Cool Thinking Under Pressure Nets Armstrong Ambulance Awards
From left are Vale Santiago, dad Jolimar Santiago, mom Diana Santiago, baby Kirk Santiago and Communications Manager Jeff Scott, who helped dad deliver Kirk when mom went into labor earlier this year. Courtesy photo.
With grace under pressure, Armstrong Ambulance Service Inc. of Arlington has received two awards for its work in emergency medical services.
Jeff Scott, a communications manager for Armstrong, was awarded dispatcher of the year for his work in talking a Medford father through the successful delivery of his baby son before emergency crews arrived on scene.
Jeff recently met baby Kirk, along with Jolimar and Diana Santiago, when they came to visit him at Armstrong’s offices.
In addition, Armstrong Ambulance received the Team Response Award, along with Medford Police and Fire for their handling of a severe motor vehicle accident on Aug. 1. The car accident was deemed a “mass casualty incident,” as five people were critically injured. One was thrown from the vehicle on impact and one of whom was trapped and later extricated after an extensive effort.
The awards were given at the annual meeting of NorthEast Emergency Medical Services, a not-for-profit coalition that works with 50 cities and towns and 15 hospitals in the region to support and coordinate emergency medical services.
“I am very proud of the hard working men and women who are always on call to provide emergency care to our neighbors,” Armstrong Ambulance CEO Richard Raymond said in a news release. “Armstrong Ambulance has a 70-year commitment to providing the best possible service and medical care to our patients, and our 300 staff members represent the best and most modern training that exists in emergency medicine.”
The following Armstrong employees were recognized for their work during the Medford incident: EMT-P Edwin Alarcon, EMT John Sullivan, EMT-P Michael Gilbert, EMT Jennifer Marshall, EMT Kristin Shea, EMT Kayla Giammarco, EMT Peter Reed, EMT Adam Brownstein, EMT-P Eric Hunter, EMT-P Michael Forget, EMT-P John Conceison, EMT Denise Trimble, Field Operations Manager Joe Amello, dispatcher Colin Friend and dispatcher Katie Donnelly.
NorthEast Emergency Medical Services has been responsible for the coordination of the emergency medical services system for 50 cities and towns northeast of Boston since 1990. It is the mission of NorthEast EMS to support and enhance an environment that ensures the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective emergency medicals services in the region by providing leadership and support services regionwide.
Armstrong Ambulance was founded in 1946, shortly after Bill Armstrong returned from his tour of duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. While living at home, he watched his mother, a registered nurse, care for friends and family when they were injured or sick, and was inspired to follow her example.
As the company grew, Armstrong earned a reputation for care and compassion, and quickly became an industry leader. He was instrumental in forming the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, developed to ensure the highest standards of care by ambulance services statewide. Today, Armstrong employs 300 highly-trained emergency medical services professionals, and provides EMS services to 17 communities in the Greater Boston Area, responding to more than 45,000 emergency calls every year.
The founder died last March.