| Year Honored | |
|---|---|
| 2014 | |
| Honoree | |
| Brian Schimpf | |
| Title | |
| Captain | |
| Agency | |
| Grand County EMS | |
| Agency City | |
| Granby | |
| Agency State | |
| CO | |
| Last Call | |
| 11/23/13 | |
| Biography | |
| As many in the pre-hospital field, Brian began his journey as a teen when he became a volunteer firefighter and EMT while attending high school. He was born in Pusan, South Korea and was brought to the United States by his adoptive parents in 1981. He attended schools in Duluth, Minnesota and in Langley, Washington. He attended Oklahoma State University's fire management program and the University of Minnesota Duluth. He received his associate's degree from Red Rocks Community College in Colorado and achieved his paramedic certification in 2004 from St. Anthony's Hospital Paramedic School in Denver.<br /> Brian was a voracious reader and an avid outdoorsman. He loved camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and hiking and jeeping in the Colorado high country. He was a fine downhill skier and refereed and coached youth soccer in Duluth. As a paramedic, Brian had seen firsthand the dangers of EMS work and had participated in many large-scale events, including the Democratic National Convention in 2008 where he was struck by a car responding to an assignment as a bicycle medic. He was one of the first medics on the scene of a plane crash at Denver International Airport and is credited with saving the life of an 8-year-old victim of a drive-by shooting.<br /> <br /> Brian also loved to teach and show the newer generation of EMS professionals the craft as an instructor at Denver Health Paramedic School. He always helped and wanted to teach the younger ones. Schimpf received many accolades and vast recognition for his work as an instructor, including being named preceptor of the year and a hometown hero.<br /> <br /> Brian had been working for Grand County EMS as a Captain for less than a year when he was returning from a structure fire about 2am on September 7, 2012. He was travelling westbound on Highway 40 on Red Dirt Hill when the accident occurred. The ambulance left a treacherous section of road and rolled multiple times. After the accident, Schimpf was able to radio for help. Brian suffered numerous injuries from the accident including a mild head injury, broken ribs, broken tibia and fibula, broken collarbone, and spinal injuries. He underwent surgery on November 20 2013, but was placed on life support due to complications with the surgery. He never regained consciousness. On the night of November 23, with his family at his side, Brian Schimpf succumbed to the complications.<br /> <br /> Honored 2014 |
The United States Official National EMS Memorial Service
