FARMINGTON – Recently two award and recognition evenings highlighted National Emergency Medical Services Week and gave special thanks and appreciation to NorthStar EMS staff.

NorthStar EMS is Franklin Memorial Hospital’s ambulance service, which operates throughout the greater Franklin County area with bases in Livermore, Farmington, Phillips, Rangeley and Carrabassett Valley.

Events are held each spring in conjunction with EMS Week to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of EMS providers who serve their communities.

This year, open houses, elementary school coloring contests and a historical EMS exhibit were a few of the activities honoring EMS and its role in the community.

Highlights of the first evening’s presentation included the recognition of Tom Doak for having been awarded the state’s annual Maine Emergency Medical Services Excellence in EMS Award for his lifetime of dedication to EMS in the region. Doak lives in Wilton and is a member of NorthStar’s Livermore base.

Also on that night, the NorthStar Base EMTs of the Year were announced.

The designation of EMT of the Year for each base is awarded for “above and beyond” efforts throughout the year, outstanding clinical expertise and general dedication to the base activities, the community and to NorthStar.

The base recipients honored for 2005 were: Linda Allen, Sugarloaf; Harold Schaetzle III, Rangeley; Vicki Worth, Livermore; Jason Decker, Farmington; and Mark Rousseau, Phillips. Each had their name engraved on the respective base award plaque as a permanent reminder of their work.

Later in the week’s grand finale reception and dinner honoring all EMTs, paramedic Michael Senecal was the recipient of the NorthStar EMT of the Year Award. Senecal has served in the local EMS system for three years after several years of paramedic service in the Midwest.

In the short period he has been in Maine, it was noted, he has expertly managed the Northern Tier (Sugarloaf, Rangeley Phillips bases), participated in a number of community-related activities, remained an active crew member on the ambulances and continually showed his constant good humor and outstanding “people skills.” Senecal has also been involved with wilderness rescues and disaster training. Senecal lives in Industry with his wife Billye (also an EMT) and their children.

“These are the people that truly exemplify EMS, and we are proud of their accomplishments and are pleased that we can honor them in this way,” said David Robie, NorthStar EMS director. “With the caliber of these EMTs, we look forward to continuing to provide the highest level of emergency medical service to our communities.”


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