2024 DSHS Emergency Medical Services Award Winners

Texas Health and Human Services | Press Release

The Texas Department of State Health Services celebrated excellence Tuesday by handing out awards to individuals, teams and facilities in the emergency medical services profession that demonstrated exemplary service to their local communities and the profession in 2024. The awards luncheon was part of the annual Texas EMS Conference, this year held in Fort Worth.

“Those recognized at this year’s awards ceremony have made significant impacts on our EMS operations,” said Dr. Timothy Stevenson, DSHS Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Protection. “These award winners exemplify true professionalism and excellence, which so many of our EMS professionals demonstrate every day. Texas is fortunate they are safeguarding our state and communities within our EMS/Trauma System.”

Winners recognized during the awards ceremony at the conference were:

• EMS Community Recognition Award
  Jimmy Lanning, LP
  Stratford
• EMS Education Program/Educator of the Year
  Samantha Grimsley, LP
  Weatherford
• Dispatcher Excellence Award
  Jerome Wymore
  Lockhart
• Interfacility Collaboration Award
  Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center
  Houston
• Rural Healthcare Award
  Val Verde Regional Medical Center EMS
  Del Rio
• Designated Facilities of the Year
  UT Tyler Healthcare System
  Tyler

  Childress Regional Medical Center
  Childress

• EMS Leader of the Year
  Stephen Harper, MD
  San Antonio
• EMS Professional of the Year
  Eduardo Rodriguez, EMT-P
  Dallas
• EMS Response of the Year
  Waller County EMS
  Hempstead

  Memorial Hermann Life Flight
  Houston

• GETAC* Journey of Excellence
  Chief W. Nim Kidd, EMT
  Austin

  Eric Epley, EMT-P
  San Antonio

• GETAC’s Lifetime Achievement Award
  Donald Jenkins, MD
  San Antonio
• Hall of Honor (Line of Duty Deaths)
  Shon Mathews, EMT-P
  November 2, 2020
  Texarkana

Zane Schaeffer, EMT-P

March 24, 2024

Ben Wheeler

*GETAC is the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.