Robert Roesky is an EMT with Coffeyville Regional Medical Center.  After 29 years as a Firefighter/EMT, Robert retired as Fire Chief, and is now full-time EMT in the community. Robert has mentored both new and seasoned EMTs and Paramedics and is always willing to help train new employees, making sure they are oriented with daily tasks and know where everything is in the service.

Referred to as a ‘team player’, he provides excellent care to patients, while maintain professionalism with the patients, their families and other medical professionals. Robert is always smiling and spreading joy wherever he goes and always goes above and beyond without complaint. Examples of this include being the first to do the chores at the service, checking to be sure all the necessary equipment and supplies are in stock, washed/cleaned, and ready for the next call.

Robert represents the department by serving on the Ambassador Committee to better relations with other departments and staff at the medical center and in the local community. Outside of this role, he also serves the community on other committees as well as the local school board.

As a respected member of the community, his service extends beyond the EMS Service, but also to various community committees, the local school board.

This award is given to a Kansas EMT who has significantly contributed to EMS at the community, state and/or national level. 

Paramedic of the Year - Jeffery Boyd

Jeffery Boyd is a paramedic with American Medical Response in Linn County. He has been with his service for 14 years. During his tenure he have consistently built trust in the county commission leadership, with public safety partner agencies in fire and law enforcement as well as with the general public that he interacts with in a personal and authentic way.

In Jeffery’s role as Operations Supervisor, he is the paramedic first responder to one third of the county; he performs numerous administrative functions when he’s not responding to calls and providing ALS patient care. Over the last 14-years he has been a consistent “main-stay” of the operation, always supporting and championing crews, always advocating for taking good care of patients, and always ensuring that the operation functions in a way that represents the company well.

Jeffery is always pulling an extra shift when nobody else can or checking in on crews after tough calls, always looking out for the good in the service and community. Jeffery does what needs to be done to make the service the best it can be and encourages everyone around him to be their best. 

This award is for a Kansas Paramedic who has significantly contributed to EMS at the community, state and/or national level.  It can be any Kansas Paramedic whose primary responsibility is providing direct patient care.

Donald E. White Educator of the Year - Jessica Roberts

Jessica Roberts is the Professional Development Trainer for Sedgwick County EMS. Jessica has served the county for over 11 years where she began as a paramedic technician. She has worked her way up the ranks to where she is today while also working on her bachelor’s degree in leadership from Fort Hays State University. 

Jessica serves as an outstanding role model and mentor for future paramedics, especially those that are currently in the EMT to Paramedic program. She also finds time to serve the community by doing CPR and AED training for staff in nursing homes. Beyond these activities, Jessica guides new EMT’s and Paramedics through the new hire academy where she offers her time and talents. She is dedicated to the success of these new hires, pushing them to new levels of understanding all while going out of her way to make herself available to the new hires, day or night for any questions that may arise.

Having recently taken and completed the national NAEMSE IC1 & 2 courses, Jessica has learned new teaching skills and techniques that were quickly incorporated into a systemwide training.

Beyond interagency, she has made connections and developed relationships with local hospitals, including department directors. These relationships have led to new opportunities to learn from one of the best cardiologists in the state and have bridged gaps in OB education by supplying education on difficult deliveries, by one of the state’s leading OB Physicians.

This award is offered to recognize any Kansas Instructor Coordinator who is recognized by the Kansas Board of EMS to conduct initial courses of instruction or continuing education instruction and is given to an outstanding instructor of initial or continuing EMS education.

EMS Support person of the year - mary glover

Mary Glover with American Medical Response. Mary has been serving Kansas EMS for 28 years. Having served as a frontline paramedic, dispatcher, operations supervisor, and administrative assistant, she has been an instrumental part of her service’s operations in Kansas and in many ways from compliance with state regulations to quality improvement efforts. Dedicated to EMS excellence, customer service and quality patient care, Mary has developed an expansive knowledge base of all things EMS form the finer points of KSBEMS regulations to the broader developing leadership values of ‘Just Culture’ in an organization.

Over the years, Mary has been instrumental in developing and maintaining numerous sets of Standard Operating Guidelines and Medical Protocols for the EMS agencies she has supported. Undertaking the operational goal of achieving CAAS accreditation, she achieved the maximum three-year accreditation, and has since accomplished numerous re-accreditations.

