(above,l-r) Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad Chief Kari Phair, Steve Mortenson and Sharon Kelly of Atlantic Health.
Steve Mortenson Receives Overlook’s EMT Excellence Award
Stephen Mortenson, a member of the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad received the 2019 EMT Excellence Award from Overlook Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, at the hospital’s 23rd annual Excellence in EMS Awards Celebration.
The event, which took place on May 23, 2019, at Galloping Hill Golf Course, celebrated the important role of EMS first responders in the communities they serve and highlighted the accomplishments of standout members from local squads in the region to help mark National EMS Week.
Steve, who was nominated by Squad Chief Kari Phair, joined the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad in January 2004 after being told by one of our members it will be one of the greatest things you do and it doesn’t take up a lot of your time. As Steve said, the first statement is true and the second statement is not.
15 years later, Steve is a state certified EMT and riding a 12-hour shift each Thursday Night. Steve provides excellent patient care and comfort not only to the patient but also to family members on scene.
Steve has been a very active member of the Squad with his volunteer hours exceeding the minimum of 48 hours per month. Steve has served as President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary and Trustee as well as serving on many committees. Most importantly Steve has served as one of our Legal Advisors, and in this day and age that is a vital role in EMS. It is also a thankless job. Steve has made it one of his missions to leave the Squad in a far better place than when he started. He has done that with great stamina and elegance.
Steve has been a true asset to the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad helping to write our By-Laws and Standard Operating Procedures. He has earned the respect not only of his Thursday Night crew, but the Squad as a whole. Steve is an accomplished leader who graciously gives of himself to help others and continues to be a vital part of our Organization. The Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad is proud and privileged to have Steve as a member and to nominate him for the Overlook EMT Excellence Award.
Seventeen EMS personnel were given the EMT Excellence Award at the event for their exceptional service. The awards were presented by colleagues, who described the winners’ accomplishments to the audience.
“The brave men and women of the EMS community are in many cases the first point of contact in the continuum of patient care a person will receive in an emergency,” said Sharon Kelly MSN, RN, NEA-BC, director of Overlook’s emergency services at its Summit & Union campuses. “The care they provide has a tremendous impact on the care the patient will receive once they arrive to us at the hospital, so we are honored to celebrate the vital role they play and the EMS excellence we see in our own communities.”
Overlook also presented two hospital team members with EMS Council Recognition Awards for their work collaborating with EMS personnel. The two award winners were Sergio Guzman and Diego Morales, both patient care technicians, in Overlook’s emergency departments in Summit and Union Township, respectively.
About the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad
The all-volunteer First Aid Squad is entirely funded through private donations and does not bill for service. The Squad responds to emergency calls 24-hours a day, provides health & safety training to the public and is also an approved training site for the NJ EMT certification program. The Squad has 90 members, including 20 junior members and is always looking for new volunteers to join its ranks. All needed training, uniforms and equipment is provided. For information on becoming a volunteer, or donating to the squad, visit summitems.org or call us 908-277-9479.
Submitted by John Staunton
