Emergency Medical Services
Exemplary Service Medal

Manitoba Awards Committee Guidelines

The Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal is the newest member of the Exemplary Service Medals Family. It was created on July 7th, 1994 to recognize professionals in the provision of prehospital emergency medical services who have preformed their duties in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency. They must have been employed with EMS on or after October 31st, 1991 and have completed twenty years of exemplary service, including at least ten years in the performance of duties involving potential risk.

How It Works

Each province and territory has an Awards Committee whose members are appointed by the National Advisory Committee whose membership consists of the Executive Director and two directors of the Canadian Confederation of Ambulance Service Associations.

Nominations for the medal are submitted by the Provincial Awards Committee to the National Advisory Committee which reviews the eligibility of the nominees and, if acceptable, submits the applications to the Chancellery, the branch of the Office of the Governor General responsible for the administration of honors. The Chancellery then submits the nominations to the Governor General for his/her approval.

Who Qualifies to be Nominated for the Award

First of all, do they meet the requirements of the Regulation? The Regulation states “the Medal may be awarded to any person who:

d) Is an emergency medical services employee on or after October 31st, 1991.

e) Has completed at least 20 years of services within EMS, at least ten years of which have been serviced in the performance of duties involving potential risk as determined by the Advisory Committee, and

f) Has a record of exemplary service of such a high standard as to merit award of the Medal.”

What does “potential risk” mean?

This has been defined by the Advisory Committee as time spent in duties in which the individual is personally required to provide emergency medical treatment to patients and is, therefore personally subject to the potential dangers at the scene and resulting from direct contact with the patient.

This means the individual must have spent time “on the cars”, or at least in a mobile supervisory position, the job description of which requires him/her to regularly attend the scene and personally provide back up and assistance to the crews on duty. Time spent in positions where the job descriptions do not require the incumbent to come into regular, direct contact with emergency scenes and patients will not be counted towards the ten years of “potential risk.”

What does “exemplary service” mean?

Exemplary Service is that standard of individual EMS service, performance and dedication that we wish to see imitated. It is the model of what we would wish all EMS personnel to be, rather than merely the standard of performance we require them to meet.

The Medal is recognition of the individual’s role and exemplary performance within EMS or as a recognized representative of EMS in associated Activities.

It is also important that we not give undue credit to activities that are more properly judged a part of the individual’s employment. While some things are not specifically spelled out in one’s job description they may have become, by precedent or tradition, “expected” of the individual. To take on such extra jobs without complaint may be admirable, but it is not exemplary.

An individual may “shine” merely because those about him/her are mediocre and their performances mundane. The judgment of one’s exemplary performance must be made against the “ideal” and not contemporaries…although occasionally that is appropriate.

There is also a strong possibility of a nominator being swayed by a single act of heroism and concluding that this justifies a career-long evaluation of “exemplary”. An act of heroism is cause for nominating the individual for a Bravery Award within the Canadian Honours System. It is not appropriate that the act itself be the basis for recommending an EMS Exemplary Service Medal. It may, of course, be used as merely one of many examples to illustrate an individual’s extraordinary contributions to EMS.

Nominations

All nominations for the Medal must be submitted using the official EMS Exemplary Service Medal Nomination Form which may be obtained from any member of the Awards Committee.

The form must be accompanied by documentation which provides evidence of the exemplary nature of the nominee’s EMS history. This will give the Awards Committee a basis for ensuring standards within Manitoba. This documentation must accompany the nomination submission to the Advisory Committee and which will assist in meeting the Advisory Committee’s responsibility of providing a focal point at which provincial/territioral standards can be monitored to ensure an overall national standard. Documentation need not be lengthy or expansive, but must adequately illustrate where the performance of the nominee exceeds that expected of an EMS practitioner with a similar employment history.

Nomination forms may be obtained from any member of the Awards Committee and can be returned to any member of the Awards Committee.

Individuals may be nominated by their employer or senior supervisor. Self –nominations will not be accepted.

Committee Decision

If the original nomination form and supporting documentation did not clearly identify the deeds or efforts of the nominee, the Awards Committee will re-evaluate any new material that was omitted in the original submission and can, based on new data, review the decision providing the sub sequent materials supports the decision in a reasonable time.

The nominator will be advised whether or not the nomination has been forwarded to the Advisory Committee for recommendation to the Chancellery.

The decision of the Manitoba Awards Committee is final and Binding.