Acadian Ambulance Service of Texas held a banquet on Saturday, May 19, 2018, to honor its paramedics and EMTs who display exemplary attitudes, tireless work ethic and dedication, and provide excellent patient care. From across the company’s Texas service areas, 10 finalists were nominated by their peers.
Acadian Companies Chairman & CEO Richard Zuschlag with Paramedic Alec D’Storm and EMT Alex Aste.
Paramedic Alec D’Storm and EMT Alex Aste were chosen as the 2018 medics of the year. D’Storm represents Acadian’s South-Central Texas region, which spans Bexar, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Medina, Frio, Atascosa, Live Oak and Bee counties. Aste represents Acadian’s Houston region, which spans Harris, Walker, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Liberty, Brazoria and Galveston counties.
D’Storm joined Acadian as an EMT in 2014, after fulfilling a 20-year career in nightclub management. He soon completed the paramedic program at Acadian’s National EMS Academy and is currently enrolled in the Critical Care Paramedic program.
In addition to his paramedic duties and education, D’Storm is a preceptor for new-hire EMTs and paramedics and Safe Baby Program trainer. He is certified to instruct pediatric advanced life support (PALS), advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) and CPR classes. He also speaks at school career days, assists at hospitals for special events, helps with Acadian new-hire orientation and volunteers with Acadian’s EMS Explorer program.
D’Storm has also worked with Acadian Ambulance’s sister company, Safety Management Systems, as a medic for an on-site clinic.
In his remarks at the banquet, D’Storm said, “Acadian’s motto is One Team, One Mission. In my experiences, all of us at Acadian collectively represent many teams with many missions serving one humanity. As I look around the room, I see one collective that has come together to represent the large number of people with different talents who all somehow work together cohesively to provide a selfless, sometimes dangerous and essential service to our fellow human beings.”
Aste is a native of Italy, where he earned a degree in paramedicine and served as a combat medic during two tours in the Italian Army. He came to the United States in 2011 to pursue a degree in human biology.
Aste’s Italian paramedic certification was not recognized in the United States, so he began his EMS education again in San Diego, California. He is currently enrolled in the paramedic program at Alvin Community College, and will further his career with Acadian upon graduation.
He joined Acadian in 2016 and is recognized as a customer service advocate. He always places the customer first and provides exemplary service regardless of the situation.
Aste also serves as a Life Gift operator in Houston, assisting in transports of organ and tissue transplants.
In his remarks at the banquet, Aste said, “When I was in Acadian’s orientation, I had many fun experiences and met friends with whom I knew I would keep in contact, and I saw just how professional yet caring Acadian is. It is a true EMS family. Thank you to everyone at Acadian who has believed in me, supported me and voted for me to receive this prestigious award. I consider every single one of you as part of my extended family!”
D’Storm and Aste, along with Louisiana Paramedic Jerret Dunlap and EMT Taylor Walden, will represent Acadian Ambulance at the American Ambulance Association Stars of Life celebration in Washington D.C. this June.
Dr. Hassan Tetteh was the banquet’s keynote speaker. He is an associate professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, adjunct faculty at Howard University College of Medicine, and has served as Division Lead for Futures and Innovation at the United States Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. His clinical work includes cardiovascular disease management, surgery and heart and lung transplantation.
Regional honorees included Central Texas Paramedic Andera Bass and EMT Katie Thompson; North Texas Paramedic Luke Coffey and EMT Deborah Metcalf, Southeast Texas Paramedic Sarah-Jane Hailey and EMT Aidan Friesz, Houston Paramedic Finn Brouillet, and South-Central EMT Trent Drinkwalter.
Acadian Ambulance Chairman & CEO Richard Zuschlag shared his appreciation for everyone involved in the banquet and in Acadian’s success and growth in Texas. “Our employee-owners continue to help us grow throughout all of our diverse divisions. I want to thank all of the Acadian employees for their hard work, dedication, professionalism and loyalty,” he said.
