EMS Week 2020 – Ryan Kelley

Saluting Ryan Kelley

Happy EMS Week to all our wonderful EMS Partners. Working with the best!

Today we are saluting Ryan Kelley, LP, NR-P, FP-C and HALO-Flight Paramedic.

Ryan launched his career as an aircraft firefighter in the Marine Corps and, following his service, got his initial EMS training as an EMT-B with the City of Kingsville through their Fire Academy. He continued his education and over the new few years, he also achieved his EMT-I and his Paramedic certifications.

While working full time for the Portland Fire Department and part time for HALO-Flight, Ryan continued his educational pursuits. In 2008 he graduated from Del Mar College with an A.A.S. Paramedic degree, and on May 16, 2020 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.

A memorable experience for Ryan during his EMS work centers around the aftermath of a HALO-Flight call on which Ryan worked on a two year old child who had been bitten by a rattlesnake and was not expected to survive. Several days after HALO-Flight transported the child to Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Ryan paid the family a visit in the hospital.

“Knowing that this little boy would be going home to spend Christmas with his family,” explained Ryan, “was emotional to say the least. It is the happiest, most satisfying moment I’ve ever experienced in my career.”

Thanks Ryan for all you do to improve care for our patients and South Texans. WE SALUTE YOU!