For Immediate Release – November 19, 2025
49 Ontario paramedics recognized for 30+ years of exemplary service
Toronto – Today, 49 Ontario paramedics received their Governor General Emergency Medical Services
Exemplary Service Medal bars for providing exemplary emergency medical services for 30, 40 and 50 years.
On behalf of Her Excellency The Right Honourable Mary Simon, Colonel Shane Elder, Deputy Commandant of
the Canadian Forces College, presented the First, Second or Third Bars to these long serving and deserving
paramedics at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto.
On July 7 th , 1994, as part of the Canadian Honours System, the late Governor General of Canada, Romeo
LeBlanc, created the Medal. This award 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.
Each Bar to the Exemplary Service Medal represents an additional award for the Medal. Paramedics who have
served for at least thirty years receive their First Bar, forty years their Second Bar, and for fifty years, their
Third Bar.
Please see the attached backgrounder for list of recipients.

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For further information, please contact:
Paul J. Charbonneau, Executive Director
Email: x.d@oapc.ca
Telephone: 1 (613) 305-0092
About the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs
The Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs (OAPC) is the voice of paramedic leadership in Ontario.  Our
organization promotes a culture of change surrounding paramedicine that is guided by evidence-based decision-
making and seeks best practices in the provision of paramedic services.  The OAPC represents the Paramedic
Services leadership in 56 Designated Delivery Agents (DDA), consisting of regional, county and municipal
governments, and District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs) across Ontario.  Our members also
include Ornge and the seven First Nations Emergency Medical Services.  OAPC members oversee the work of
14,500 primary, advanced and critical care paramedics across the province.

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BACKGROUNDER

The 2025 Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal Bar recipients are:
Algoma
Bruce W. Martin – First Bar

Kawartha
Darcy C. Caffin – First Bar

Bruce
Darryl Hopcraft - First Bar

Kenora
Jeffery Wetendorf – First Bar

Chatham-Kent
Kevin Langlois - Second Bar
Thomas Millard – Second Bar
Anthony Steadman – Second Bar
David Desmarais – First Bar
Michael Manery – First Bar
David Mireault – First Bar
Carolyn Ross – First Bar

Lambton
Josef Emilio – First Bar
Todd Martin – First Bar
William Blake Smith – First Bar

Essex-Windsor
Daniel Pickle – Second Bar
Grace Morneau - First Bar
Kim Schroeder – First Bar

Middlesex-London
Michael Hurst – Second Bar
Bruce Wight – Second Bar
Kelli Matous – First Bar
Daniel Griffiths – First Bar

Frontenac
Gale Chevalier – First Bar

Niagara
Giovanni Prioriello - First Bar
Lynne Redman – First Bar

Greater Sudbury
Sylvie Michaud (Health Sciences North) - Second Bar
Garry Lauzon – First Bar
Corey Petrie (Health Sciences North) – First Bar

Nipissing
Daniel Raymond - First Bar

Grey
Leonard Verschuren – Second Bar

Norfolk
Carolyn Dostal – First Bar

Haliburton
Timothy Waite – Second Bar

Ottawa
Pierre Prud’Homme - First Bar
Brian Volker – First Bar

Halton
Donald Goldrup – Second Bar

Peel
Bill Bernath - First Bar
Patrick John Forgie – First Bar

Hamilton Renfrew

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Kevin Bullen - First Bar
Beverley Dunn - First Bar

Robert Blackwell - First Bar
Sean Plunkett – First Bar

Hastings
Michael Slatter - First Bar

Toronto
James Burgin – First Bar
Gerrard McLeish – First Bar
Rich Rangel-Bron – First Bar
Claude Sylvain – First Bar

Huron
Gary Renaud – Third Bar
Karen Rollins-Beneteau – First Bar
Phillip Smith – First Bar

York
Karen Banks – First Bar