October 5, 2007

For immediate release

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Kumar Vaswani
Phone: 301 652-0077
E-mail: media@bccrs.org

Rescue Squad Volunteer Kendall Sanderson Receives

Montgomery County Volunteer Paramedic of the Year Award

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS) volunteer Kendall Sanderson received the James S. Nicewarner Volunteer Paramedic of the Year Award from the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association at its annual convention, held September 20 in Damascus, Maryland.

A Rescue Squad member since 1997 and a Paramedic since 2004, Sanderson was cited for her instrumental contributions to the Rescue Squad in maintaining its volunteer advanced life support [“Paramedic”] program, including her staffing medic units, training new members, and contributing to the administrative workload of managing BCCRS’s Paramedic program. Sanderson, who holds a Master’s degree in education and is an elementary school teacher in Potomac, Maryland, has served as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Lieutenant and EMS Captain, and currently serves as EMS Battalion Chief.

Stated Rescue Squad President David Chaconas, “Sanderson’s charisma, boundless energy, and advocacy on behalf of EMS have distinguished her as a Paramedic.   The guidance she has provided to prospective and emerging Paramedics is well-documented and has no doubt contributed to the Rescue Squad’s pre-eminent Advanced Life Support Program.”

The award is given in memory of James S. Nicewarner, an active volunteer Paramedic in Montgomery County who died in the line of duty in 1977.

Sanderson has received numerous other commendations, including the Scott Sievering Officer of the Year Award, the Michael A. Chirigos Paramedic of the Year Award, and the Hiram Musgrove Award (BCCRS’s highest award).

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, one of the nation's most advanced and best trained rescue squads, is a community-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides no-cost emergency medical, ambulance, rescue, and fire services to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Maryland, area and Upper Northwest Washington, D.C. BCCRS raises almost all of its $1.5 million operating budget from individual donors, foundations, and businesses. Contributions to BCCRS are tax-deductible as allowable by law.

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