and chest compressions after which the victim regained consciousness and began to breathe on his own.

Grace Morgan, Coronado

Grace Morgan is being recognized for placing herself in danger in order to help save a young boy who had been carried into the ocean by a riptide current. While swimming with her friend off Coronado’s Gator Beach on the afternoon of June 4th, Morgan heard a young boy screaming and observed that he had been pulled out into the ocean past the surf. Along with her friend, Morgan began swimming towards the terrified boy, and upon reaching him, managed to bring him back to shore, despite not being able to touch the ground and swimming against a strong riptide current. Morgan and her friend safely returned the young boy to his mother who had ran into the water to meet the girls as they returned to shore.

Steve Prescott, Modesto

Steve Prescott is being recognized for coming to the aid of a motorist who had suffered a heart attack while driving and subsequently crashed his vehicle on the afternoon of February 4th. Upon hearing the crash, Prescott approached the scene to discover the motorist unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel inside his locked vehicle. With the assistance of three other civilians who had also witnessed the crash, Prescott managed to break the driver’s side window with a rock, extricate the passenger, and render CPR until EMS personnel arrived on scene. The group’s quick thinking is being credited for saving the victim’s life.

Priscilla Rivera, Marysville

Priscilla Rivera is being recognized for her quick thinking and rendering of CPR to a family member suffering cardiac arrest. After moving hay bales in December 2015, Rivera’s stepfather complained of feeling ill and being short of breath. Shortly after sitting down outside to rest and cool off, Rivera’s stepfather began gasping for air and became unresponsive. Rivera, who was also babysitting a small child at the time, quickly called 911 and began to administer CPR. Once EMS personnel arrived on scene, they administered an AED at which point Rivera’s stepfather regained consciousness and began breathing on his own.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Kristy Kuhn, Modesto, Mountain Valley EMS Agency
Kristy Kuhn is being recognized for her sustained, dedicated efforts promoting CPR training and education throughout Stanislaus County. For the past two years, Kuhn has spearheaded the Stanislaus Heart Outcomes Consortium, resulting in over 50 CPR training events that have trained over 4,000 residents in hands-only CPR. These trainings have empowered citizens to the point that bystander CPR rates have risen above 60% and are directly responsible for saving over 50 lives over the past two years. Kuhn’s passion for teaching, along with her ability to communicate complex concepts in easy-to-understand ways combine to make Kuhn amongst the most successful advocates for hands-only CPR in California.

Jonathan Mendoza, Manteca, San Joaquin County EMS Agency
Jonathan Mendoza is being recognized for his sustained, dedicated efforts that ultimately led to the establishment of a hands-only CPR program for all ninth grade students at Manteca Unified School District. To date, Mendoza’s program has helped to train 5,844 students and 346 adults in hands-only CPR, and has resulted in two field saves. Mendoza’s program has already begun providing hands-only CPR training for the 2016-17 school year, and now features refresher training for 11th and 12th grade students, as well as opportunities to obtain CPR and AED certifications.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Dr. Bruce Haynes, San Diego, Imperial & San Diego County EMS Agencies
Dr. Bruce Haynes is being recognized for more than 30 years of dedicated and sustained EMS service. Dr. Haynes has served California’s statewide EMS system when he was director of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority from 1986 – 1989, and more recently in a local capacity as medical director for Orange, San Diego and Imperial counties’ EMS agencies. Over the course of his career, Dr. Haynes has actively participated in dozens of committees and task forces that benefit the state and local EMS systems. Dr. Haynes has implemented STEMI and stroke systems of care, has worked on numerous disasters including the 2007 and 2011 fire storms, the HINI pandemic, southern California black out and other significant events impacting the community. Dr. Haynes has ensured that patient protocols are evidence-based and annually reviewed for needed revisions so that the residents and visitors to the community he serves will receive optimal emergency care.

