Rob Wagoner Recognized with the 2017 Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award
Former National Registry COO Honored for EMS Leadership

From Left to Right: Debbi Cason, Rob Wagoner and Dennis Rowe, after Wagoner was presented with the Rocco V. Morando Award at the 2018 NAEMSP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

The National Registry of EMTs (National Registry) announced Rob Wagoner as the recipient of the 2017 Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, presented by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) and sponsored by the National Registry, is a prestigious honor recognizing a lifetime of commitment, contribution and leadership to Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The presentation was made during the NAEMSP Annual Meeting on Jan. 13, 2018.

“For over three decades, Rob has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the EMS industry,” said Deb Cason, Immediate Past Chair of the National Registry Board of Directors. “His work with the National Registry helped advance our mission to maintain the integrity of the EMS profession, and we are proud to recognize his contributions as he continues to promote safe EMS practices and improve patient care.”

Wagoner has dedicated his entire professional life to the improvement of EMS with many impactful contributions. After beginning his career as a paramedic and EMS educator, he joined the National Registry in 1987 as the advanced level certification coordinator and worked his way up to chief operating officer, where he served until 2017. During his time at the National Registry, Wagoner played an integral role in the development and maturation of safe EMS practices, specifically in the areas of cognitive and psychomotor testing through national certification.

As an industry leader, Wagoner has taught educators, state officials, and EMS providers to strive for better patient care, and worked with EMS regulatory systems to ensure that fair standards of care were met. Wagoner has consistently advocated for evidence-based changes for clinical care and supported research that verifies these changes, and his leadership and selfless giving of his time, talent, and expertise has advanced EMS as a profession. 

“Rob Wagoner’s dedication to improving the education and training of EMS practitioners through his work at NREMT is greatly appreciated,” said NAEMT President Dennis Rowe.  “His life-long commitment to quality EMS patient care was recognized as the 2017 recipient of the Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Named after the inaugural recipient and founding NAEMT member, Rocco V. Morando, the Lifetime Achievement Award was first presented 30 years ago in Mississippi, honoring significant contributions made by EMS professionals in the forms of advancement, leadership and education.

Media Contact: Donnie Woodyard, MAML, NRP, Chief Operations Officer, dwoodyard@nremt.org, 614-888-4484