WELLINGTON COUNTY – Three local paramedics were among 65 from across the province to receive Governor General Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal bars at a ceremony at Queen’s Park on Dec. 13.
More than simply long-service awards, the bars were awarded for providing “exemplary emergency medical services” for 30, 40 or 50 years.
Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones presented the bars to long-serving, deserving paramedics, including those with Wellington County connections.
Minto resident Dean Wick, a member of the Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services (RWPS), received a second bar for 40 years of service, while Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services (GWPS) paramedics Wendy Bieman of Mapleton and former Wellington north resident Amy Benn both received first bars for 30 years.
The late Governor General of Canada, Romeo LeBlanc, created the medal in 1994 as part of the Canadian Honours System. The medal recognizes paramedics who have provided the highest standard of care and conduct.
“To qualify, at least ten years of service must have been in the field, on duty, involving potential risk,” states a press release from the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs.
Dean Wick
Wick was born and raised in Palmerston and still resides there. He and his wife Kate and have two adult children, one of whom is also a Region of Waterloo paramedic.
Wick has been working in paramedicine since 1979, starting out with the Palmerston and District Hospital Ambulance which is now part of the GWPS. He is currently still with the GWPS on a part-time basis.
Working with Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services since 1987, Wick is certified as an advanced life support paramedic for both GWPS and RWPS.
“Dean has a passion for sharing his knowledge in paramedicine. While working on the frontlines with Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services, he also worked for Conestoga College as an instructor for both the Primary and Advanced Care Paramedic Programs for 24 years,” states a bio provided by RWPS.
“Since 2022 he has been working as a training specialist for Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services. He enjoys keeping current with the ever-evolving changes that paramedics are encountering.”
Wick is also a volunteer firefighter captain with the Minto Fire Palmerston station. He has been volunteering with the local fire department since June of 1976.
Dean Wick, centre, received a Governor General Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal bar from Michael Sanderson, president of the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs and Chief of Hamilton Paramedic Services and Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones at a ceremony at Queen’s Park.
Wendy Bieman
Beginning her career in 1990 with Kitchener Waterloo Regional Ambulance (now RWPS), Bieman started out as a primary care paramedic, then trained to be an advanced care paramedic.
While training she also came to work with Royal City Ambulance in Guelph, which is now GWPS, where she trained new advanced care paramedics before moving to Grey County Paramedic Services in 2006.
She worked doing emergency management, peer support and in a management role as well as earning a Bachelor of applied Business in emergency services. She received her initial exemplary service medal in September of 2014.
In 2019 Bieman took on a role with Huron County Paramedic service and worked in a supervisory role with community paramedicine. In 2022 she returned to work with GWPS as the commander of the Community Paramedic Program.
“Wendy is excited to return to work where she lives with her husband and where she raised her two children,” states a bio provided GWPS.
She is now entering the 34th year of her paramedic career.
Wendy Bieman of Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services received a Governor General Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal bars from Michael Sanderson, president of the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs and Chief of Hamilton Paramedic Services and Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones at a ceremony at Queen’s Park.
Amy Benn
Benn began her career as a paramedic in 1990, working as a primary care paramedic in London, Ontario. She also worked in Chatham before joining the paramedic service in Mount Forest, which eventually became part of the GWPS.
She attained certification as an advanced care paramedic in 2003 and was awarded the Exemplary Service Medal for EMS in 2018.
“She has worked as a frontline paramedic, as a community paramedic assisting with testing and vaccination during the pandemic, assisted with training new paramedics as a preceptor and more recently took on the role of paramedic supervisor,” the GWPS states.
Benn and her husband Jason have been married since 1994 and have five grown children. They recently moved to the Listowel area.
“The City of Guelph is proud of the accomplishments of both Amy and Wendy,” states an email from GWPS Chief Stephen Dewar.
The email also notes that GWPS paramedics Carrie Gordon and Anita Felkar received exemplary service medals recognizing their 20 years of exemplary service in EMS at a ceremony in September.