EMS CROSS
Ernest “Dan” Bouse, Adin, Adin Ambulance Service
Ernest “Dan” Bouse is being recognized for his sustained, dedicated efforts to improve emergency medical services in Modoc and Lassen counties. When he retired in 2011 as the director of ambulance services at Modoc Medical Center, Bouse had accumulated 37 years of EMS service in rural communities. When in 2013 Modoc Medical Center ceased ambulance operations in Modoc and Lassen counties, Bouse rallied support for a local ballot measure that would create a community services district to backfill the recently terminated and much needed ambulance services. After numerous community meetings, organizing and campaigning, Bouse was successful on his third attempt at passing a local ballot measure that has since established the Southern Cascades Community Services District which now provides ambulance services in Modoc and Lassen counties.

INTER-SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD
Mark Barra, Calipatria, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
While making his way into work on the morning of July 22, 2016 Sergeant Barra spotted a vehicle parked alongside of Highway 111 with a woman standing outside, noticeably upset and speaking on the phone. As Barra approached the vehicle, a man appeared from inside holding a four month old infant that he indicated had stopped breathing. Without hesitation, Barra recalled his first aid/CPR training, took the child and preformed a quick vitals assessment. Barra, observing a blocked airway, cradled the baby in his arms and administered a series of back blows, successfully dislodging the airway obstruction. Barra next attempted to calm this child’s frantic parents, reassuring them that their child had begun breathing normally and regained normal skin color. The child was transported to the hospital where she made a full recovery.

LIFESAVING MEDAL AWARD
Carlos Bedolla, Jr., Hollister, Hollister Fire Department
While off-duty, Captain Bedolla overheard a dispatch call of a chocking toddler in the immediate vicinity where he was driving. Without hesitation, Bedolla dispatched to the scene where he encountered a noticeably upset mother holding her choking toddler. Without hesitation, Bedolla recalled his first aid/CPR training, took the toddler and preformed a quick vitals assessment. Bedolla, observing a blocked airway, cradled the toddler in his arms and administered a series of back blows, successfully dislodging the airway obstruction. As EMS personnel arrived on scene, Bedolla handed the toddler over, and quietly left the scene.

Richard Gonzales, Manteca, San Joaquin County EMS Agency
While off-duty and driving home, Paramedic Gonzales observed a small brush fire alongside rural Highway 120 in San Joaquin County. Curious of its cause, Gonzales pulled his vehicle over to investigate. Upon closer inspection, Gonzales discovered the fire was caused by a car that had veered off the road, taken out a power pole and come to rest partially engulfed in flames on the backside of an embankment. Hearing screams from inside, Gonzales made his way to the vehicle, cautiously avoiding the live downed power lines and opened the driver-side door, after which point the dashboard burst into flames. Gonzales quickly extricated the driver and carried him away from the vehicle just before it became fully engulfed in flames and provided patient care until EMS personnel arrived on scene. It was the consensus of the responding personnel that the victim would not have survived had it not been for Gonzales’ quick thinking and bravery.

Matthew Morse, Commerce, Los Angeles County Fire Department
While vacationing with two colleagues along the Colorado River, EMT Morse observed a paddle boarder yelling at him that there was an unresponsive woman floating face-down in the water. Upon locating the woman in the water, Morse and his colleagues rushed to the nearest boat and sped towards the woman while an onlooker called 911. Upon reaching the unresponsive woman, the trio managed to pull her out of the water and place her on her side atop the paddle board, all the while navigating a swift current. Once on shore, the trio ensured the woman’s airway was clear and administered CPR before the woman vomited and slowly regained consciousness and normal breathing.

Andy Nicassio, Commerce, Los Angeles County Fire Department
While vacationing with two colleagues along the Colorado River, EMT Nicassio observed a paddle boarder yelling at him that there was an unresponsive woman floating face-down in the water. Upon locating the woman in the water, Nicassio and his colleagues rushed to the nearest boat and sped towards the woman while an onlooker called 911. Upon reaching the unresponsive woman, the trio managed to pull her out of the water and place her on her side atop the paddle board, all the while navigating a swift current. Once on shore, the trio ensured the woman’s airway was clear and administered CPR before the woman vomited and slowly regained consciousness and normal breathing.

