WATERBURY HOSPITAL HONORS AREA FIRST RESPONDERS
WATERBURY, May 22, 2025 – Waterbury Hospital honored individual and team first responders during its Annual EMS Awards Banquet this week including police officers, medics and dispatchers involved providing first aid to a Woodbury police who was stabbed while on duty and a Waterbury Firefighter who provided first aid to a basketball player who collapsed at the game. Additional recognition was bestowed to EMTs, Paramedics, Dispatchers and others for outstanding service and dedication to the community. National EMS Week is May 18 through May 24, honoring emergency medical personal for serving their communities.
Honorees include:
Lifetime Achievement Citation: Matthew Comeau, 36 years of service
Lifetime Achievement Citation: Stefan Suchicki (posthumously) 40 years of service
Lifetime Achievement Citation; Karen Tucker, 38 years of service
EMT of the Year: Adrienne Schultz, Trinity EMS
William “Boomer” Boucher Paramedic of the Year: Thomas Anderson, AMR
EMS Educator of the Year: Brayden Alves, Beacon Hose Company #1
EMS Leader of the Year: Chief Kyle Kelley, Naugatuck EMS
911 Telecommunicator of the Year: James Comeau, Northwest CT Public Safety
EMS Service of the Year: Naugatuck EMS
Friend of EMS: Evelyn Quintana, Waterbury Hospital Cardiac Cath Lab
Friend of EMS: Alltown Fresh, Waterbury
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Woodbury Police Department, Northwest CT Public Safety Communication Center and Paramedic Alyssa Mellone received citations for their actions following the stabbing of a Woodbury officer during a traffic stop. Outstanding actions of each unit involved contributed to a good outcome for the officer. The officer was stabbed in the neck but was able to get a mayday to Northwest dispatch center, setting in motion frantic but precise and decisive action by many involved including a Woodbury Police Officer and Medic Mellone who provided first aid to the officer including in the back of a police cruiser.
“It was just a blessing that we made it there,” Mellone said. The cruiser pulled into Waterbury Hospital ED to a waiting trauma team who took over from there.
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Waterbury Fire Department. Several firefighters and units from Waterbury Fire Department received the Life Saving and unit citations for their actions.
Firefighter Terry Inabinett received the Life Saving Award and Engine 11 received Unit Citation for Outstanding Actions for their actions at a basketball game where a player collapsed. Inabinett, who was at the game to watch his own son was the first to provide aid to the 16-year-old player. More people including two nurses and his Waterbury Fire brothers jumped in to help ensuring a great outcome for the student, saving his life.
“His mother thanks me every time she sees me. I was lucky and blessed I was there that day,” Inabinett said.
Also honored were Engine 6 and Firefighter Paul Wetmore for their actions saving the life of a 58-year-old man in medical distress.
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Southbury Ambulance Association
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Hatzalah EMS of Waterbury
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Naugatuck EMS
Unit Citation for Outstanding Action: Beacon Hose Company #1 and Oxford EMS, received the citations for their actions during the flash flooding in 2024
About Waterbury HEALTH
Waterbury HEALTH, which includes Waterbury Hospital, Alliance Medical Group, Cardiology Associates of Greater Waterbury, VNA Health at Home and Access Rehab Centers, Greater Waterbury Imaging Center, offers comprehensive healthcare services including primary care, emergency and acute care, and home healthcare. Serving Waterbury and 11 surrounding communities in Western Connecticut, Waterbury HEALTH is a member of Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc., a national family of hospitals and healthcare networks.
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