Paramedic David Reynolds and EMT Emily Serrano have a professional synergy that makes it seem like they’ve spent far longer than two years as partners at Medic 12 in Northeast Philadelphia.
Their ability to work together seamlessly under pressure proved critically important one night in January when they arrived at the scene of a car accident: A full-term pregnant woman had suffered life-threatening injuries that required the immediate delivery of her baby. She also happened to be the wife of fellow PFD member Jeff Beatrice.
The care provided by Reynolds and Serrano — and their crucial decision to transport the patient to a trauma center also capable of handling neonatal emergencies — led to a positive outcome for Lisa Beatrice and her newborn son.
“We really believe their decision that night saved her life,” said Jeff Beatrice, now a lieutenant at Engine 45.
Reynolds and Serrano will be recognized as the Paramedic & EMT of the Year on Monday at 10 a.m. at Fireman’s Hall Museum. The Beatrice family will attend the ceremony, which falls during National EMS Week (May 20-26).
“It will be the first time for me to see the baby,” said Reynolds. “It’s going to be very emotional.”
The PFD responded to more than 267,000 EMS incidents last year, or an average of more than 730 per day. The number of EMS incidents in Philadelphia has grown by nearly 24 percent over the past 10 years.
“Our EMS providers work under incredibly challenging conditions,” Commissioner Adam K. Thiel said. “We are grateful for this outcome for the Beatrices, and for the dedication and service that David and Emily display on every shift.”
Reynolds discovered his passion for EMS in high school while working as a lifeguard in North Wildwood, N.J. He soon became an EMT, and later studied to become a paramedic, graduating from the Philadelphia Fire Academy in 2003 as a member of Paramedic Class 21. Today, the 37-year-old father of three also teaches EMTs and paramedics as a part-time instructor at Drexel University’s College of Medicine.
Serrano served in the U.S. Army Reserve for eight years and worked as a dental assistant before deciding on a career in EMS in 2011. She went on to work for several local ambulance companies before joining the PFD in 2015. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Serrano is a 39-year-old mother of two teenagers.
“It’s something you’ve got to have in you,” Serrano said of her commitment to the job. “You really have to have compassion for other people.”
