Representative Steve "Thunder" Tumlin was recently honored by the Georgia Association of Emergency Medical Services (GAEMS), a statewide association representing over 14,000 EMS professionals in Georgia. Devan Seabaugh of Metro Atlanta Ambulance Service, and Chair of the GAEMS Legislative Committee, presented Representative Tumlin with the GAEMS Star of Life Legislative Award, which recognizes him as one of a select few honored as the association?s legislators of the year for the 2006 Legislative Session.
"This is the inaugural year for the GAEMS Star of Life Legislative Award and we are proud to have Representative Tumlin as one of the first recipients," said GAEMS Chairman Courtney Terwilliger. "Representative Tumlin took the time to listen and learn about the EMS community and industry and is quite familiar with the challenges that our profession faces in Georgia," continued Terwilliger." He was and continues to be a tremendous advocate for EMS professionals. He was selected for this honor for his dedication to sponsoring, speaking in favor of and voting for key issues for EMS Professionals that our association identified in the 2005-06 Legislative Agendas."
"GAEMS recognized Thunder and the other inaugural members for their understanding and appreciation for the lifesaving contributions our EMTs and Paramedics make in their communities, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," said Seabaugh. "EMTs in Georgia regularly put their lives on the line for people they do not know and are not likely to ever see again. They do it out of dedication, out of compassion, and out of a sincere commitment to make a difference in the communities they serve."
The Award is named for the EMS Symbol, which is a blue, six-pointed star with the Rod of Asclepius in the center. Each of the bars of the blue Star of Life represents the six system functions of emergency medical services: detection, reporting, response, on scene care, care in transit and transfer to definitive care.