Category: TASA News

Richard Land

2006 TASA Lifetime Achievement Award

This team member began his EMS life experience with the Knoxville Rescue Squad in the early sixties. He progressed to work for Knox County Ambulance Service where he worked as an ambulance attendant (before EMTs). During this time he worked with some very notable persons, some who moved forward in EMS and others who moved into the penal systems and not as guards. He then assisted in the first EMT class taught in East Tennessee and the second in the State.

He is one of only 8 EMS personnel with a current license number of less than 100.

He was one of the first persons asked to join the State EMS Staff in the summer of 72. He worked for some time in Nashville and was then assigned as one of the first Regional EMS Consultants to Knoxville.

In those early days he was responsible for all of the counties from Roane to the Virginia line. He traveled much and along the way helped the financial condition of a number of cities and counties as he sped on his mission to improve patient care in EMS. He also dedicated several items of clothing as he demonstrated how Oxygen supports combustion while teaching in EMT classes (his tie and shirt). Along the way he managed to meet Jane who became the love of his life and mother of his twins. Jane has supported him in the ups and downs in EMS and is his pillar of strength.

He was then asked to relocate to Nashville to the State EMS office (he and Jane donated a cat to the Nashville homeless population when EMS co-workers moved him and locked the cat in the truck in Knoxville and one day, two hundred and fifty miles and ninety degrees later in Nashville the cat emerged never to be seen again), where over the years he has been responsible for many tasks, projects and problem solving. No one ever talks with him, they mention a subject and then listen as he provides more information than any one person has a right to divulge on the subject. He has traveled many miles, worked many hours and dedicated many millions of brain corpuscles to EMS and to all of the EMTs over the years in Tennessee. There is no one, who can question the genuineness and drive of him to improve EMS in Tennessee.

Some sayings of EMS Richard (not as in Poor Richards almanac, but Richards EMS words of wisdom):

• Volunteerism is no excuse for shoddy service in EMS.

• I am glad Joe Acker is gone so maybe now I can get credit for what I have done (not Phillips).

• Officer my cruise control is broken that's why I was speeding.

• I did not mean to turn the siren off in the middle of that intersection, I just woke up and it bothered me, so I turned it off.

• Let me show you the correct way to put on a short spine board.

It is my pleasure to present the 2006 TASA lifetime achievement award to affectionately known as Rescue Richard, Richard Land.

(accepting the award – Johny Farris)

Medical Center EMS, Jackson TN 

2006 TASA ALS Service of the Year

 This EMS service has over 100 employees. They provide EMS services at the Advanced Life support level.

They have encouraged and supported the continuous process of high standard of pre-hospital care communities have come to expect and deserve. This EMS agency supports the region as the Regional Communication Center.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed and devastated a large portion of the Gulf Coast in August 2005. As a response to this catastrophic event, this EMS agency immediately set up a plan of action. Their plan was to provide this ever so desperate part of our country some much needed help. The local resources in that area were taxed way beyond what they ever imagined they would be called upon to do. This EMS agency realized this and responded quickly and efficiently to aid a sister EMS service in need.

The willingness of the employees to donate their time and energy speaks volumes about this caliber of an EMS agency.

As a neighbor EMS service, Gibson County EMS, GC EMS has also had the experience of being the recipient of their willingness to assist on a number of occasions. Therefore with this in mind Gibson County nominated this organization for the 2006 TASA service of the year award.

It is my pleasure to introduce the 2006 service of the year: Medical Center EMS, Jackson TN.

Mike McCoy

2006 TASA Administrator of the Year

This individual started his career as an EMT in 1974. He has been a Paramedic since 1985. He has held various positions throughout the years, in fact he briefly left EMS to work for the Knoxville News, but quickly realized his true calling was EMS. He joined his current team in a leadership role in 1995. He accepted this role knowing that this was a small agency with limited funds. He has served as chief Paramedic and Captain for more then 10 years for this team. He joined the team knowing that he would need to combine supervision and leadership while working daily as a Paramedic. He has consistently demonstrated his competency but most importantly he has earned the respect of his co-workers and supervisors, by the stellar way in which he consistently demonstrates compassion and empathy.

As a teacher, he is described as not only knowing what he is doing, but when the rubber meets the road; he can get the job done. He also brings into the classroom other attributes that are valuable to the EMS profession, professionalism; ethics and a caring attitude are just a few of his fine qualities.

