Dee Dee Thornton has been an invaluable part of the EMS community, contributing significantly through their expertise and dedication. Dee Dee started at Bell Ambulance in 2023, bringing with her over 2 years of dispatching experience to Bell. Dee Dee has excellent customer service skills, bringing laughter and joy to many callers with whom she interacts.

February 14, 2024 was not just another Valentine’s Day. Little did Dee Dee know, that after punching in for her shift she would be part of something special. She answered the phone and the caller stated that her sister was having contractions. She stayed on the phone to help, counting contractions, and preparing the mother to be for a potential delivery. Contractions that start at five minutes apart, quickly sped up to every 2 minutes. Then, the patient’s water broke. Just minutes before the ambulance arrived, Dee Dee was able to help bring a health baby boy into the world. She is the second dispatcher at Bell Ambulance to assist with delivering a baby using Emergency Medical Dispatching software and training.

It is because of being the calm and reassuring prescence in a moment of high stress for the patient, that she is nominated to be a 2024 PAAW Star of Life! 

Congratulations from the Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin on receiving the 2024 WI Star of Life Award!