Regional Awards/Save Awards

AWARDS

After many years of supporting Prehospital Save, Meritorious and Recognition Awards, WMEMS, by vote of the Regional Council, has handed off the responsibility for these awards to the four County Committees. Award and selection criteria and deadlines may be set by each county and paperwork will be submitted directly to the relevant committee. NEW Awards in various categories will be managed by WMEMS office staff in conjunction with the Awards Committee. Please scroll down for descriptions.

For Save, Meritorious and Recognition nominations, please reach out to a county president for more information:

Berkshire County (EMSCO) Brian Andrews

Franklin County Matt Wolkenbreit

Hampshire County Mike Rock

Hampden County has an electronic submission form: Hampden County Award Submission Form

Below are the current standards for these awards. Please be aware that counties may now set their own criteria.

A prehospital save is presented when personnel are directly responsible for maintaining or improving a patient's condition in the prehospital setting. This action then allows the patient to lead a meaningful and productive post-incident life whereas the demise of the patient would have occurred without the intervention. We also include cases of exceptionally demonstrated skills done within the realm of certification which enhance a patient's condition and/or recovery. Please include all agencies involved.

Refer to an individual's effort which exceeds the call of duty while on or off the job. We will not present awards to people who foolishly enter dangerous situations.

To recognize an individual whose efforts within their field are directly responsible for benefitting the prehospital field. This can also apply to a civilian who has been instrumental in saving a life.

Presentation of the award is during the appropriate County EMS Committee Award function held during National EMS Week, the third week in May.

REGIONAL AWARDS (Below are existing awards, there are new awards for 2022, these will be added soon)

Given to recognize an individual whose efforts within their field are directly responsible for benefitting the prehospital field.

The award is presented to one person, one group or one entity who has contributed significantly to the development of EMS in Western Massachusetts. Usually the recipient is someone who has been in the field for a significant period of time and who has been responsible for such things as the founding or expansion of a squad, developing creative methods of providing EMS, providing significant support to other members of the EMS team and/or acting as a leader in his/her community.

The award is named for Dr. Eaton E. Freeman, who was the first full time director of the Emergency Department at Cooley Dickinson Hospital and was a pioneer in prehospital medicine. He provided training and support to EMTs and others interested in EMS. He was the first treasurer of Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services, and guided the Council through setting up the office. Even after he retired from Cooley Dickinson Hospital he continued to function with the Council and to act as a consultant with the Emergency Department.

Dr. Freeman was the first recipient of the Charles McCabe Award as the EMS Physician of the Year awarded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Click here for previous Eaton E. Freeman Award winners

Presentation of the Eaton Freeman Award is at the annual meeting/luncheon of the Western Massachusetts EMS Committee. This occurs on the second Thursday in April each year.

Deadline for nomination submissions: First Thursday in March by 0830 to allow for review by Awards Committee and Executive Committee) Nominations received or time-stamped after this deadline cannot be considered.

There is no official nomination form for the Freeman Award. Please submit a letter detailing why this person should receive the award, based on the listed criteria. Solicit supporting letters from others who feel the same.

Linda J. Moriarty Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes an individual, who, by their actions and innovative thinking, has contributed to expanding the future and/or capabilities of EMS in Western Massachusetts, and whose contributions to prehospital care have been consistent and long-lasting, representing a lifetime of outstanding service to the profession and the public

Linda J. Moriarty, NRP, served as the Region 1 Executive Director for over 30 years and made countless contributions to the advancement of the profession through her work on local, state and national committees.

Deadline for nomination submissions: First Thursday in March by 0830 to allow for review by Awards Committee and Executive Committee

There is no official nomination form for the LJM Lifetime Achievement Award. Please submit a letter detailing why your nominee should receive the award, based on the listed criteria. Solicit supporting letters from others who feel the same.

This award was established in 2017. Recipients to date:

John Santoro, MD (2017)

Brian Andrews, NRP (2018)

The Eaton Freeman Award and the Linda J. Moriarty Lifetime Achievement Awards are not awarded every year; they are awards of recognition that are presented upon verification of outstanding achievement.