St. Charles County Ambulance District Named Missouri EMS Service of the Year

For filmmakers, "awards season" comes at the beginning of the each year, but for the EMS profession, top honors are announced during the dog days of summer. 

Last week at its annual conference and meeting, the Missouri Emergency Medical Services Association (MEMSA) named St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD) Missouri's EMS Service of the Year, and presented SCCAD's Kelly Maull with its Paramedic of the Year award.

Maull, a resident of Wentzville, has served with SCCAD since 2005, working at one of the District's busiest stations in O'Fallon. Last year, she was part of a newsworthy series of events in which she and her partner successfully revived two cardiac arrest patients in the same shift—an occurrence described by many as extraordinary. In addition, she worked last year to bring together several resources within the community to produce a public service announcement on moving to the right for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

"Kelly is a diligent, compassionate individual perfectly suited for EMS," said SCCAD Chief Taz Meyer, "Her view goes beyond the immediate nature of the situation at hand; rather, she works to identify long-term solutions with care partners in our community."

Community collaboration was one of the reasons cited by MEMSA for SCCAD's selection as Missouri's EMS Service of the Year. The District has established partnerships with agencies both inside and outside the healthcare industry, working with entities such as St. Charles City-County Library District, BJC Healthcare, numerous non-profits and area churches to improve citizens' knowledge and access to District services. MEMSA also noted SCCAD's forward-thinking clinical approach, citing the success of its cardio-cerebral resuscitation protocols, which debuted last year and have translated to improved outcomes for victims of cardiac arrest. 

"It's clear to see why MEMSA made this selection—as a healthcare professional and resident of St. Charles County, I'm consistently impressed by the Ambulance District's strategic, systematic approach to mobile health solutions and community safety initiatives," said Barnes St. Peters & Progress West Hospital VP of Patient Care Services and SCCAD Citizens Advisory Board member Jill Skyles.

SCCAD and its team members have a rich history of recognition by MEMSA; Maull is the 12th paramedic to receive the organization's top honor, and this marks the sixth time that the District has been named EMS Service of the Year. 

If your agency would like to talk with Chief Meyer or Kelly about these honors, please contact Kyle Gaines, Director of Community Relations, Office: 636/344-7634, Cell: 636/262-2696.