Press Release
Nashville, TN---In 2009, ambulance services in Tennessee responded to over one million 911 calls. The second annual EMS Star of Life Awards Dinner & Ceremony will honor the dedication of those who provide day-to-day lifesaving services on the medical "front line" in Tennessee. The ceremony will present actual patient scenarios and reunite the EMS caregivers with the individuals they treated from the eight EMS regions across the state.
One of many survivors attending the EMS Star of Life is three-year-old William Underwood from Memphis who was saved by the volunteer medical personnel at Bellevue Baptist Church after falling and crushing his trachea. He was then transferred to LeBonheur Children's Medical Center by Memphis Fire where he underwent immediate surgery.
The parents of five-year-old Zachery Seals thanked Morristown Hamblen EMS for being there when Zachery's heart rate began to slow and eventually stop. The Critical Care Transport Team from East Tennessee Children's Hospital came transferred him to their Pediatric Critical Care Unit.
Bradley County EMS responded to Shawn Hall's accident where they revived his lifeless body after his left leg and part of his pelvis was amputated. Mr. Hall was airlifted by LifeForce One to Erlanger Medical Center. He has been in rehabilitation and will hopefully walk across the stage with his newly fitted prosthesis to accept his "Certificate of Life"
Montgomery County EMS and Vanderbilt LifeFlight revived two-year-old Mikaya Trice who suffered from a popcorn kernel that was blocking her ability to breath. She was transported to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in critical condition.
Putnam County EMS and Baxter Fire Department came to the home of Bill Stines where his stepson was performing CPR on him prior to transporting him to Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
Two more survivors suffered massive heart attacks. Thirty nine year old Shane Ayers realized how fortunate he was to have EMS at his work site at Eastman Chemical Company when he experienced a complete cardiac arrest. Wayne County EMS recognized that Barry Busby required rapid transport to a special cardiac catherization lab, that research shows, was his best chance of survival. He was flown by Vanderbilt LifeFlight to Vanderbilt where they found that one of his heart vessels was 99% blocked.
The Star level sponsors for this year's EMS Star of Life are Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Emergency Mobile Healthcare, LLC.
The mission of Tennessee Emergency Medical Services for Children Foundation, the host of the EMS Star of Life, is to ensure that every child in Tennessee receives the best pediatric emergency care in order to eliminate the effects of severe illness and injury.
What is the EMS Star of Life Award? The EMS Star of Life event is designed to honor the accomplishments of EMS personnel from all regions of Tennessee who provide exemplary life-saving care to adult and pediatric patients. The ceremony will include a presentation of the actual adult and pediatric patient scenarios and reunite the EMS caregivers wth the individuals they treated. Recipients will be chosen from each of the eight EMS regions in the state. This is the premier event that will kick off EMS week (May 16-22) within the state to recognize an honor our excellent prehospital providers.
Bradley County EMS was also the recipient of the first annual Star of Life Award presented last year at the same location. It was given for the successful resuscitation of Meridith Parker who was a 29 year old female who collapsed and died. She is alive and well today.
The call chosen for region 3 for 2009 was the life saving treatment of Shawn Hall who was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident. On October 5, 2009 at 6:30 PM Bradley County responded EMS units to a reported accident on Highway 60 involving a motorcycle. When they arrived on the scene they never imagined what they were going to find. A 38 year old male was riding his motorcycle. He was passing an 18 wheeler while approaching a hill. A car came over the hill and struck him. He was ejected from the motorcycle and struck the "A" post of the car at which point the impact ripped his entire left leg off with part of his pelvis. He was thrown a long distance and landed in the middle of the road. The car struck the side of the 18 wheeler and crashed into a ditch. The motorcycle went beneath the front of the 18 wheeler and was drug for a very long distance. EMS crews arrived on the scene with in minutes. At first glance they thought the patient was dead. There was a large stream of blood flowing down the center of the road. Keith Umberger was the lead paramedic in charge of patient care. He quickly realized the patient was breathing and sprung into action. Where his leg was removed there was a huge gaping hole and bleeding profusely. Paramedics had to pack trauma dressings into the area to help control the bleeding. He had no radial pulses. He was unconscious. Three IV's were established. An airway was established using rapid sequence intubation protocol. Placed in full spinal package. Life Force helicopter from Erlanger responded to the scene. Patient care was turned over to them. He was flown to Erlanger where he was in very critical condition.
Shawn and his entire family were able to attend our EMS Christmas Party. We picked him up from the rehab hospital in an ambulance and transported him to the party. We recognized him and those that took care of him. It was a great time. This is truly a survival story that is nothing short of a miracle.
The EMS personnel that responded to the scene are as follows;
Keith Umberger-Critical Care Paramedic
Jake Hill-EMT-IV
Jeff Spence-Paramedic
Tony Cochran-Paramedic
Winston Wright-EMT-IV
John Clines-Critical Care Paramedic and Supervisor
Richard Miller-EMT-IV
John Tyler-EMT-IV
All of these will be called up to the stage in Nashville as well as the Lifeforce crew and 911 Dispatchers and presented the Star of Life Award along with Shawn Hall.
Media will be onsite before the ceremony begins. You should receive more info in reference to that. Contact info at TN EMSC is:
Rhonda Phillipi
Executive Director
615-343-3672 or
Kristi Rush
Program Coordinator
615-936-5274