To respond to a growing need, this year, the operation has added six ALS ambulances and hired dozens of new caregivers, another substantial undertaking, Mary has worked tirelessly to ensure this success. In true EMS fashion, she embraces the challenge in serving in an expansive role with many duties, with the familiar attitude of “adapt and overcome”; her flexibility, persistence, experience, and open door has led to the success of many EMT’s and Paramedics as well as the operations she supports in Kansas.

This award is given to an individual whose efforts enhance EMS in Kansas through their actions as a First Responder, Nurse, Dispatcher, Law Enforcement Officer, Pilot, Supervisor, or other individual who would not fit into the other categories for individual recognition.

Administrator of the Year - Troy Armstrong

Troy Armstrong, EMS Director of Anderson County EMS. Troy has managed to bring his service to full staff in the midst of the paramedic shortages across the country. His role as EMS Director is displayed through dedication to the discovery, development, and promotion of excellence in leadership and management.

In a short period of time, Troy has developed the service’s Volunteer Apparatus Operator Program, very first volunteer program. This program has aided in bringing county first responders and EMS providers together as a team and has aided the service when staffing was stressed and needing multiple providers on critical calls. In the program, he encourages volunteers along with employees to advance their EMS careers.

Troy actively supports the national ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign, PHTLS, AHA BLS, ACLS, PALS and many other education opportunities to staff and members of the community. He has made mental health a priority for his agency. Troy has attended training sessions on Peer Support to help employees, and allied agencies on difficult calls and he actively promotes debriefings on high emotional, critical calls.

Outside the service this, Troy serves on various local working groups such as the Local Emergency Planning Committee, healthcare coalitions, mutual aid working groups, various professional organizations and is an instructor for several courses.

This award is for an administrator who has made a significant contribution to EMS Administration on a local, state or national level, and it is awarded to an EMS administrator whose primary responsibility is the direction of individuals involved in the delivery of prehospital care.

Physician of the year - Dr. David Dupy

Dr. David Dupy, Medical Director for McPherson EMS. Dr. Dupy has overseen many changes in the two years that he has been the Medical Director for McPherson EMS.  He  has always had the goals of increasing provider and patient safety and to advocate for the EMS Service to the rest of the hospital organization. Dr. Dupy’s help as has allowed the service to achieve many goals and become recognized as a progressive EMS agency.

One main contribution of Dr. Dupy has been their collaboration with providers to improve standing orders. In the two years since becoming Medical Director, he has changed 42 protocols. The goal of these changes is to provide high quality care while also increasing patient safety and reduce risk of potential errors by providers. Many protocols have been changed to reflect some of the current research happening in Emergency Medicine. His expertise has allowed the EMS Service providers to practice advanced skills that have increased the quality of care delivered to their community.

Last year, Dr. Dupy provided an advanced airway and rapid sequence intubation training for EMS to ensure all providers were comfortable performing this advanced skill. He also provided education to Paramedic students while they perform clinicals with him in the hospital emergency room – teaching important clinical concepts.

Dr. Dupy has implemented policy changes to address interfacility transfer of non-critical psychiatric patients to psychiatric hospitals to private services, allowing the service to be available to respond to 911 calls and further reduce risk to providers and patients from accidents.

This is awarded to any Kansas licensed physician who provides commendable service to the benefit of EMS in Kansas.

Career Service of the Year Award - Winfield Fire & EMS

This service took over EMS operations on July 1^st, 2014, with four operating ambulances and old equipment and protocols from the previous operating service. Since that day they have updated new equipment, replaced all four ambulances with a fifth one on the way. All new stretchers and new patient care reporting software alongside an internal QA/QI process has led to extreme advancements and improvements in the service’s ability to provide the best rural EMS care possible. 

Winfield Fire and EMS has become a sponsoring organization within KS Board of EMS to provide multiple CE’s for their members each month to ensure re-certification hours re completed. Also providing in-house CPR, ACLS, soon to be PALS and PHTLS. They are unique to be able to incorporate fire scene and various rescue scenes that often contain patient care alongside Fire/Rescue situations. They host health and safety events for all ages including stop the bleed events, CPR classes, installation of free smoke detectors, and slip and trips and fall presentations to the local community center.

