FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 22 2025
Note: Pictured above is 911 Dispatcher of the Year Award recipient Dayle Perrin, middle, of East Helena, along with DPHHS Executive Director Dave Gerard, left, and Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras.
Contact: Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757
jebelt@mt.gov
Lieutenant Governor Juras, DPHHS Honor Emergency Medical Services Responders
HELENA – Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras and Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) officials honored Montana Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel from Sunburst, Bozeman, Billings, and East Helena during an awards ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda Thursday, May 22.
“Emergency Medical Providers across Montana respond to emergencies every day to deliver care to Montanans at times when it’s needed most,” Lt. Gov. Juras said. “It’s an honor to be able to recognize these professionals and their families for their dedication to EMS and for the sacrifices they make.”
In attendance were representatives from the Toole County Ambulance, Bozeman Fire Department, American Medical Response (AMR) of Billings, and Gallatin County Emergency Medical Services.
They were joined by City of Missoula EMS Medical Director Dr. Mike Kremkau, and Shari Graham, the EMS Systems Manager for DPHHS.
In addition, Governor Greg Gianforte proclaimed May 18-24 as Emergency Medical Services Week and Wednesday, May 21 as EMS for Children Day.
In 2024, EMS services were requested more than 150,000 times, with more than 7,000 requests for children experiencing illness or injury.
Nominated by their peers, awards were presented to:
Volunteer EMS Provider of the Year Award, Phil Aschim, AEMT, Toole County Ambulance. This award honors a volunteer EMS provider who is exemplary in his/her quality of patient care and dedication to their community.
Aschim was nominated by Courtney Hovland, Logan Health Shelby Director of Nursing; Natalie Simmes, RN, Logan Health Shelby Emergency Department; Camille Ratzburg, RN, Logan Health Shelby, and Mary Jo Aschim.
Simmes, RN, states: “Over the past 35 years, Phil has exemplified everything that this award stands for—selflessness, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our community. Whether it is responding to emergency calls at a moment’s notice or offering support to EMS nurses, his consistently demonstrates a level of compassion and professionalism that sets him apart from the others.”
Ratzburg states: “Phil instills trust in the community through his daily work. He is a wealth of knowledge and always continues to stay current on evidence-based research which is evident in the care that he provides.”
Hovland states: “Phil’s unwavering commitment, humility, and dedication to the field of EMS make him an invaluable asset to Toole County and is a shining example of what it means to serve others.”
Phil’s wife Mary Jo Aschim states: “Our children are so proud of their dad and because of his example, they find ways to serve their community as volunteers. That is the biggest reward, in my opinion.”
Career EMS Career Provider of the Year Award, Luke Szymanski, paramedic, Bozeman Fire Department. This award is for a career EMS provider who exemplifies quality of care and dedication to the community.
Szymanski was nominated by Josh Waldo, Fire Chief, Bozeman Fire Department.
Chief Waldo states: “Paramedic Szymanski is one of our most skilled, compassionate, and trusted responders. However, the work that he does outside of emergency response is why I am nominating him for this award.
The City of Bozeman has over 125 AEDs and eight cardiac monitors that require annual service and maintenance. To get that number of devices collected, serviced, and redistributed takes a vast amount of coordination across multiple departments.
It is a heavy lift, but for multiple years Luke has taken on this task.
In addition to ensuring that AEDs remain in a ready state, Luke has served as the point person for CPR instruction for the Bozeman Fire Department, teaching classes to city employees, department members and members of the public.”
EMS Service of the Year Award, American Medical Response, Billings. The EMS Service of the Year recipient exhibits dedication to improving patient care through education, injury prevention, community awareness, medical director involvement and collaboration with surrounding EMS services.
American Medical Response, Billings was nominated for the EMS Service of the Year Award by Koren Bloom, paramedic, Billings.
Bloom states: “American Medical Response (AMR) Billings not only provides EMS to the citizens of Yellowstone County, but they also strive to support the community in multiple ways. They have staff dedicated to the education of the employees and community by providing EMS continuing education, to include Prehospital Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Stop the Bleed, CPR, and First Aid courses.
They offer an Earn While You Learn program that helps people achieve a career in EMS by providing EMT training on the job. They are also the lead agency for Safe Kids Yellowstone County and dedicate staff to injury prevention education to the public through monthly car seat check events.
