Paramedic of the Year award

Jon was Nominated and won Paramedic of the year in Colorado.

We went to Keystone last Saturday for his award.

Below are the pictures and the letter that was written to nominate him.

 In 1986 a young man was riding his motorcycle in Boston. A car pulled out in front of him. The young man’s motorcycle crashed into the driver’s side door of the car. The young man was catapulted over the handlebars and through the driver’s side window; his forehead hit the door jam on the way through. He came to rest sprawled across the driver and passenger. He was unconscious and quickly became pulseless and apnic.

Luckily for EMS in Colorado, that is not the end of the young man’s story.

 He was one of the very small percentages of people that survive a trauma arrest. Several years later he had moved to California and again had a life changing event on his motorcycle. He rode by a volunteer fire station. He turned around and went back and volunteered on the spot, he felt a need to give back for his life being saved. In 1996 he was certified as an EMT and fire fighter 1 and continued to volunteer in California.

In late 1999 he had moved to Montana for paramedic and graduated with honors from Montana State University. He was also working for American Medical Response in Montana.

 In 2000 Jon Webb transferred to AMR in Colorado Springs and has been a valuable team member since. Jon is a practioner and an educator, in 2002 Jon completed both the primary and assistant instructor courses. He was a field instructor for many years before being promoted to field supervisor.

The above paragraph is a pretty dry distillation of Jon’s time in Colorado. I could include many letters of thanks and appreciation, lists of his classes and credentials. Many paramedics in Colorado have these same lists to their name, I will instead tell you of two more items that separate Jon from the rest of the many excellent care givers in Colorado.

 Shortly after 9/11/2001 Jon felt a strong desire to serve his County, in addition to his Community. Jon’s beloved father had been in the Navy (but we are in Colorado….) This didn’t stop Jon, he joined the Naval Reserves and has been proudly serving for almost ten years. His rank is E5 and he is certified as a hospital corpsman basic.

Jon was the founder of the Colorado Springs AMR Honor Guard. He saw the need for an EMS Honor Guard in Southern Colorado, to honor EMS colleagues as well as being a good will ambassador of EMS to the Community. Jon spent over a year gathering info, presenting his plan to management, enlisting like minded “EMS”ers, interviewing for positions on the honor guard, training and finally, during EMS Week 2009, being able to present “his” honor guard to the Community in a badging ceremony at Memorial Park. Since then the honor guard as assisted at several funerals for agencies in New Mexico, Woodland Park, Wescott and Colorado Springs. They have marched in parades and presented the colors and numerous community events- Colorado Balloon Classic, Sky Sox baseball, graduations and the EMSAC Fall Awards banquet.

Without Jon’s first experience with outstanding EMS in Boston, none of his contributions to EMS would have been possible. None of the accomplishments, none of the thank you letters… Jon has given back to the Community tenfold from his second chance. I hope you will consider Jon Webb for Colorado Paramedic of the Year.

I am so proud of him and all that he does.