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On December 17, 2016, Charles “Vachel” McMahan, a paramedic supervisor with Tri-State Ambulance, was transporting a patient from Wheeling, West Virginia, to Cambridge, Ohio, with a crew of four.

Near Cambridge, the ambulance encountered black ice causing it to lose control and roll several times. Both McMahan and the patient were killed.

McMahan started working for Tri-State Ambulance in 2013 and had recently been made division manager. He was loyal. compassionate, and generous. His strong hand, kind demeanor, talent, skills, and smile will be missed by all.

John F. Lynch Worcester EMS/UMASS Memorial Medical Center Worcester, Massachusetts John F. Lynch, 60, died December 5, 2016. He was a former paramedic at UMass Memorial Medical Center.

Lynch was a liver and kidney transplant recipient in 1984, having contracted hepatitis C when he was bitten by a heroin addict whose life he was saving. He was known for being a true gentleman and a credit to his profession.

Morris Linker, 49, of the Bronx, was killed in the line of duty August 24, 1943, serving as an ambulance driver for Reception Hospital on Roosevelt Island.

Linker swerved to avoid a pedestrian and crashed the ambulance into the East River where it was submerged with Linker pinned behind the wheel.

According to the New York Times archives, an elderly woman stepped out in front of the ambulance he was driving, and he steered sharply to avoid her.

“The fender dumped her in the drive, more frightened than hurt, but the ambulance leaped the lower curb, tore down (a tree and hit a man),” who also died later, the New York Times article read in part.

“The ambulance, still upright, cleared the retaining wall and landed on its wheels in 10-feet of water, completely submerged.” Two hours passed before a department of sanitation truck lifted the vehicle where they found Linker slumped over the wheel.

In the pre-dawn hours on July 29, 2016, flight nurse Deborah Kroon, along with flight paramedic Michelle Tarwater and pilot Larry Mills, were aboard a Cal-Ore Life Flight fixed wing aircraft transporting a patient when it crashed near the Arcata Airport, leaving no survivors.

Deborah will always be remembered for her smile, laughter, and sense of humor. Her reassuring words to her patients were a comfort to many.

Chad Hammond, 29, of Haynes Life Flight of Montgomery, Alabama, died in the early morning hours of March 26, 2016.

The Haynes Life Flight 2 helicopter crashed while in route to Montgomery, Alabama. Chad, serving as pilot, flight paramedic Jason Snipes, flight nurse Stacey Cernadas, along with the patient, all perished in the crash.

In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration recognized Chad with inclusion in the FAA Airman Certification Database. This certification is for pilots who have met or exceeded the high educational, licensing, and medical standards established by the FAA.

His dream to become a Life Flight pilot became a reality in October 2015. He had also been a Certified Flight Instructor for Cloud 9 Helicopters.

Paramedic Raymond Davis, 60, of Lubbock County District EMS, died September 18, 2003, while working a 24-hour shift as a First Response Medic.

After having already responded to five emergencies during his shift, Davis’ colleagues were unable to reach him during a status check. After numerous attempts to reach Davis, supervisors were given his last known GPS location.

When help arrived on the scene, Davis was found deceased. Davis was a long-time paramedic who cares deeply for his patients and co-workers in Lubbock. He also worked as a volunteer paramedic for the Shallow Water EMS service for several years.

Larry Fuller, 55, of Hunter Ambulance, Inc., died April 20, 2016. Fuller and his partner were dispatched to transport a patient to another healthcare facility.

Fuller was driving. The vehicle left the highway and struck an object. Fuller was killed instantly. He had been with Hunter for three years.

He quickly rose through the ranks at the beginning his career as an EMT, sharing his knowledge as a field trainer and recently being promoted to Turnout Coordinator.

Fuller chose EMS following many careers outside of healthcare. Once he discovered his passion for caring for others, he devoted the last years of his life to perfecting his EMT skills and feeding his desire to be the best field provider for people in need of medical care.

Fuller strove to do his job with the utmost integrity. Fuller will be remembered for his kindness, compassion, and professionalism. His former colleagues continue to hold his memory in the highest regard.

Former Chief E. Scott Danielson, 49, of Lakeland Volunteer Emergency Squad in New Jersey, died January 16, 2016.

Danielson, a 35-year member of Lakeland Emergency Squad, died shortly after answering an emergency call of a motor vehicle accident involving his daughter.

He was able to help treat his daughter and the occupant of another vehicle. He arrived at the hospital with his daughter, and it was there he collapsed from a heart attack.

He was quickly stabilized and then flown to Morristown Medical Center where he was pronounced dead four hours later.

He was known for having a passion for community service and was well as for his involvement in public safety agencies in Sussex and Warren Counties in New Jersey. He started working EMS at the age of 14 in the role of a cadet, and eventually became the squad’s chief.

Danielson served as an Emergency Services Dispatcher with Morris County, the New Jersey State Police, and the Warren County Communications Department where he was recently a division manager and a member of the County Hazardous Materials Team.

In Sussex County, he served as the Office of Emergency Management 13 Coordinator for Andover Borough. He was a past member of the Andover Borough Fire Company and was serving his third term on the borough council. In recent years, he was known for his tireless efforts in securing more than a $100,000 in federal grants to purchase new fire equipment and new ambulances for the Lakeland Rescue Squad.

News reports noted his focus on the greater good. Danielson was an expert in the fields of police, fire, and EMS. His greatest passion was helping others.