Emergency Health Services Employees Honoured for Decades of Service

**** NS Gov Release Emergency Health Services Employees Honoured for Decades of Service --------------------------------------------------------- Seventy-nine Emergency Health Services (EHS) employees with 20 or more years of service have been recognized for their commitment to keeping Nova Scotians safe. The long-service award recipients include 45-year employee Kevin MacMullin, the only person to reach that many years of service this year. Mr. MacMullin was a primary care paramedic in Glace Bay and is currently Business Manager of the Nova Scotia Paramedics Union IUOE Local 727. The awards were presented at a ceremony today, September 16, in Dartmouth. To qualify for an award, employees must have at least 20 years of service, be in good standing and be involved in or directly support the administration, preparedness and operation of the system. The 79 recipients have a total of 2,075 years providing and supporting emergency care and saving lives in Nova Scotia. There were six length-of-service milestones recognized (with number of recipients): - 45 years (one) - 40 years (three) - 35 years (nine) - 30 years (14) - 25 years (27) - 20 years (25). The ceremony also included the presentation of the Tom Dobson Award to paramedic Pamela MacLennan of Beaver Cove in Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The award recognizes an employee who has made or continues to make an outstanding contribution to enhancing the paramedicine profession in Nova Scotia. Mr. Dobson was a distinguished 23-year EHS paramedic who developed several innovative programs and service delivery models that enhanced care for patients and advanced the paramedicine profession in Nova Scotia. Quotes: “It is an honour to receive this recognition and to be considered among the pioneers who helped advance paramedicine into the respected profession it is today. I am proud to have been part of that evolution and to have spent my career helping patients, while also representing the dedicated professionals who make a difference in the lives of Nova Scotians every day.” — Kevin MacMullin, Business Manager, Nova Scotia Paramedics Union IUOE Local 727 “I am incredibly humbled to receive the Tom Dobson Award and to be recognized alongside the exceptional people who have received this honour before me. While I’m proud of the programs and initiatives I’ve been part of, I’m most proud of the people I’ve had the opportunity to support and mentor along the way.” — Pamela MacLennan, clinical development and advanced care paramedic Quick Facts: - there are about 1,740 individuals who support the emergency health services system in the province - in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the EHS communications centre received more than 214,400 calls, an average of about 580 calls per day - there are 279 vehicles and four aircraft in the EHS fleet, including ambulances, patient transfer units, medical transport units, single paramedic response units, helicopters and fixed-wing airplanes - EHS, part of the Department of Health and Wellness, is the regulator of ground and air ambulance services in the province; services are provided by Emergency Medical Care Inc. Additional Resources: Information on becoming a paramedic: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/ehs/becoming-a-paramedic.asp