DELAWARE, Ohio — The Delaware County EMS Department’s mission is to save lives, and continues to gain widespread recognition again.
What You Need To Know
- The Delaware County EMS Department has gained widespread recognition at the national and state level
- EMS Director Jeff Fishel reveals what he believes has led to the department’s success. He said it’s largely due to everyone’s hard work
- Members traveled to Orlando, Florida for the Oct. 11 award presentation
The department was just named the National EMS System of the Year after taking home a similar honor in the state of Ohio.
Members traveled to Orlando, Florida on Oct. 11 for the award presentation.
“When you win a national award, it kind of hits you differently,” Delaware County EMS Director Jeff Fishel said.
Fishel has been with the Delaware County EMS for the last three years. He’s been with the department while they earned state recognition in 2020 and national recognition this year.
Director Fishel said those honors have a lot to do with their team.
“What they do on a daily basis really matters,” Fishel said. “They really do an excellent job.”
He also gave credit to the programs they offer.
“We do a lot with provider wellness, provider safety and patient safety. Education is a big thing for us, and our community programs,” he said.
Delaware County EMS paramedic Jason Walton, who has been with the department for 16 years, said several efforts they’ve done have led to their success.
“We’ve increased everything we’ve done,” Walton said. “We’ve gotten more stations, more people. We’ve trained to the point of so many certifications.”
Department members felt winning praise from the state and nation validated their cause, but Fishel said their work is far from over.
“It doesn’t matter if we won the state award or the national award,” Fishel said. “Those are great things to have. All that tells us is that we’re doing the right things, and we need to continue doing the right things.”
