Salisbury, MD – The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Maryland Stars of Life awards, honoring individuals and programs across the state for their extraordinary contributions to Maryland’s emergency medical services (EMS) system.
This year, MIEMSS presented the Outstanding EMS Program Award to the Salisbury-Wicomico Integrated Firstcare Team (SWIFT) in recognition of their innovative and patient-centered approach to care.
The SWIFT program is a partnership of the Wicomico County Health Department, TidalHealth, and the Salisbury Fire Department (SFD). Its purpose is to reduce non-emergency calls to 911 by targeting Wicomico residents who frequently utilize Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for non-emergency purposes.
The SWIFT team consists of a paramedic from the Salisbury Fire Department and a provider from TidalHealth’s Community Wellness team. Together they make home visits to enroll recurring Emergency Department (ED) visitors in the program and find those individuals a primary care physician or other treatment resources, including behavioral health services. Those who have called for non-emergency assistance more than five times in a six-month period are contacted by the Swift team and asked to participate in the program.
SWIFT is being honored for its commitment to delivering high-quality, comprehensive medical and behavioral health services outside the traditional emergency response model, significantly improving outcomes for the community.
Members of the SWIFT team include:
- David Phippin, NRP, CP-C
- Miranda Webster, NRP, CP-C
- Tammy Walbert, DNP, CP-C
- Aaron Sebach, DNP, CP-C
- Jessica Stoner, CRNP, CP-C
- Jessica Chase, CAC-AD, LCSW-C
SWIFT’s innovative approach exemplifies the mission of the Maryland Stars of Life program—to recognize excellence in EMS care and to promote lifesaving practices that reduce death and disability across the state.
Cutline: Accepting the Maryland Stars of Life Outstanding EMS Program Award for SWIFT were, from the left, David Phippin, SWIFT Coordinator and Salisbury Fire Department (SFD) Paramedic; Miranda Webster, SFD SWIFT Paramedic; Aaron Sebach, TidalHealth Community Wellness Nurse Practitioner; Jessica Chase, TidalHealth Community Wellness Social Worker; Tammy Walbert, TidalHealth Community Wellness Clinical Supervisor and Nurse Practitioner. Presenting, far right, is Ted Delbridge, Executive Director, MIEMSS.
Not pictured: Jessica Stoner, Community Wellness Nurse Practitioner.
