Local EMT honored by NorthStar EMS
Last week, communities and companies across the nation celebrated National EMS Week, an event first signed into being by President Gerald Ford in 1973.
The purpose of National EMS Week is to recognize the accomplishments of the men and women who dedicate themselves to saving the lives of others and to educating the public about emergency preparedness.
The theme for this year’s EMS Week was “Everyday Heroes,” which is something the people of Franklin County can attest to after EMS personnel flocked to the scene during the recent disaster situation created by the tornado on April 27.
Emergency personnel reacted quickly to get tornado victims the fastest and most accurate care they could possibly receive, and Tony Smelley, president of NorthStar Emergency Medical Services, said he was proud of the individuals that work for NEMS.
“Our response to the recent tornado events and our dedication to providing personalized and professional care to our communities has reinforced my belief that we have a great team of professionals that make NorthStar EMS what it is today,” Smelley said.
This year, NEMS created the “Star of Life” program, which was designed in an effort to recognize the company’s team members during EMS Week. An award was presented to each operation in the company as well as an overall “Star of Life” award given to one person company-wide.
“While the primary focus of this recognition is on clinical skills, it was also important to highlight other attributes of our team members to include community contributions, going above and beyond the call of duty, maintaining a service record which exemplifies NorthStar’s vision, mission and core values, and one’s ability to lead by example,” Smelley said.
The awards were determined by a selection committee who unanimously determined that Russellville resident Natasha Shackelford, who has worked for NorthStar for nine years, should receive not only the “Star of Life” award for the Franklin County operation but also the “Star of Life” award for the entire company.
“This is the first year the company has given out this award, so it is a big honor for Natasha to be chosen out of the whole company to receive both the award for our office and the overall award,” Jeremy Glenn, NEMS local operations manager, said.
“She is an exemplary employee – someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty as an EMT and to help the community.”
Glenn said Shackelford serves as their office’s team captain for the Relay For Life, she’s a member of the dive team and she’s involved in other types of community service.
“Natasha is compassionate, knowledgeable, a great paramedic and a good friend to her co-workers,” Glenn said.
“The other employees who were nominated are great employees, but the way Natasha is always doing more than she’s asked made her extremely deserving to receive this award.”
Shackelford had no idea when she arrived at the awards banquet last Friday night she would be receiving such an honor.
“I was so surprised and so touched that someone would think enough of me to nominate me for this award,” Shackelford said. “If it wasn’t for the great co-workers I have, I couldn’t do all that I do.”
Shackelford said she loves what she does and that makes it easy to come to work every day.
“When someone needs an ambulance, they’re usually in a pretty bad situation in their life, so it makes me feel good to help someone who really needs it,” she said.
“I just love to help people, so it doesn’t even make it feel like a job most of the time.
“This is such a big honor for me and I’m so thankful to have been chosen.”
