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EVERETT CHAMBER RECOGNIZES CATALDO’S
EMT/PARAMEDIC OF THE YEAR
SOMERVILLE, Massachusetts – April 2, 2008 the Everett Chamber
of Commerce held their Community Appreciation Night to recognize
those who consistently go above the call of duty within their community.
The Everett Chamber of Commerce recognizes one Police Officer, one
Firefighter, one EMT each year and one Whidden Hospital ER staff
member. This year, the award recognizes Cataldo’s Joe O’Connell
as the Everett Chamber’s “Emergency Medical Technician
of the Year.”
Joe has been with the Cataldo Ambulance Service since 1997 and has
been a Paramedic since 1990. In June 2006, Joe was promoted to a
Clinical Field Supervisor at Cataldo. Joe was nominated and selected
for this award due to his consistent dedication and high caliber
patient care and leadership skills as a Field Supervisor and clinician
at Cataldo Ambulance.
As a Clinical Field Supervisor, Joe has excelled in his position
as a member of management staff as well as an educator. O’Connell
has assisted with municipality training for numerous communities
Cataldo Ambulance serves. Joe has developed various training competency
benchmarks and re-education practices including additional certifications
in Weapons of Mass Destruction, HAZMAT, Search and Rescue, Confined
Space and Animal Rescues and instructor credentials in ACLS and BCLS.
His certifications and credentials emphasize Joe as a true leader
in the EMS industry and benefit fellow staff members as an additional
resource during increased threats and disasters. Joe facilitates
educational opportunities in both a formal classroom setting and
facility setting to ensure proper direct patient care is delivered.
In December 2007, Joe O’Connell played a significant role in
the terrifying tanker rollover in Everett. Joe was the first Emergency
Medical Services representative on the scene and he quickly assembled
necessary resources to secure the scene. The tanker roll over incident
occurred alongside an elderly assisted living facility during early
morning hours. The impact caused an explosion setting a four alarm
fire in adjacent buildings and properties prompting the quick evacuation
of the entire surrounding neighborhood. Joe coordinated rehab for
Police and Fire Departments in addition to arranging the evacuation
and relocation of neighborhood residents. Throughout the duration
of this incident O’Connell was still responsible for managing
the other eight municipalities Cataldo Ambulance provides 911 emergency
services for. Joe remained calm and professional under these extreme
circumstances and facilitated the incident well.
Joe O’Connell went above and beyond as a Supervisor on this
night, he continues to demonstrate professional leadership qualities
that are recognized, appreciated and commended by all members of
the field personnel as well as the management staff at Cataldo Ambulance
Service. The December 4th tanker rollover was a demanding emergency
situation for all emergency crews that were called to the scene.
The management team at Cataldo Ambulance Service would also like
to recognize the following men and women that dedicated their time
and efforts to this strenuous call: Danny Riendeau, Doug McCall,
Sarah Mercier, Kerri Hurley, Kathryn Knowles, Paul Driscoll, Tim
Carroll, Kenneth Noel, Brittany Casasanta, Robert Delgado, Shailagh
Coffey, Megan Mullins, Rich Gutierrez, Thomas Danielle, Jason Labell,
Chris Schmall, My Trinh Le, Desare Memmolo, Jason Martocchio, Richard
Brown, Stephanie Wilson, Gail Codair, Don Walker, Tom Codair and
Jim Allard. Thanks to the hard work and skill of these excellent
staff members, we are pleased to report that there were no injuries
during the December 4th tanker rollover.
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