rewarding those among us

Leading EMS and ambulance agencies is a difficult job.   Each year a member of our association is nominated by their peers for the outstanding work they are doing in rural EMS.  It is not their employees, staff, or constituents that nominate them.  It is their peers – other directors from throughout the state that are doing the same work that they are. The nomination carries heavy weight because of that.

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2023 director of the year

Clair Provost
Wasatch Fire District

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2022 director of the year

Andy Smith
director of ems, Grand county

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2021 director of the year

Micheal Willits
director of ems, sevier county

Mike Willits  lead us through a very difficult year with the COVID-19 pandemic.  On top of that, the process of beginning to bring us together to help us begin working with the state representatives and legislators to secure additional funding for Rural EMS in our great state. He was proactive in getting many Representatives and legislators together to start the process for obtaining funding for rural EMS.  Many trips to capital hill, time and effort in keeping us all moving in the right direction working on securing extra dollars for each of our agencies.  Plus, working on the funding to bring back the Liaisons from the Bureau of EMS to each of our agencies, which has been a huge help to all of us.  Mike is an example of leadership to us all  and has brought us together helping us to feel like a Rural EMS family. Elanor Roosevelt once said: To Handle yourself use your head, to handle others, use your heart. Which is what Mike has done. Mike has had the support of his good wife Marcy and their family.  We thank Mike for his service to Rural EMS in our state.

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2020 director of the year

Tammy jo Barton
director of ems, Garfield County ambulance

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2019 director of the year

Don Marrelli
former director, carbon county ambulance

Our first annual Rural EMS Director of the Year award goes To Don Marrelli.  Don has been involved in EMS for  31 years He has been the EMS Director for 21 years.  When he became the EMS Director he could tell there was a disconnect to the Utah BEMS and Rural EMS so he decided to get involved where ever he could.  Don is on the BEMS Grant committee, Where he met with the Governor and LT Governor to change the way grant money was issued to rural areas. He serves on the peer Review board, he inspects ambulances for the Utah BEMS. He has been an EMT instructor, Course Coordinator, and Training officer.  He helped develop the Utah BEMS strike Teams and served as the team leader for the south Eastern region. Don served as the vice Chairmen when the rural EMS Directors tried to get the Rural EMS Director Association going the first time.

 

Don has been a Leader, advisor and friend to most of the rural EMS directors.  He is always willing to help other Directors when ever help is needed.  He will travel to rural EMS departments and attend commission or training meetings.  Don has a strong to desire to not only improve Carbon County EMS but to help other EMS Agencies improve rural EMS.  He is so deserving of this award for all the hard work he has put into Rural EMS And we as rural EMS director are privileged to work next to him and call him a friend.