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Townsend Emergency Responder Honors State EMS Workers
Author: mt43news staff reporter

Last Week was Emergency Medical Systems Week in Montana. Shari Graham, Systems Manager for the Department of Health and Human Services, knew how important it would be to honor those Montanans who had served their areas with bravery and humanity. At the awards ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, families, coworkers and dignitaries gathered to present the awards. Shari opened the ceremony by acknowledging everyone, except herself.

Shari, 63, who lives in Townsend and works as a volunteer EMS for Broadwater Ambulance three nights a week, has worked as a paramedic for 42 years, 10 in Townsend, 18 years in Helena, and the remaining time in Washington state. It’s in her DNA: “Both my mom and dad took first aid classes in King County, Washington and were EMS workers in Carnation, Washington, so I really started in emergency work when I was about 8 years old,” she said.

Shari also has a daughter in West Yellowstone who works as a paramedic and firefighter and a grandson who lives in Clarkston and is planning on working toward a degree in Fire Science at Helena College.

Shari pointed out that the theme of the awards program at the Capitol was “Improving Outcomes Together.” She emphasized the importance of celebrating the men and women who do the hard work of helping people through fires and accidents. She said it begins with the 911 dispatchers who take the frantic calls from people, giving steady support to those people while the dispatchers’ partners, the ambulance workers or firefighters, rush to the scene. It’s a perfect balance of people working together.

Ever humble and unassuming, Shari related how she understands so well what first responders suffer when they carry out their duties. She knows the trauma they suffer – sometimes post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other physical pain that lingers often after responding to a bad accident in which lives are lost, despite their valiant efforts to save the victims.

Shari’s department and LT. Governor Kristen Juras awarded Volunteer of the Year Brian Godbey of Lewistown, who saved a downed pilot from his burning plane; Career Provider of the Year Sara Monroe of Bitterroot Health; Flathead County EMS manager Alan Browne; Park County School Nurse Juanita Beuter; and a collective award to EMS workers with the Central Valley Fire District at Belgrade.

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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks, MT43News photographer
Image 1 Caption: Shari Graham, EMS Systems Manager for the Department of Health and Human Services, at the state awards ceremony in Helena.