FREMONT, Mich. — West Michigan paramedics Dan Degen and Rob Benson save lives every day, but even when it comes to their own lives, they put others first.
On July 1, 2015 Degen and Benson were working a shift together and were attending to a patient who was in their ambulance and had just suffered cardiac arrest.
During their 46-mile transport drive from Fremont to Grand Rapids, a vehicle heading the opposite direction on M-37 veered off and hit their ambulance head on. The impact killed the other driver immediately. The EMT driving their ambulance suffered multiple injuries and so did Degen and Benson.
Although they were suffering major injuries, the two medics continued to provide treatment to the patient in their ambulance, who remained stable and had no changes in their cardiac condition.
The two West Michigan life-savers were honored the 2016 Michigan EMS Practitioner of the Year Award on Monday. Although it is typically bestowed upon one individual medic, the Michigan EMS Practitioners Association extended the award for both men.
