IAFCCP rewards paramedic professionalism

The US-based International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics (IAFCCP) has announced that Cory Oaks from Classic Air Medical in Utah has been the recipient of its 2018 Tim Hynes Award, which recognises excellence in leadership, education and safety within the emergency air medical transport industry. The IAFCCP explained that Oaks started his air medical career in 2004 with Intermountain Life Flight in Salt Lake City, Utah. Soon after, he sat for and passed the Certified Flight Paramedic exam. He is a long-time member of the International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics and has served as the Utah state delegate for the last four years actively promoting the Association and education at every opportunity.

Oaks is also active within his state, having sat on the Utah State Bureau of Emergency Medical Services Air Medical and Paediatric Protocol Subcommittees and most currently Board Director at Large for the Utah Chapter of the Association of Air Medical Services. He conceived and developed the Utah AAMS Education Committee, which focuses on a joint education delivery every quarter involving every air medical provider company in the state, to foster friendship and cooperation while providing quality education and improving patient care across the state.

Tim Hynes was a founding member of the Association who lost his life, along with his crew, when their helicopter crashed while on a rescue mission in 1998. The IAFCCP changed the name of the Flight Paramedic of the Year Award to the Tim Hynes Award to honour Tim's spirit and contributions to the paramedic profession.