Honorees

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Year Honored
1995
Honoree
Richard Thompson
Agency
Tallahassee Mem Reg Med Ctr/Life Flight
Agency City
Tallahassee
Agency State
FL
Last Call
11/4/94
Cause of Death
Medical Aviation Accident
Biography
Richard had been a paramedic at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center since 1981 and joined the Life Flight crew as an aeromedical specialist in 1985, combining his desire to help others with his quest for adventure.<br /> <br /> He earned the recognition and respect of his peers, both locally and nationally. In 1991, he was awarded the National Flight Paramedic of the Year Award. Richard was instrumental in organizing the Florida Flight Paramedics Association and the Florida Association of Professional EMTs and Paramedics and was a Board member of the Florida Chapter/National Flight Paramedics Association. His commitment to maintaining the high standards of the profession earned him the Tallahassee Memorial Caring Hands Award for developing course materials for a pediatric pre-hospital care program and for teaching the course through the region.<br /> <br /> At the time of his death, more than 200 emergency medical services personnel had completed the course, creating a lasting legacy of better training in providing emergency care to pediatric patients.<br /> <br /> Additionally, Richard was actively involved in expanding community education about prevention and emergency medicine and was a frequent speaker at civic organizations and schools. He was also an instructor for Basic Life Support and Basic Trauma Life Support.<br /> <br /> As a native of Tallahassee, Richard was an ardent supporter of the hometown favorites--the Florida State University Seminoles.<br /> <br /> Richard, 35, died on November 4, 1994 when his Life Flight helicopter crashed en route to answer a call.<br /> <br /> Honored 1995