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Army medic recognized for quick action after auto accident

By Kirk FradyAugust 31, 2022

Army medic awarded the Department of the Army Safety Guardian Award
Sgt. 1st Class Michelle Paris (left), a combat medic assigned to Regional Health Command Europe, was awarded the Department of the Army Safety Guardian Award by Mr. Charles Lewis (right), Safety Program Manager for Regional Health Command Europe during a ceremony held at RHCE headquarters on Wed. Aug 31. (Photo Credit: Kirk Frady) VIEW ORIGINAL

SEMBACH, Germany — Sgt. 1st Class Michelle Paris, a combat medic assigned to Regional Health Command Europe, was awarded the Department of the Army Safety Guardian Award during a ceremony held at RHCE headquarters on Wednesday, August 31.

Paris was presented the Army-level award for her quick reaction and for providing first aid to several injured airmen and a German local national following a major two-car accident on a narrow two-lane road during the early morning hours of May 13 near Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Army combat medics are trained to provide medical care in austere or combat environments. They provide trauma and medical treatment at point of injury as well as primary care and evacuation to the next level of care.

“The casualty care I provided that day was instinctive and automatic due to my years of military medical training and real-life combat deployments I’ve experienced,” said Paris. “There was no time to be hesitant or have second thoughts about the care I was providing. Once on scene, I was able to assess the situation, establish scene safety and determine the mechanism of injury. I then prioritized [providing care to] the casualties based on what I saw and knew.”

Army medic puts life-saving skills to use following car crash
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – SEMBACH, Germany - Sgt.1st Class Michelle Paris, a combat medic currently serving as the equal opportunity advisor for the Army’s Regional Health Command Europe, was getting ready for work when she heard what sounded like a loud crash outside her kitchen window. Looking out the window, she noticed two cars strewn around the narrow two-lane country road in front of her house. Paris immediately jumped into action and ran toward the accident scene in her pajamas and house shoes. Paris’ years of combat medic training and combat deployments kicked-in and she started rendering first-aid to the victims. (Photo Credit: Kirk Frady) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army medic puts life-saving skills to use following car crash
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt.1st Class Michelle Paris, a combat medic currently serving as the equal opportunity advisor for the Army’s Regional Health Command Europe, was getting ready for work when she heard what sounded like a loud crash outside her kitchen window. Looking out the window, she noticed two cars strewn around the narrow two-lane country road in front of her house. Paris’ years of combat medic training and combat deployments kicked-in and she started rendering first-aid to the victims (Photo Credit: Kirk Frady) VIEW ORIGINAL

To everyone that knows her, Paris is not the type who wants to be in the limelight and toot her own horn.

“We’ve got a real hero here,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Kyle Brunell, command sergeant major for Regional Health Command Europe. “To her, it was no big deal. She didn’t even come in and tell anybody what had happened that morning. To her, it was just business as usual. She’s pretty much Johnny-on-the-spot and just a great person to have around.”

To date, only seventeen Soldiers across the entire U.S. Army have been awarded the Army Safety Guardian Award in fiscal year 22. The Army Safety Guardian Award is awarded to Soldiers and DA Civilians who demonstrate extraordinary actions or skills by reacting to an emergency event or an imminently dangerous situation, thereby eliminating or minimizing loss, such as damage to Army property or injury to Army personnel.

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