American Medical Response
Rochester, New York
Laura has been a member of the AMR team since 2003. After becoming a Certified First Responder and then an EMT and volunteering at GVEMS/Caledonia Ambulance for six years, she realized she had found her calling. In 2005, she decided it was time to go back to school and get her paramedic certification. She received her certification in 2006.
In her work as a medic on the overnight shift at AMR, Laura has responded to many horrifically violent scenes in the past year. She and her partner were the unfortunate witnesses of a near-homicide, having arrived on a scene for a non-specific emergency incident prior to law enforcement. Laura cared for the first critical patient on this scene after witnessing that patient being brutally attacked by a pitbull. She maintained her professional demeanor and composure, requesting law enforcement to the scene. This is only one of several high-stress incidents that Laura has responded to in the recent past. Laura responded to multiple mass shootings during the past several years. While she deals with her own emotions, Laura always works hard to help others cope with theirs. Laura is a medic who is always available to support others and continually works to enhance provider/responder safety in EMS by sharing her experiences with new providers. Laura is a resilient professional and as a full-time caregiver in a challenging urban environment, a most deserving "Star."