Honorees

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Year Honored
2010
Honoree
Dale R. Long
Agency
Bennington Rescue Squad
Agency City
Bennington
Agency State
VT
Last Call
6/15/09
Cause of Death
Ambulance Involved MVC
Biography
Dale Long's colleagues used the words "respect, admiration, and distinction" when they described what it was like to know this long time emergency medical worker. He was the type of person that was always ready to help, and worked every rescue call in a calm manner.<br /> <br /> In an interview Dale stated that he had "always looked for what he was supposed to do with his life and after running his first call, he knew he had found his calling." It was a "real light bulb moment for me," Long stated. Emergency Medical Services did become Dale's passion in life and he served it well.<br /> <br /> EMS Director Bill Hathaway stated that "Dale Long was so ingrained in EMS, that it was his life's work. This EMS worker represents much of what is best about the State of Vermont, much of what we honor in our communities. Dale's commitment mirrors the spirit that has always sustained our town and the State of Vermont," said Hathaway.<br /> <br /> Dale Long, 48, of Bennington, Vermont, was killed in the line of duty on June 15, 2009. He was working a transport with a patient aboard when the ambulance was involved in an accident. His patient was seriously injured, a student emergency tech was injured and another rescue worker was treated and released the same day.<br /> <br /> Dale R. Long served as a paramedic and Shift Supervisor for the Bennington Rescue Squad, in Bennington, Vermont. He had also served with Manchester Rescue Squad. He was a long-time member, serving his community for nearly 25 years in a rural area that spanned over 400 miles.<br /> <br /> He was the awarded the prestigious Star of Life Award by the American Ambulance Association in 2009, and in 1998 Dale received Vermont's EMS Advanced Rescuer of the Year honor.<br /> <br /> Honored 2010