Indianapolis, September 1, 2011 -- Recognized for her exemplary achievements in the emergency medical services field, Indianapolis EMS (IEMS) paramedic Anne Edwards has been presented with the 2011 National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) Paramedic of the Year award.
Each year, NAEMT hosts the National EMS Awards of Excellence, recognizing those who provide quality, life-saving emergency care to their communities on a daily basis. Edwards, a veteran paramedic with IEMS, is described by her peers as professional, willing and compassionate.
As a paramedic instructor for the Indiana University School of Medicine and trainer for new IEMS employees, Edward’s expertise and impact on the EMS field extends beyond her own actions and onto future and current EMS professionals.
"Anne provides them with the structure and guidance they need to build a great foundation for their future field practice," said Dr. Charles Miramonti, chief of Indianapolis EMS. "She spends time after her shift to work with students, helping them prepare for the next day, an exam or difficult concepts."
Edwards, who was given the award August 30, has also proven herself a natural leader. Chief Miramonti said that in teaming up with MESH, Edwards has recently become a team leader in developing policies and deploying missions where the MAST-F, a 25-bed mobile hospital unit, is needed for disaster response. MESH, a non-profit, public-private partnership, assists health care providers in effectively responding to emergency events.
In addition, to further unite EMS services throughout Marion County, Edwards has been instrumental in instituting a new field training program, developing policies and procedures crucial to its implementation.
Chief Miramonti notes that Edwards takes great care in seeing that all individuals on-scene, whether they be patients, family members or friends, are given access to the best care and options available to them. By keeping her staff focused on the task at-hand, Chief Miramonti said that Edwards can ensure the absolute best possible outcomes for everyone involved.
"I am so proud of Anne and her continued hard work for the people of Indianapolis," said Chief Miramonti. "She has put in hundreds of hours with the focus of making the services better for our future patients. She is exceptionally deserving of this high national honor."
Indianapolis EMS was formed in 2010 as a partnership between the City of Indianapolis and Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), with Wishard as the supervising hospital. IEMS operates as a division of the Department of Public Safety and was formed via unification of Wishard and Indianapolis Fire Department EMS services. The service benefits from medical leadership in quality, education, training and research from the Indiana University School of Medicine.
To learn more about Indianapolis EMS, visit www.IndianapolisEMS.org. You can also follow Indianapolis EMS on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/IndianapolisEMS) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/indianapolisems).