City officials gathered at Inova Alexandria Hospital last Thursday to honor 21 Alexandria medics and firefighters with the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Councils Call of the Quarter award for meritorious service.

Mayor Bill Euille, City Councilman Frank Fannon, City Manager Jim Hartmann, Police Chief Earl L. Cook and many others joined Inova Alexandria Hospital management and physicians in congratulationg the emergency response heroes.

EMS Council Chair Pamela Copley said the honorees had demonstrated outstanding knowledge of procedures, skills and assessment, the use of excellent teamwork and showed great heart, judgment and reasoning when responding to emergencies around the city.

Alexandria Medical Director Dr. James Vafier called Alexandria Medics true heroes.

Copley read a letter that was sent to Inova Alexandria Hospital by a patient who felt that the teamwork, frankly, saved my life and that began with the EMTs knowledgeable observation and decision. 

It had all started with a 911 call from the patients wife for what turned out to be complete heart block.

The Call of the Quarter Honorees were: Paramedic Jason Cage; paramedic Chad Shade; paramedics Seth Bowie, Johnny McCarther, Joshua Weissman, Don Scott, Richard Myers, Michael Tabb; EMS Supervisor Bryan Meckes; medic Mark Chronister; acting EMS Supervisor Eric Warren; EMS Supervisor Martie Tuthill; Fire Lt. Eric Whitmore; firefighters Kenneth Salfelder, Wells Wilson, Robert Parker, Jeffrey Harrison, James Jackson, John Silverwood and Tiffany Matthews; and Fire Capt. Eric Kreisher.