Recognizing The Global Medical Response 2026 Stars Of Life Award Recipients
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the Global Medical Response (GMR) Stars of Life award recipients for 2026. A proud member of the American Ambulance Association (AAA), GMR is a leader in emergency medical services across the country--providing…
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the Global Medical Response (GMR) Stars of Life award recipients for 2026. A proud member of the American Ambulance Association (AAA), GMR is a leader in emergency medical services across the country--providing care to communities and residents of all walks of life.
The AAA created the Stars of Life program to celebrate the contributions of ambulance professionals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to their communities and the EMS profession. By honoring the contributions of these heroes, the Stars of Life program also highlights the critical role EMS plays in our healthcare infrastructure.
The opportunities to save lives--whether it's someone who was impaled by a steel fence pipe in Killeen, Texas, or a postpartum patient with life-threatening hemorrhagic shock in Breckenridge, Kentucky--are the situations for which EMS professionals train and prepare. But we should also honor the everyday professionalism, skill, and commitment to doing what is right for the patient that is at the forefront of everything emergency medical responders do, both on duty and off. By putting their own lives on the line every time they answer the call for help, EMS professionals are heroes in their local communities, even if some are too humble to see themselves that way.
I thank all first responders for answering the call and thank the 2026 GMR Stars of Life award recipients for providing care to the world at a moment's notice. I include in the Record the names of the GMR's 2026 Stars of Life Award Recipients:
Kiara Baum, EMT, FTO, AMR, Syracuse, New York
James ``Jim'' Biddle, Pilot, Base Aviation Manager, MTC/
Regional One, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Colen Bishop, Paramedic and FTO, AMR, Salem, Virginia
Daniel ``Wesley'' Brookshear, Critical Care Paramedic and
Training Coordinator, AMR, Knoxville, Tennessee
Shelby Costa, Paramedic, AMR, San Diego, California
Jeffrey Goran, A-EMT, AMR, DeKalb County, Georgia
Abbie Green, Paramedic, Lieutenant, FTO, Lifeguard
Ambulance Service, Florence, Alabama
Steven Hardesty, Base Manager, Flight Nurse, Guardian
Flight, Ely, Nevada
Robert Hardwick, EMT-I 99, AMR, Pierre, South Dakota
Blake Hoelscher, Flight Nurse, AEL, Killeen, Texas
Maison Hooten, Paramedic, AMR, Pecos, New Mexico
Bryar Hopkins, Flight Paramedic, REACH, McClellan,
California
Ryan Horn, Paramedic, AMR, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Nicky Langdon, Nurse/Paramedic, AEL, Hardinsburg, Kentucky
Matthew Lonon, Flight Paramedic, MTC/Regional One,
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Jessica Mills, Flight Nurse MTC/Regional One, Spartanburg,
South Carolina
Wallace Mills, Paramedic Supervisor, AMR, Nashua, New
Hampshire
Blanca Morfin Watkins, Paramedic, AMR, Santa Barbara
County, California
Misae Nomiyama, Flight Paramedic, Guardian Flight, Ely,
Nevada
Andre Pinkston, Paramedic, AMR, Stone Mountain, Georgia
Connie Porter, MICT Paramedic, AMR, Lihue, Hawaii
Perry Prete, Flight Paramedic with AirMed 360, Birmingham,
Alabama
Mark Rock, Paramedic, AMR, Ventura County, Moorpark,
California
Krista Ruley, EMT, AMR, Washington, D.C.
Jordan Sisneros, Paramedic, AMR, Pueblo, Colorado
Emily Smayra, Paramedic Supervisor, AMR, Stockton,
California
Caitlyn ``Abby'' Smith, Paramedic, FTO, Lifeguard Ambulance
Service, Purvis, Mississippi
Forrest Tracey, EMT, AMR, Pecos, New Mexico
Katie Tribley, Flight Nurse/Base Clinical Lead, REACH/CS5,
Salinas, California
Jordan Turner, Flight Nurse/Paramedic, AEL, Hardinsburg,
Kentucky
Kaitlyn Vandervest, Paramedic, AMR, West Michigan, Grand
Rapids, Michigan
Gary Wadham, Flight Paramedic, AEL, Killeen, Texas, and
Beth Watt, Flight Paramedic, REACH, Williams, California