NATIONAL EMS WEEK - Thanking Ambulance Personnel in the Trenches

GREENE COUNTY - A trio of Commendation Certificates were presented during the annual Appreciation Dinner for Greene County emergency medical services personnel, earlier this month.

The event, hosted by Blackthorne Resort in the town of Durham, kicked off the local celebration of National EMS Week, May 19-25, paying tribute to ambulance workers across the country.

Food and festivities were organized by the Greene County EMS Council, representing every town and village in the county, and sponsored by a group of local businesses, saying “thank you” to those in the trenches.

Two respected EMS pros were singled out, Roderick “Rick” Stanfield and Richard Linden, receiving proclamations from Assemblyman Chris Tague, Congressman Marc Molinaro and the Greene County Legislature.

Stanfield began his career in 2003 with the Mt. Marion Fire Department and Diaz Ambulance in the town of Saugerties, later serving as an EMT for the town of Windham and ambulance administrator in the town of Durham.

Linden entered the EMS field in the early 1980’s with the town of Durham, becoming an EMT in 1981 and subsequently an AEMT.

He was the town of Durham administrator and also served with the towns of Cairo, Windham and Catskill. Stanfield and Linden, both retired, were thanked for their “tireless efforts and unfading loyalty.”

In addition to Stanfield and Linden, an en masse Commendation Certificate honored all the, “first responders, emergency medical technicians and paramedics who are an integral part of our nation's healthcare, public health, emergency management and public safety infrastructure.”