By Kia Heavey
New Canaan EMS (NCEMS) was honored on Thursday, Oct. 24, with the Volunteer EMS Agency of the Year Award. The prestigious honor was conferred at the Connecticut EMS Awards ceremony that took place during the 2024 EMS & Fire Pro Expo + Conference at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The award was presented by Leigh Goodman, the Regional EMS Medical Control Manager. She began her remarks by noting that NCEMS is “celebrating 50 years of service, highlighting five decades of unwavering dedication to their town and the surrounding communities.”
“This 100% volunteer organization is powered by a diverse team of 60 certified EMTs who work around the clock, 24/7, 365 days a year, responding to over 1,600 emergency calls annually, including mutual aid to their neighboring towns,” Goodman said. “This agency proudly offers all their services free of charge, with crews that are staffed by at least two EMTs and a paramedic operating their state of the art ambulances. Their commitment goes beyond just a pre-hospital emergency response. Many of the members of New Canaan EMS serve on the New Canaan Behavioral Health Alliance, helping to build a network of over 30 organizations to improve access to mental health resources, including suicide prevention, substance use prevention services. And of course, they also support the mental health of their own first responders.”
“New Canaan EMS has multiple pediatric emergency care coordinators on their team,” Goodman continued, “and that ensures that they can provide the best care possible for children. They also collaborate with the New Canaan Schools Crisis Advisory Board … and resource officers to build stronger relationships with their students.”
“Education is at the heart of what they do,” said Goodman, “and each year they host an EMT class, graduating up to 18 new EMTs who go on to serve with them or pursue careers in EMS fire departments across the region. Their volunteers contribute to over 30,000 hours annually and are always participating in community outreach and training.”
“Without a doubt, we know that this agency is going to continue to come in to serve in their community with excellence, compassion, and the true spirit of volunteerism, and we are truly proud to celebrate,” Goodman concluded.
Members of NCEMS who were at the venue to attend the multi-day conference were present for the awards ceremony. They made their way to the front of the auditorium to accept the award in front of over 100 of their peers in various emergency service agencies nationwide.