David Nicassio, Commerce, Los Angeles County Fire Department
While vacationing with two colleagues along the Colorado River, EMT Nicassio observed a paddle boarder yelling at him that there was an unresponsive woman floating face-down in the water. Upon locating the woman in the water, Nicassio and his colleagues rushed to the nearest boat and sped towards the woman while an onlooker called 911. Upon reaching the unresponsive woman, the trio managed to pull her out of the water and place her on her side atop the paddle board, all the while navigating a swift current. Once on shore, the trio ensured the woman’s airway was clear and administered CPR before the woman vomited and slowly regained consciousness and normal breathing.

MEDAL OF VALOR AWARD
Casey Chesier, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Upon receiving a dispatch call reporting a vehicle that had crashed and rolled down a cliff off Angeles Crest Highway, Deputy Chesier and his colleague responded to the scene in their rescue helicopter. Upon arriving on scene, Chesier observed a vehicle containing four passengers resting precariously atop a 300 foot, supported only by a single small tree. Chesier and his colleague immediately repelled to the vehicle from their rescue helicopter and observed that the four passengers had all suffered traumatic injuries, including one 12 year old girl who had become pinned between the vehicle and the tree supporting the vehicle. After extricating the first three passengers, Chesier and his colleague made a potentially life-threatening decision to cut the safety lines that had been put in place to prevent the vehicle from plummeting down the cliff as this was the only foreseeable way to extricate the pinned victim. Once the safety lines had been cut, Chesier was able to extricate the severely injured victim and transport them all to Huntington Memorial Hospital.

James Moss, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Upon receiving a dispatch call reporting a vehicle that had crashed and rolled down a cliff off Angeles Crest Highway, Deputy Moss and his colleague responded to the scene in their rescue helicopter. Upon arriving on scene, Moss observed a vehicle containing four passengers resting precariously atop a 300 foot, supported only by a single small tree. Moss and his colleague immediately repelled to the vehicle from their rescue helicopter and observed that the four passengers had all suffered traumatic injuries, including one 12 year old girl who had become pinned between the vehicle and the tree supporting the vehicle. After extricating the first three passengers, Moss and his colleague made a potentially life-threatening decision to cut the safety lines that had been put in place to prevent the vehicle from plummeting down the cliff as this was the only foreseeable way to extricate the pinned victim. Once the safety lines had been cut, Moss was able to extricate the severely injured victim and transport them all to Huntington Memorial Hospital.

MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
Theresa Conrad, Rancho Cucamonga, American Medical Response
While returning to National City in an ambulance in slow traffic on Interstate 5 south, Paramedic Conrad and her colleague heard a loud crash behind their vehicle, which turned out to be the impact from one vehicle traveling at 40 MPH rear-ending a stopped vehicle. As one of the vehicles immediately became engulfed in flames, Conrad turned on the ambulance’s emergency lights and observed two passengers inside the burning vehicle. Without hesitation, Conrad and her partner exited their ambulance and put themselves at risk to extricate the two passengers from the burning vehicle. Despite receiving burns of her own during the extrication, Conrad and her partner were able to extricate the two passengers to safety and provide emergency care until EMS personnel arrived on scene.

Carl Dennett, Tecopa, Southern Inyo Fire Protection District
In his capacity of administrative chief, Dennett has seemingly made the impossible possible by breathing new life into the once-flagging Southern Inyo Fire Protection District (SIFPD). Coming out of retirement, Dennett agreed to assume responsibility for all the administrative duties of SIFPD, that prior to then had not been addressed in any capacity for several years. The lack of administrative oversight had negatively affected the district’s ability to recruit and train EMS professionals, as well as provide emergency services to the community. Dennett took it upon himself to build an EMT-P training and recruitment program from the ground up, and establish relationships with local law enforcement and fire to promote his new program and gain recruits. Today, SIFPD has a smoothly operating, professional EMS operation thanks to Dennett’s tenacity and dedication to proving excellent patient care.

