The three were named at a recent meeting of the Pinellas County Commission.

PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County Commission named this year’s Emergency Medical Services Professionals of the Year during a recent meeting.

The awards are given each year in May in honor of Emergency Medical Services Week, locally commemorating the EMS professionals working for Pinellas County’s emergency medical services system.

This year’s Paramedic of the Year is Chris Collins. After two years as a Sunstar Paramedic, Chris has already taken on the role of teaching incoming clinicians and was promoted to field training officer. He is known for treating his coworkers and his patients like his own family.

“Chris comes in every day with a great attitude, he makes people laugh, can take any bad situation and turn it around for his fellow crew members,” Sunstar Paramedics Operations Manager Leslie McAllister said.

Nick Eberhardt of Sunstar was named Emergency Medical Technician of the Year. Nick has become a role model to his coworkers and aspiring EMTs, who he trains to take the same care in their own work.

“It is truly rewarding to be able to help somebody that is really in need,” Eberhardt said.

Pinellas County’s 9-1-1 telecommunicator Eric Fayad was named Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year. Fayad is Sunstar Paramedics’ lead communications training officer and he trains dispatchers throughout the county. He also works full time as a lieutenant at the Seminole Fire Department.

“People have to realize that just because you’re not going to save a life on every call, it doesn’t mean you don’t have that opportunity to impact a life or make a difference,” Fayad said.

The award recipients each received a plaque and a cash award from the Pinellas Federal Credit Union. EMS Week is celebrated nationally each May by the American College of Emergency Physicians. The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Called to Care.”

For information about Sunstar, go to sunstarems.com. For a video profiling the award winners, go to youtube.com.

Photos of the winners with the Pinellas County Commission courtesy of Pinellas County.

Pinellas County | Sunstar | Paramedics | Emergency Medical Technicians | Seminole Fire | TB Reporter

Pinellas County | Sunstar | Paramedics | Emergency Medical Technicians | Seminole Fire | TB Reporter