About the Ralph Backenstoes Lifetime Achievement Award

During his life, Ralph Backenstoes epitomized selfless service to EMS in our

county. Ralph worked as a parmedic for over 19 years with Life Lion EMS, First

Aid and Safety Patrol, the Resuscitation Science Training Center at the Penn

State College of Medicine, and as an EMS supervisor at Penn State Beaver

Stadium. He was the former Director of Education for the Emergency Health

Services Federation and also had worked as an insurance agent during his

long career. He was a member of the Evangelical Congregational Church and

South Central EMS Task Force. Ralph was a 35-year member and former

president of the Lebanon County Ambulance Association and a 36-year

member of Bellegrove Fire Department. He was on the faculty at HACC and

the American Heart Association, Myerstown. Ralph Backenstoes left this world

on May 3, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. As future leaders aspire to

carry on his selfless commitment to EMS in Lebanon County, his legacy will

carry on, and he is remembered every year with the presentation of this

award.

Past Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award

2024 James & Sandy Wolfe 2023 Bryan Smith 2022 Scott Buchle 2021 Steve Mrozowski 2020 Kathy Minnich 2019 Dean Wagner 2017 Howard Kramer 2016 Stephen Meador 2015 Ralph Backenstoes 2014 Dave Kirchner 2013 Jeff Witmer 2012 Dave Heim 2011 Al “Buddy” Kintzer 2010 Ken Beare 2009 Jim Rittle