He earned the 100% endorsement of his team for this award. His teams comment that “along with being a great Paramedic, he is also a great friend. He gives 100% in everything he does. Everyone who comes in contact with him thinks he is wonderful. He is fair and treats everyone the same. He demonstrates compassion toward his patients regardless of age or social status. He is always willing to jump up and go. He is known to be tough but a fair supervisor and is appreciated by the employees on his shift."

He participated in Committee work to assist his county in obtaining a 300K community development grant.

He remains calm under the most trying of circumstances and gives his patients excellent care and reassurance. His is the epitome of grace under fire. Two calls with in the last year emulate his qualities; the first involved a head on collision with a Mother dead at the scene and two children. He was able to assume EMS command, while calming one of the children and using his skills to assess the child’s injuries. The father of the children, a Pediatrician himself wrote a letter of support and thanks to him for his work.

The other call is one of those we all dread, “shots fired, officer down.” He responded immediately and again wore two hats, as EMS command and oversight of ACLS protocols initiation for this officer. Those on the scene reported that he gave 100% just as he always does.

In 2005 the local county commission honored him as the County’s 2005 Paramedic of the year for his commitment to excellent patient care, while being a dedicated and respected employee. He is descried as not only an Excellent EMS leader, but a loving husband, father, son, brother, Cub Scout master, and a winning derby champion.

This individual is described as the “idol for his team and has their 100% support”. It is therefore my privilege to introduce the 2006 TASA administrator of the Year, Mike McCoy.

J C Green

2006 TASA EMT-P of the year

TASA’s 2006 Paramedic of the year is actually a new Graduate as a Paramedic. However, his course of this last year is what has nominated him to be the Paramedic of the year. As EMS finds ourselves as an aging group with increasing needs to plan for the future of EMS, this individual exemplifies himself as the role model for the expectations and desired outcomes for those within EMS. During his second semester of Paramedic school this EMT was working beside his father, who was involved in a roll over bobcat incident. It was due to the immediate intervention and the treatment provided by this individual, and his expeditious launching of AirMedical transport that allowed his father to be assessed and transported. This individual then was able to step back and allow care to be provided by his peers. His father’s injuries include eviscerated bowel, head injuries, liver, spleen injuries, pneumothorax. His father subsequently sustained Cardiac Arrest and necrotizing facitis. But it was only through the prompt recognition of the acuity of this father’s injuries that allowed him to be quickly transported to definitive care that ultimately lead to his discharge six months later to rehab.

In addition to this tragedy this individual also supported his mother who suffered a cardiac event and buried his grandfather, while building a house for himself and his wife. In addition to all the tragedy he personally faced he was able to successfully pass his National registry.

It is therefore the future of EMS that we all need to be concerned about, This individual exemplifies rising above hard times and challenge, while still successfully succeeding in his professional growth and that is why JC Green was chosen as TASA’s 2006 Paramedic of the year.

Tony Bland

2006 TASA EMT of the year

This recipient began his career close to twenty years ago as a Military trained EMT. He has worked in Robertson, Sumner and Cheatham counties. His commitment to expeditious AirMedical transport was demonstrated and he eventually found his true calling as a Trained Air Communication specialist working for Vanderbilt LifeFlight. He has worked with this team for over 15 years and has safely overseen the transport of over 4,000 patient missions. He has worked on both local and national levels to assist in the training and recognition for EMS in the communication center. While doing this he has continued to serve several other area EMS agencies in an EMT role; he also began service to Angel Neonate transport, which allowed him to facilitate and assist in the transport of the fragile Neonate.

Although his life is dedicated to EMS in some facet; it is the interaction of the evening of September 24 that prompted Robertson County EMS to nominate this individual for the EMT of the year. On this evening, this EMT had the opportunity to do the unimaginable. After experiencing severe Chest Pain, he contacted RCEMS for transport. Initially he requested transport to Vanderbilt, but both the EMT and Paramedic felt his condition needed immediate attention. He was transported to Springfield NorthCrest, at which time upon moving to the ER cot, he sustained a cardiac event. After over an hour of CPR and repeated shocks, he was pronounced at this time. In typical style for this EMT, he began to spontaneously breath and once placed back on the monitor had a perfusing rhythm. He was then taken to the Cath Lab and a Balloon pump inserted.

He was transported by his peers to Vanderbilt. Initially his outcome prognosis was poor. Despite the odds one week later he awakened from his Coma, and requested to know who won the race the week prior.

His courage and perseverance have been inspirational to all; it is my pleasure to introduce Tony Bland as the 2006 TASA EMT of the year.