Steve Doucette, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Working as a tactical paramedic/deputy since 2006, Deputy Doucette observed that there was a lack of training opportunities for patrol deputies in tactical medicine in the Los Angeles area. Leveraging his years of technical knowledge and experience, Doucette took the initiative to develop a tactical medicine training program for local law enforcement. In addition, Doucette designed a special tactical kit that can be worn on deputies’ belts. To date, Doucette has trained and outfitted 1,500 Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies in tactical medicine, and worked with Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to certify an additional 150 deputies as tactical medics. The training and tactical kit developed by Doucette have been directly attributed to several field saves.

Clifford Hadsell, Carlsbad, Citrus College
Dr. Hadsell is being recognized for his sustained, dedicated service to both providing EMS training and developing new and innovate methods and courses to provide training to a variety of different professionals in his community. For 25 years, Dr. Hadsell has served as EMT program director of two community colleges where he instructed and mentored hundreds of young professionals currently serving throughout California as EMTs and paramedics. In addition, Dr. Hadsell actively works with groups including the American Heart Association, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, Secret Service, local law enforcement as well as a number of cities and counties to provide top-notch EMS training to their personnel.

Robert Lamborghini, Glendora, Glendora Police Department
A registered EMT since 1984, Lt. Lamborghini is being recognized for his pioneering efforts to train and equip law enforcement personnel and community services officers from his department and larger community in the use of AEDs and the nasal opioid antagonist, naloxone. In 1997, before AEDs had become commonplace, Lt. Lamborghini developed and implemented an AED training program that was eventually taken by all personnel within the Glendora Police Department and that was directly responsible for over 30 field saves just a short time after its inception. Lt. Lamborghini also worked with community groups to raise funds that were used to purchase AED units for use in the jail facility and in 15 marked police vehicles. More recently, in 2015, Lt. Lamborghini developed and implemented a naloxone training program for his department, which has led to them becoming the first law enforcement department in Los Angeles County to be approved to allow officers to carry and administer the drug to individuals suspected of opioid overdose.

Kathy Ratliff, Weaverville, Trinity County Life Support
Working in her capacity as general manager for not-for-profit Trinity County Life Support (TCLS), Ratliff’s management acumen took the company’s books from red to black in a matter of two short years. In addition to righting the company’s books, Ratliff instituted a series of CPR training opportunities for the 24 volunteer fire departments in the county as well as community members, and worked with the county to transition TCLS’ administrative personnel to a recently vacated CALFIRE facility, replete with meetings rooms, full kitchen and a state-of-the-art training classroom. Ratliff has nearly single handedly transformed TCLS into a smoothly operating, positive, professional EMS provider in a short period of time.

Gregory Schwegler, Georgetown, CAL FIRE / Cameron Park Fire Department

Paramedic Schwegler, along with his crew were dispatched to a call reporting a vehicle that had become stuck and nearly submerged in a creek. Arriving on scene, Schwegler observed a vehicle approximately 75 feet from shore caught in a swift, threatening current. Quickly donning a dry suit while his colleagues maneuvered their response vehicle upstream, Schwegler strapped on a safety harness, grabbed a life vest and helmet, and endeavored to make his way towards the vehicle through the cold, swiftly moving current. Upon arriving at the vehicle, Schwegler observed a single visibly injured occupant. After attaching the life vest and helmet on the occupant, Schwegler began to extricate the crash victim, only to learn that her injuries were preventing her from standing on her own. Braving brush, downed trees, and a swift current, Schwegler carried the victim to his colleagues waiting near shore where they assessed the patient and provided emergency care.

Brian Wheeler, Los Angeles, UCLA Center for Prehospital Care
Brain Wheeler is being recognized for his leadership, educational and scholarly activities that have helped to make the UCLA Paramedic Education Program one of the best in the country, and earned him a reputation as a gifted educator, a creative scholar, and a realistic leader. Wheeler’s portion of the program – didactic – has one of the highest pass rates in the country and educates more than 150 paramedics annually. Wheeler’s scholarly endeavors follow the pathway of taking an innovative concept, developing it in logical, comprehensive, and understandable sequence, and seeing it through to completion. As an educator, Wheeler often works weekends and stays late to mentor and spend time with his students.

