MEXICO – Med-Care Ambulance’s proactive approach this year in delivering rural emergency medical services within its 11 River Valley communities has earned state recognition.

Last month, at the 26th annual Mid-Coast EMS seminar, Med-Care was presented the Maine EMS Service of the Year award by the Mid-Coast EMS Council Inc. of Region VI.

“We’re definitely proud,” Med-Care Director Dean Milligan said Friday in Mexico. The company has more than 60 employees.

In September, Milligan sent a nomination letter to the council describing Med-Care’s extensive efforts this year. Out of 278 EMS services in Maine, they won, although Milligan said he doesn’t know how many also nominated themselves.

“It gives us prestige and recognition, but, to me, it’s an indication of service excellence. Obviously, it’s an award for us, but we’d like people who support us monetarily to know that we’ve accomplished this, and, that they’re in a lucky place,” he said.

In the past few years, Med-Care has made tremendous gains in equipment technologies, and, during the past year, has specifically attained a level that wasn’t believed to be attainable just a few years ago, Milligan said.

“The personnel of Med-Care are the key to the success of the company, and, especially over the past year, as they have all played intricate roles within creating, delivering, and sustaining the broad array of programs that the company offers, both internally and externally.

“They are also the reason the company has made such strides within the EMS community by their commitment to excellence as individuals, as well as a group approach,” Milligan said.

Med-Care has become an intricate part of the overall regionalization effort, and, has made a commitment to overall public safety in Oxford County.

Through grants, the company distributed 18 automated external defibrillators to local fire and police departments and organizations.

Milligan said the company also became a leader within Oxford County, assisting with the development of programs, response plans, and disaster preparedness activities. Med-Care is attached to Maine’s Emergency Response Team from NewPage Corp. in Rumford to respond to hazardous material- and weapons of mass destruction-events.

Complementing that, Med-Care developed and implemented, then acquired “a one-of-a-kind” incident response vehicle, conducted training across the county, and responds to large-scale events.

Med-Care also received a mass casualty incident response trailer, which is loaded with medical equipment to be sent anywhere in the county, or, on outside request, to incidents involving large numbers of victims.

Med-Care is working to create an EMS medical strike team, the need for which was identified during a recent drill with Rumford Hospital.

Med-Care Assistant Chief Chris Moretto also said he’s been working to create a pandemic flu emergency response plan, so the service “will be able to respond to the best of our ability if it does happen.”

“In one year, we’ve done a lot,” Milligan said.