In addition, AMR Billings works in collaboration with other agencies in the area through cooperation on fire council, disaster planning, national disaster response, SWAT team standbys, and school district events that encourage students to explore career opportunities in EMS.”
911 Dispatcher of the Year Award, Dayle Perrin of East Helena. This award recognizes a 911 dispatcher who has shown exemplary performance of duties as the “first, first responder” in medical emergencies.
Perrin was selected to receive this award for her contribution to the education and expansion of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) across the State of Montana.
Perrin began her EMS service as a volunteer EMT on the Hi-Line. She transitioned to DPHHS in the mid-80’s where she was responsible for EMT education and testing. Later, she became the first supervisor of the DPHHS Public Health Emergency Preparedness Section until she retired in 2017.
She wasn’t retired long before she began teaching Emergency Medical Dispatch. Initially, the training was offered to individual dispatch centers, and beginning in 2018, Dayle provided EMD training to 911 dispatchers who attended the Public Safety Basic Communicator Course at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
Perrin has been instrumental in the recent update of the Montana EMD Program.
Katherine Miller, a telecommunicator trained by Perrin, states: “Dayle is an amazing instructor full of knowledge and passion for educating those who are becoming a 911 dispatcher. Her willingness to answer questions and pass on her knowledge has inspired countless people. Hours of class were never dull with her humor, character voices, and spot on acting of pretend callers. Montana has been very fortunate to have Dayle educating new dispatchers in appropriate response to medical emergencies.”
EMS Supporter of the Year Award, Dr. Bret Birrer, EMS Medical Director for Gallatin County. This award honors an individual(s) who has demonstrated exceptional support for EMS, EMS agencies and the broader EMS system.
Dr. Birrer was nominated for the EMS Supporter of the Year Award by Bozeman Fire Chief Josh Waldo, Central Valley Fire Chief Jay Wittwer, and Hyalite Rural Fire District Chief Brian Nickolay.
Chief Wittwer states: “In my 37 years of service in the fire and EMS profession, I have worked with many medical directors, yet never one so engaged, supportive and accessible as Dr. Birrer. His unwavering dedication to the EMS system in our county is unmatched and deserves recognition.
Dr. Birrer led and supported the roll-out of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) within Gallatin County, working with fire departments and Gallatin County 911 to implement the use of EMD protocols to reduce the number of apparatuses dispatched to EMS calls, helping to keep more units in service and available in the EMS system for other calls. The implementation of EMD protocols has helped reduce the use of lights and sirens during response to EMS calls, reducing the overall risk to both responders and the community.”
Chief Nickolay states: “Dr. Birrer has made exceptional contributions to the field of emergency medicine as our medical director. He continually goes above and beyond to ensure the highest standard of care for both patients and the health care providers who rely on his guidance. He has consistently demonstrated a great depth of medical knowledge, commitment to patient safety, and a remarkable ability to manage complex and high-pressure situations with professionalism.”
The EMS for Children Supporter Award, Koren Bloom, paramedic, American Medical Response, Billings. This award recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated excellence in providing pediatric EMS care and/or education. The recipient is an outstanding role model for colleagues while consistently demonstrating commitment to high-quality, professional EMS care to the pediatric patient.
Bloom was nominated by Brady Drescher, Chief of Operations, AMR Billings.
Drescher states: “In 2007, Koren was tired of pronouncing unrestrained children deceased on the roadway from traffic accidents and she knew that there needed to be a change. She spearheaded the creation of the non-profit coalition, Safe Kids of Yellowstone County. Over the years, Safe Kids has provided hundreds, if not thousands, of car seats to children in need. She continues to regularly hold car seat checks to ensure that children are being restrained properly in the car and has expanded to doing checks in two other cities in the county.
For the older pediatric population, Bloom found the What Do You Consider Lethal program which targets youth distracted driving, and how to be a safe passenger. Bloom has brought this program to the schools in Yellowstone County teaching kids how to be safe passengers, not drive distracted, and that they need to be the change to keep themselves and other motorists safe.
Koren is a phenomenal individual whether she is teaching kids to be safe, working on an ambulance, or advocating with legislators. Our children are her top priority. Yellowstone County is a safer place because she is here.”