Dr. Tom Loescher was an unsung, humble hero and pioneer of regional EMS development in the Fox Valley and surrounding areas. He had a vision for a new way to handle emergency care for the sick and injured. He first realized and established permanent 24/7 staffing of the early emergency department at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Appleton, WI. This became the first of it's kind in the Fox Cities region.

Dr. Loescher was instrumental in developing the area's first Emergency Medical Technician program in 1973, soon thereafter he developed paramedic training program using local physicians to teach cardiology, pulmonology, respiratory, obstetrics and others. As a result, in 1975 Appleton became the first community outside of Madison and Milwaukee to provide paramedic level care. Dr. Loescher also helped develop a corridor program that allowed paramedic service in Waupaca County. In 1979 Dr. Loescher launched a 750 hour paramedic course at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh.

Dr. Loescher retired in 1989 leaving a lasting legacy of innovation in the Fox Cities paramedic systems. Tom passed away in 2015 and is being nominated posthumously for a Star of Life award. His unwavering commitment to patient care and the EMS profession exemplifies the spirit of service.

Congratulations, Dr. Loescher,  your legacy lives on as a 2024 WI Star of Life Honoree.