Internally, they have a newly formed Peer Support Team to help combat the ever-growing Post Traumatic Stress Injuries within the Fire and EMS Service – crews are encouraged to use the agency’s Chaplain or other peer support members. Serving a population of 22,000 with 14 EMTs and 13 paramedics, Winfield Fire and EMS ran 3,132 emergency calls in 2021. Over the past eight years they have put themselves on the map and continue to grow and evolve. 

This award recognizes a service that exemplifies outstanding professionalism and service to the community, honoring agencies for their dedication, teamwork and commitment to EMS.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Col William Robben

Colonel William Robben retired as Administrator of Sedgwick County EMS, he was nominated for his 33 years of Service in EMS. He began his career by working as reserve EMT in 1989 and moved to full-time in 1991. William worked his way up the ranks from technician, Lieutenant, Captain, Major and lastly as a Colonel. In addition to his role within the county, he served as a flight nurse with Lifeteam from 2008-2013. 

Outside of his agency, William served as a Region 3 committee member, as well as the hospital coalition and LEPC committees. A founding member of the DMSU and Honor Guard, he has served as Honor Guard Commander. In the community he has served many other specialty events such as standbys at the Kansas Coliseum, Intrust Bank Arena, and local law camps put on by the Sheriff’s Department.

Having recently put in their notice for retirement, it is important to acknowledge their service to the organization, local citizens, and the students they have mentored throughout their career and congratulate them on a successful career in the pre-hospital field.

This award recognizes an individual whose contributions to pre-hospital care have been consistent and long lasting, representing in effect, a lifetime of outstanding service to the profession and to the public.

Celine Larson PEER Support Award - Frank Williams

This year’s KEMSA “Honoring our Own” awards banquet celebrated the launch of a new award in partnership with the Hop for Heroes Foundation – the Celine Larson PEER Support Award. This new award was created to honor an individual or team of Kansas first responders for their diligence and perseverance in serving others. The awarded individual was also recognized for service above what is normally required or expected of someone providing peer support. This award is the first of its kind in Kansas and only the third of such an award in the United States.

The Celine Larson PEER Support Award remembers the legacy of Celine Larson, who passed away in December 2019 at the age of 35 after a multi-year battle with melanoma. As part of the original founding of Kansas-based company Grandpa’s Best and one of its greatest promoters, it only seemed fitting to use Grandpa’s Best as the pathway to create and fund a foundation benefitting EMS/first responders and other impactful, local community projects. A portion of each sale of Grandpa’s Best products goes to fund the Hop for Heroes Foundation in memory of Celine, and to provide financial support to a wonderful, well-deserving group of individuals.

The inaugural recipient of this award was El Dorado, Kansas native Frank Williams. Frank first met the Larson family during a flight from Houston where Celine would be undergoing cancer treatment. Through a series of events, Celine and Frank sat next to each other on the plane and an immediate friendship was formed. From that time on, Frank became a living guardian angel to the Larsons, always a phone call away to answer the multitude of medical questions the couple faced at all hours of the day and night as well as a source of emotional support through each phase of Celine’s battle with cancer. The Larsons would forever be thankful for the guidance he provided them, as well as his act of love for the family in driving over 300 miles to see Celine before her passing. Frank continues to impact those around him in his service as EMS Chief of Butler County Emergency Medical Services and previously as Program Director of LifeSave Transport, a critical care ambulance service that safely provides rapid access for critically ill or injured patients to tertiary care. In addition to an engraved 10-inch tower award given to Frank Williams, the Hop for Heroes foundation also awarded him a check for $2,500.

Present at the awards banquet was Celine’s loving family – her husband, Chase; their four incredible daughters Tess, Wynn, Sadie, and Fern; Celine’s parents Russell and Lindsey Carlson; and Chase’s parents, Thayne and Jeanne Larson. Frank Williams was also in attendance as was Lisa Melton, a nurse who sparked an immediate friendship with Celine and helped provide support from the beginning diagnosis to end-of-life care to Celine in her final weeks, and her husband Jared Melton.