The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) on Wednesday named Cecil County Dispatcher Angela Puskarich the Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year at the Maryland Star of Life Awards ceremony in Annapolis. Ms. Puskarich was presented her award by MIEMSS Executive Director Dr. Ted Delbridge, MD, MPH, and Emergency Medical Services Board Chair Clay Stamp.

“Angela is an outstanding asset to the 911 Center. She is dedicated to protecting the citizens of Cecil County and brings an overwhelmingly positive outlook to the center every day,” said Richard Brooks, Director of Emergency Services for Cecil County.

According to a press release:

On July 22, 2018, Dispatcher Puskarich processed a 9-1-1 call from a man that trapped in a tree in high flood water. The call was from a deactivated cell phone that could only make an emergency call and had no physical phone number to call back in the event that the call was disconnected.

Puskarich immediately processed the call and it was dispatched. Emergency personnel initially could not locate the man. When the fire department located him, they were not able to make access due to a fast moving current. They requested additional support from the Harford County Swift Water Rescue Team.

After mobilizing and arriving on scene, they were able to rescue the patient unharmed. Dispatcher Puskarich stayed on the line with the man for five hours while attempts were made to rescue him. Without her actions and commitment to the patient, the outcome of this event would not have been successful.

Puskarich, who began her career with the Cecil County Department of Emergency Services (DES) on January 9, 2017, was also honored in November 2018 by the Emergency Numbers Systems Board as the Cecil County Tele-Communicator of the Year.

Read the full press release for more information.