EMS professionals from all walks of life descended on the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., last week to be honored as the 2017 Stars of Life. The Stars were recognized by the American Ambulance Association (AAA) for their exceptional duty, service, and bravery while serving their communities as EMTs, paramedics, and as other ambulance services members.
107 Stars celebrated this distinction with their friends, family, and peers during the event, held June 12-14, which also shined a light on the importance of the services EMS professionals provide.
Among their number was Cleveland, Mississippi paramedic Craig Sparks. Sparks began his EMS career in 2007. He graduated Paramedic school in 2010 and joined Pafford Medical Services in rural Mississippi the summer of that same year.
Sparks quickly emerged as a team leader among his peers. He serves as the Field Training Officer for Pafford’s Bolivar County, Mississippi operation as well as assists with QA for the Pafford Delta Division’s participation in the Mississippi Trauma System. He has served on the front lines for Pafford, having been deployed to hurricane responses on the Louisiana Coast as well as flood evacuations in Mississippi.
While in Washington, the Stars met with members of Congress to discuss the importance of EMS-related legislation, such as Medicare ambulance relief and add-on payments. The Stars hoped to convince Congress to support future measures that would provide critical resources and help improve EMS services.
Information provided by Stars of Life and the American Ambulance Association
