Saratoga County EMS Council announces 2022 EMS Awards
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management and the Saratoga County EMS Council recently announced the recipients of the 2022 Saratoga County EMS Awards, which recognize emergency services personnel who show individual or team heroism above and beyond the ordinary call of duty.
An awards ceremony was held on July 14 at the Saratoga County Public Safety Building in Ballston Spa during a meeting of the council.
The title of EMS Agency of the Year was awarded to the Edinburg Emergency Squad, an allvolunteer, nimble, dynamic service organization that has consistently embraced change, and delivered the highest quality EMS coupled with enhanced services to their citizens and community, according to a press release from the county. Formed in 1962, the agency remains the only all-volunteer ambulance service in Saratoga County, staffed by 22 volunteers, answering
100 calls annually and supported entirely by community donations.
Their vaccination efforts and COVID test kit distribution not only saved lives and prevented hospitalizations, the release said, but earned these dedicated volunteers the respect and admiration of Saratoga County EMS.
This year’s local EMS Educator of Excellence is Jean Tranka, who has served as a Certified Instructor Coordinator for the Saratoga County EMS Council for over 20 years. Her care and concern for each and every student has not only earned her the nickname, “Mama Jean,” but is reflected in her consistently near 100% pass rates in her courses.
She has an exceptional ability to cultivate a rich enthusiasm for EMS and a lifelong commitment to learning in her students, the release said, noting that her outstanding teaching and educational coordination have maximally improved prehospital services in Saratoga County and beyond.
The EMS Communications Specialist of the Year award went to Thomas Lundquist of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department Communications Division. His telephone CPR instructions have been responsible for dozens of cardiac arrest reversals. On March 20, 2022 at 7:02 pm, Lundquist took a call from the family of a patient in labor. The 24-year-old patient was 40 weeks pregnant with her third child. Lundquist skillfully talked the father through the delivery of a healthy baby girl over the course of the 11 minutes it took first responders to arrive.
His EMS experience also paid off months earlier when a fellow Desk Officer collapsed in cardiac arrest in the 911 Center. Lundquist started compressions and later took lead of the resuscitation, resulting in his coworker returning to full duty.
The Harriet C. Weber Leadership Award was presented to Alan Bell, executive director of the Clifton Park & Halfmoon Ambulance Corps. Bell began his service in 1995 as a volunteer EMT. Under his leadership, the agency has
been named by the Times Union as a top place to work for five consecutive years based on employee input. Bell solicits input from the entire workforce, to continually move the organization forward.
Among the unique programs he implemented are regular visits to the stations by therapy dogs, a peer-to-peer support network and an electronic performance review system providing regular performance feedback to every member. His servant leadership style of management sees Bell filling open shifts when needed, administering home vaccinations and continually advancing his own education.
Saratoga County EMS Council has nominated all county award recipients for New York State EMS Annual Awards, presented by the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. These
awards are presented at the New York State EMS Conference, Vital Signs, each year.
More information about the Saratoga County EMS Council is available online at saratogaems. org.