As part of its EMS Week celebration, Bates County Memorial Hospital recognized Paramedic Rich Glossip and EMT-B Stephen Stark as recipients of the hospital’s 2025 Call of the Year award in a ceremony held on Wednesday, May 21.
Staff,
volunteers, and board members gathered in the hospital’s dining room to hear
details of the emergency call that demonstrated exceptional teamwork, skill,
and compassion. Both honorees received custom walnut plaques in recognition of
their outstanding service.
Stephen
Stark has served with the BCMH Ambulance team for three years and brings a
strong background of service, including four years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
With 10 years of experience as an EMT-B, Stark recently began paramedic
training to advance his career in emergency medicine. He also serves as a field
training officer, mentoring newer team members with the leadership experience
gained from both military and EMS service.
Rich
Glossip has been part of the BCMH EMS team since 2011 and brings decades of
experience to the field. He served as a U.S. Navy corpsman for five years
before beginning his EMS career in 1992 with the Kansas City Fire Department.
Russell
Whisenand, EMS Supervisor at BCMH and a Paramedic himself, reviewed more than
2,500 emergency calls from 2024 before selecting this one for recognition.
“Even though the outcome was not what we hoped for,” Whisenand said, “this crew
gave it their all and performed with excellence.”
Both
Glossip and Stark spoke during the ceremony, expressing their mutual respect
and reflecting on the call that earned them the award.
“It’s
awesome to have a good partner like Stephen,” Glossip said. “You barely have to
talk to each other when you’re working a call like that. That’s what I take
from it—we did our best for him, and working with a good partner, it’s all you
can ask for.”
Stark
added, “I’ve learned a lot from working with Rich. Experienced medics like him
bring a lot of stories and a wealth of knowledge.”
BCMH CEO
Greg Weaver opened the ceremony with remarks about the importance of
recognizing excellence in emergency care.
The BCMH
Ambulance Department operates 24/7, staffed by two-person teams made up of one
paramedic and one EMT-B. EMS Week, recognized nationally from May 18–24, honors
the life-saving work of EMS professionals and their vital role in the health
and safety of the community.
