La Mesa Chamber of Commerce honors local heroes

A group of local emergency personnel and healthcare workers were honored earlier this month by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce. The chamber honored nine local residents at its 13th annual “Salute to Local Heroes” on Oct. 13 at Sycuan Casino Resort in El Cajon.

The nonprofit honored paramedic Keith Martin, emergency medical technician Eric Wood, firefighter paramedics Neil Carter and John Oslovar, police officers Jennifer Buckel and Daniel Garcia, police department volunteer Joe Wright, nurse manager Tania Jones and hospital emergency department worker Paul R. Larimore.

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce reorganized in 2008 after a 12-year absence. Its primary aim seeing to it that the local economy thrives, but it also celebrates community members who make a difference, La Mesa Chamber President and CEO Mary England said.

The dinner’s honorees, men and women working in different fields across East County, were nominated by peers and supervisors.

• Keith Martin, a paramedic, has been employed by American Medical Response-San Diego since 2002, and was promoted to paramedic in 2006.

The person nominating Martin said he “is known for his positive attitude, taking excellent care of his patients, keeping them safe and comfortable in stressful situations and is a reliable and trustworthy person, both on duty and in life outside of work.”

“Over the last 21 months we have all seen the difficulties that COVID-19 has brought upon us,” Martin’s nominator told the Chamber. “Even with the extra hurdle, protocols and procedures required to do the jobs in this new environment, Keith has remained one of the best, and strives to continue to build better and stronger health care heroes.”

• Eric Wood, an EMT, has been employed by American Medical Response-San Diego since 2016. Starting as a shuttle driver when he was 23 years old, Wood in 2018 was promoted to EMT. He works as Martin’s partner with AMR, and plays a pivotal role in the daily operations of their ambulance, according to the person who nominated him.

“(Wood) has always been professional, strong, eager and a person that is willing to always learn,” his nominator said. “On any call, regardless of the level of emergency whether it be difficulty breathing, chest pain or a mild slip and fall, there are 1,000 things going on at once. Eric takes command of the situation and makes sure that everything runs smoothly.”

• Neil Carter and John Oslovar, firefighter paramedics with Heartland Fire & Rescue in La Mesa, were nominated as a team and feted for an incident that happened earlier this year when they helped people trapped on a roof escape from an apartment fire.

“Carter and Oslovar were able to quickly deploy a ground ladder and assist the two people down the ladder and away from the flames,” the nominators told the Chamber. “Bystanders were encouraging the two residents to jump as the fire engines arrived, which could have had a different outcome. (Their) quick action and great teamwork prevented serious injuries to the two residents.”

• Jennifer Buckel, the police services specialist at the La Mesa Police Department, was celebrated for being a steady hand during the May 30, 2020, social justice protest and subsequent riots, answering hundreds of emergency calls and remaining calm and professional.

“When rioters attempted to breach the windows and enter the police station, although terrified, (Buckel) had the presence of mind to open the door so officers could respond and enter the dispatch area,” the nominator said. “Due to (her) quick thinking, officers could secure the dispatch area and prevent the rioters’ entry into the building. Once the building was again secure, Jennifer answered phone calls and continued taking those calls deep into the night.”

She also oversees the La Mesa Police Department Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol’s 19 employees and is one of the leads for the department’s social media team.

• Daniel Garcia, a detective with the La Mesa Police Department, was honored for his prominent role in all the department’s training. Garcia has conducted more than 100 background investigations for city of La Mesa employees.
  

“Of his background checks, La Mesa has hired 14 police officers, four dispatchers, and one community service officer,” the nominator said.

Garcia also works for the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team in San Diego County as a use force expert and has taught nine different de-escalation classes. The nominator said that Garcia played an active role during the May 30, 2020, riots, taking charge of watching over the plaza area at the Police Department. Garcia also wrote a 30-page after-action report on the incident for La Mesa staff and prepared a presentation for the El Cajon Police Department SWAT team on lessons learned.

• Joe Wright, a member of the La Mesa Police Department’s Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol, joined the program in 2019.

“Despite a program hiatus that lasted 14 months due to the COVID pandemic, (Wright) contributed more than 500 volunteer hours in his short time with our agency,” his nominator wrote.

Wright also routinely volunteers to work special events in the city including the La Mesa Car Show, La Mesa Police Department Safety Fair and You Are Not Alone projects.

• Tania Jones is a nurse manager at SHARP Grossmont Hospital.

Jones’ units have had COVID-19 patients “whether our COVID inpatient numbers were as low as six or as high as 171,” her nominator told the Chamber. Jones has led the way on the inpatient side, treating patients in a crisis “which is unprecedented in our lifetime,” her nominator told the Chamber.

“For nearly a year and a half, there basically has not been a day that all the units that (Jones) manages haven’t had COVID patients,” the nominator wrote. “Many times, her units were maxed out with COVID patients, and she manages three units.”

• Paul R. Larimore is manager of the emergency department at SHARP Grossmont Hospital.

“Throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic, Paul has been managing what is already the busiest emergency department in San Diego County, with more than 100,000 emergency department visits annually,” his nominator told the Chamber. “(Larimore) continues to successfully navigate his department through uncharted waters, separating patient populations, managing staff morale during a pandemic, integrating new technologies and treating patients in a crisis which is unprecedented in our lifetime.”