Steve Chapple (center) was recognized as the EMT of The Year by officials with the Emergency Medical Services of Navicent Health in Milledgeville, Ga.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Steve Chapple was recognized as the Emergency Medical Technician of The Year for Baldwin County during a cookout honoring EMS personnel with Navicent Health in Milledgeville recently.

“Thank you guys very much for what you do; we know it’s a difficult job, but we’re glad to take this opportunity to thank you for everything you do,” said Jason Brady, director of EMS Navicent Health.

Several of Chapple’s colleagues applauded his selection as EMT of The Year during a hamburger/hot dog cookout at the ambulance station in Milledgeville.

“Congratulations, I appreciate all of the hard work,” Brady told Chapple after he presented him with a plaque.

Following the presentation, Chapple said he was truly humbled to have received the award, but that it really belonged to everyone because they all work as a team.

“All of us work well together,” Chapple said. “We all see the good, the bad and the ugly everyday. These folks here are great to work with. They’d do anything in the world to help anybody.”

Chapple, an EMT-2, said it was a pleasure to work for an agency that cares so deeply about their employees.

It’s something he’s done for nearly 10 years.

“I’m lucky and count myself very fortunate to be able to work with so many highly-trained individuals as I do everyday on my job,” Chapple said.

He said everything that all of them do at EMS Navicent Health is about patient care.

Prior to working with EMS Navicent Health, Chapple worked at his family’s tire-automotive store in Milledgeville for many years.

Chapple said now that he’s in the business of saving lives he wouldn’t trade his job for anything else.

“This is my calling,” Chapple said, noting that he believes this is the job that God called him to do in life.

Chapple also is a medial instructor.

He currently is teaching a first responder class that includes several firefighters/first responders with Baldwin County Fire Rescue.

“There’s about 14 of them,” Chapple said. “We’re having a great time in that class because so many of them are so eager to learn about different things.”