The University of Toledo Medical Center will recognize three individuals for their contributions to the field of emergency medical services at the Emergency Medicine Wall of Honor Ceremony.

A reception will start at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 in the Jacobs Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center on the Health Science Campus. The program begins at noon with remarks from UT President Sharon L. Gaber, Dr. Christopher Cooper, executive vice president for Clinical Affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and Dr. Kristopher Brickman, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

“This is the sixth year we have honored those who have made a significant contribution to the field of emergency medicine,” Brickman said. “The individuals recognized are the trailblazers in their field and they have set the gold standard for what it means to be an emergency medicine professional.”

The Emergency Medicine Wall of Honor, made possible through funding from The Blade, was established in 2011 to celebrate the achievements of those who have lived a life of self-sacrifice in committed service to the emergency medicine community.

Each year, nominations are submitted by a committee of community stakeholders and reviewed by a multidisciplinary selection committee.

This year’s honorees are:

• Carl W. Neeb, retired Toledo Fire Chief. After serving 30 years with the Toledo Department of Fire and Rescue, Neeb retired as chief of the department in 1980. He was known as the “Father of Paramedics” in Toledo due to his invaluable contributions in establishing emergency medical services within the Toledo Fire Department. His expertise and involvement helped develop and implement Lucas County’s Advanced Life Support System and was instrumental in its success as one of the first and finest systems in the country.

• Bruce D. Janiak, professor of emergency medicine, Medical College of Georgia. Janiak was the first resident in emergency medicine in the United States and is recognized as one of the fathers of the specialty. He is considered a true visionary in the field, having explored and implemented concepts such as telemedicine well before it became standard practice. He served as president of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Department Benchmarking Alliance, an organization that defines the best clinical and administrative practices. He is a lecturer, instructor and author and consultant specializing in medical malpractice.

• Judith A. Ruple, registered nurse. Ruple was chair of the National Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee Education Subcommittee for the American Heart Association and president of the National Association of EMS Educators. She was the director of the Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic program in the UT Department of Health and Human Services. Ruple served as a content level leader of the National EMS Education Standards Project and was the principal investigator for the State of EMS Education Research Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. She has written more than 35 publications and received numerous grants for research and development in the area of Emergency Medicine Services Education.

Tags: College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC)