On March 7, Sunstar paramedic Rick Small and EMTs Adam Renelt and Chris Wells responded to a 9-1-1 call for an elderly man who was having a massive stroke and needed immediate care. The team quickly transported him to the nearest hospital, but they knew their job wasn’t finished.

Many crews would have returned to headquarters after completing the assigned job, but Small, Renelt and Wells returned to the home to check on the patient’s wife. Small was concerned about the patient’s wife; she had seemed confused and disoriented while they were at her home. The team was worried that she didn’t fully understand what had happened and may be in distress.

After returning to the home, Small, Renelt and Wells explained what had happened to her husband, answered all of her questions about his current condition, and offered to call a friend or family member to help her while her husband was in the hospital. She declined their offers for further assistance, but thanked the team and assured them that she was able to drive to the hospital to visit her husband.

Small, Renelt and Wells trusted their instincts and went beyond their assigned job duties to help a woman in need. While she was not in medical duress, they recognized that she needed compassion and support during this frightening time. They exemplify the outstanding customer service that Sunstar strives to give the community.

Sunstar Paramedics is proud of the patient care that employees provide to Pinellas County. The Sunstar Care Plus Award is an internal award used to recognize Sunstar Paramedics employees for their excellence in patient care, professionalism and efficiency. Award winners are nominated by their co-workers and selected by Sunstar’s employee engagement and retention committee.