Thursday night, as Emergency Medical Services Week continues, the BMRT Ambulance District and the Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department were recognized at the 2025 Emergency Medical Services Banquet, hosted by Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center.
Both agencies were presented with a Trauma Care Award for their exceptional response and coordination during a critical incident on December 16, 2024.
The incident involved a motor vehicle versus Amish buggy crash that resulted in three pediatric patients with injuries ranging from moderate to critical.
BMRT Emergency Medical Technician Allison Dickinson was the first on the scene.
On her way to work at Honda, she stopped immediately and began initial triage.
Soon after, BMRT Medic 11 arrived, staffed by Paramedic Andrew Roy, Paramedic Robert Beatty, and Emergency Medical Technician Amy McElfresh, who was serving on her first day of orientation.
By what could only be described as a fortunate alignment of timing and teamwork, BMRT was able to quickly establish scene command, conduct effective triage, and assign one care provider to each injured child.
Once additional resources arrived, Medic 51 transported the most critically injured patient, while Medic 11 and Medic 52 transported the remaining two.
Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department also responded swiftly and worked hand-in-hand with BMRT to deliver outstanding prehospital care.
HVFD personnel honored included:
- Assistant Chief Tom Weikart Jr
- Firefighter and Paramedic Robby Weikart
- Paramedic Jessica Evans
- Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician–Basic Greg Beatty
- Firefighter and Emergency Medical Responder Joe Hurley
Thanks to the dedicated, seamless teamwork of both agencies, all three pediatric patients were stabilized and received advanced care en route to the hospital—two transported to St. Rita’s Emergency Room and one to Mary Rutan Emergency Room.
All three were able to return home to their families.