Heidi Whitman, San Diego, American Medical Response
While returning to National City in an ambulance in slow traffic on Interstate 5 south, Paramedic Whitman and her colleague heard a loud crash behind their vehicle, which turned out to be the impact from one vehicle traveling at 40 MPH rear-ending a stopped vehicle. As one of the vehicles immediately became engulfed in flames, Whitman turned on the ambulance’s emergency lights and observed two passengers inside the burning vehicle. Without hesitation, Whitman and her partner exited their ambulance and put themselves at risk to extricate the two passengers from the burning vehicle. Despite receiving burns of her own during the extrication, Whitman and her partner were able to extricate the two passengers to safety and provide emergency care until EMS personnel arrived on scene.

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD (presented at recipients’ home stations)

Daniel Arellano – Glendora, Sierra Madre Fire Department
For belaying down a steep cliff to rescue two stranded individuals who were in imminent danger on July 17, 2015.

Brian Ballentine – Neenach, Los Angeles County Fire Department
For providing excellent patient care to a cardiac arrest victim on December 19, 2015.

Kyle Bell, Oroville – Butte County EMS Agency
For providing excellent pediatric care by resuscitating an infant in full cardiac arrest on January 8, 2016.

Zachary Cain – Escondido, Mercy Medical Transportation, Inc.
For providing excellent patient care to a cardiac arrest victim on April 30, 2016.

Marsha Farrington – Tehachapi, Hall Ambulance
For administering CPR to an unresponsive newborn child, saving its life on December 4, 2015.

Jeremiah Glass – Chico, Butte County EMS Agency
For providing excellent pediatric care by resuscitating an infant in full cardiac arrest on January 8, 2016.

Alec Hernandez – El Nido, Riggs Ambulance Service
For extricating and transporting a severely injured automobile crash victim from his burning vehicle.

Jayson Hilmer – Paradise, Butte County EMS Agency
For providing excellent pediatric care by resuscitating an infant in full cardiac arrest on January 8, 2016.

Ashot Kglyan – Montebello, Sierra Madre Fire Department
For belaying down a steep cliff to rescue two stranded individuals who were in imminent danger on July 17, 2015.

William Krakauer – Woodacre, Marin County Fire
For belaying down Battery Spencer overlook to rescue a man who had fell down the cliff on July 17, 2015.

Kevin Lancaster – Chico, Butte County EMS Agency
For providing excellent pediatric care by resuscitating an infant in full cardiac arrest on January 8, 2016.

Luke Layton – Oakdale, Riggs Ambulance Service
For providing excellent patient care during the MCI tour bus crash in Merced County on August 2, 2016.

Ryan Matheson – Vista, Mercy Medical Transportation, Inc.
For providing excellent patient care to a cardiac arrest victim on April 30, 2016.

Gilberto Mejia – Glendale, Glendale Fire Department
For exhibiting excellence in your work with Glendale Fire Department’s community paramedicine pilot project, and providing excellent patient care on December 2, 2015.

Aaron Rivers – Merced, Riggs Ambulance Service
For providing excellent patient care during the MCI tour bus crash in Merced County on August 2, 2016.

John Scalise – Yucaipa, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
For providing excellent patient care to a multiple gunshot victim during an active shooter situation on March 24, 2016.

Phillip Tibbs – Oxnard, Sierra Madre Fire Department
For belaying down a steep cliff to rescue two stranded individuals who were in imminent danger on July 17, 2015.

Ted Walters – Sierra Madre, Sierra Madre Fire Department
For belaying down a steep cliff to rescue two stranded individuals who were in imminent danger on July 17, 2015.

Eric Watts – Turlock, Riggs Ambulance Service
For extricating and transporting a severely injured automobile crash victim from his burning vehicle.