NAEMT Paramedic of the Year: Kenneth Davenport, Paramedic, Marion, KY

The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) and EMS World, in conjunction with the National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA) and the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE), established the National EMS Awards of Excellence program to recognize outstanding achievement in the EMS profession.

The 2012 awards will be presented on Tuesday, October 30, at the NAEMT Annual Meeting in New Orleans, held in conjunction with EMS World Expo 2012, and at the EMS World Expo Opening Keynote on October 31.

We would like to thank the following sponsors of this year’s awards: NAEMT Paramedic of the Year Award sponsored by Nasco; NAEMT EMT of the Year Award sponsored by Braun Industries; Dick Ferneau Paid EMS Service of the Year sponsored by Ferno; Impact Volunteer EMS Service of the Year sponsored by Impact Instrumentation, Inc.; and NEMSMA Executive of the Year sponsored by EMS World.

Award recipients receive a $1,000 award stipend, a three-day core program registration to EMS World Expo, plus $1,000 for travel and lodging to attend EMS World Expo and the NAEMT Annual Meeting.

The nomination period for next year’s awards will open in February 2013. Visit EMSWorld.com/awards.

Davenport is a paramedic with Lyon County (KY) EMS, and has worked in EMS since 1988. He was nominated by Adam Lyons, his director, who says Davenport helped him adjust to the area as a new director to the service. He says Davenport works for multiple agencies not for the money, but because he loves the job and wants to help as many patients as possible. Lyons says Davenport is always willing to step in and help coworkers, and “his patient care is superb. He is intrigued by the patient’s condition and what is causing their current symptoms or illness. He gets down to the root of the problem and treats patients and their family members with dignity and respect.”

Brent White, the son of a patient Davenport treated, relays how his disabled father had fallen at home. While the family believed this fall to be no worse than others he had taken, and the patient assured paramedics he was all right, Davenport asked him a few key questions before leaving the home and discovered the patient was experiencing pain behind his ear. “Without hesitation,” White says, “Mr. Davenport instinctively changed course and said it was imperative to get my father to the hospital as quickly as possible. Over the next several hours my family would learn that my father had a subdural hematoma and other significant damage to his brain that required immediate surgery.” The surgeon said Davenport’s quick diagnosis and action saved White’s father’s life.

G. Allen Jones, EMT-P, his director at Trigg Co. Hospital EMS, says that “Every patient Kenneth encounters is treated with the utmost respect and care. Kenneth shows compassion and empathy for his patients and their families. He has touched so many lives.”

In addition, Davenport “is a leading force for continuing education for our organization,” says Lyons. “He is always trying to help keep himself and other members current on state and national standards.”

In his everyday work, “he has continued to impress me with his dedication,” says Jones. “Kenneth not only performs his duties above and beyond but he encourages everyone to do the same. He is constantly sharing and enlightening us with the continuous knowledge he possesses.”
Jones adds, “There are no words or amount of money that could compare to the compassion, time and selflessness Kenneth has so graciously given to EMS. He constantly looks for the good in people and brings out the best in those around him.”

“Kenneth Davenport is an exceptional person and a paramedic who is highly regarded in the EMS community and truly deserves this award,” says Lyons.