VIENNA — Four Vienna emergency medical technicians are being recognized for their work in an air school accident during this year’s EMS Week.

“When Steward (Family Hospital) purchased both Sharon and Trumbull hospitals, what they started doing was a banquet to honor EMS providers that do a good job,” Matt Ozanich, EMS coordinator for Trumbull County, Trumbull Regional Medical Center, said. “A few Vienna Township firefighters and EMTs were chosen for the Trauma Award for the incident that happened at the airport.”

EMTs Matt Gordon, Haley Martin, Mike Haygood and Dan Jamison were on the March 27 call to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics school at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport when a motor fired up, causing a propeller to strike two students. One student had only minor injuries while the other suffered a severe strike to the head.

“Nobody thought that individual was going going to live through the surgery, but now he’s alert, he’s able to follow commands and was released to a long-term acute care facility. Part of this was due to the quick actions and good decisions that the crew made when they got on the scene,” Ozanich said. “We try to make it a nice big deal because they do such a good job.”

They will be honored during this year’s EMS Week banquet Wednesday night.

Also Wednesday, Stephen Kisak, a firefighter / paramedic for the Champion Fire Department, will receive the EMS Steward of the Community Award; Kara Shaver, a paramedic with EMT Ambulance and Zach Bernstein, an EMT with EMT Ambulance, will both receive the STEMI Care Award; Shawn Whitehouse, a paramedic with Lane LifeTrans, will receive the Lifesaving Award; and Tom Lambert, chief of Lane LifeTrans, will receive the EMS Professional of the Year award.

The late Shawn Bryant, who was a local firefighter / paramedic for a number of years in addition to being the co-founder and president of Penn Care Medical Products, will be posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

EMS Week aims to recognize the emergency medical services community, and enhance and strengthen the profession on a national level. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Call.”

“Emergency medical service professionals are dedicated to delivering superb medical care,” Vidor Friedman, president of American College of Emergency Physicians, said in a prepared statement. “During EMS Week, and through the year, we are proud to recognize EMS and fire professionals who fearlessly and tirelessly serve their communities and help patients and their families every day.”

Ozanich said there are a number of ways people can show their appreciation — take food and refreshments to local fire departments, say thank you to them when you see them and on social media, and don’t be afraid to tell them personal stories of how they helped you or someone you know.

“I know they’d love to hear how things turned out. Here at the hospital we see a lot of EMTs every day and while we know how things go, they don’t, and I know they’d want to hear how things turned out,” Ozanich said.

bshiller@tribtoday.com