Covington, Ga. (April 23, 2025) – The staff of the Piedmont Newton Hospital Emergency Department selected paramedic Shawn Holmes with Jasper County Fire Rescue to receive the “EMS Hero Award.” This quarterly award from the hospital celebrates an emergency medical services provider from the community or surrounding communities who has made a positive difference for a patient at Piedmont Newton. In this case, that patient was a Piedmont Newton employee at work.

Holmes won the EMS Hero Award for jumping in to help when a staff member experienced their own medical emergency in the emergency room at Piedmont Newton. Holmes had been waiting for the patient he had brought to the hospital to be assigned a room when he noticed the employee in trouble. He immediately set the staff member up for an IV and EKG to support the ED care team. The ED was particularly busy on this day, so extra hands were invaluable.  

Taylor Zenko, unit secretary and monitor technician for the ED, expressed appreciation for the assist from Holmes. Zenko wrote, “We were so grateful to have him in the right place at the right time.”

Hospital leaders, along with Jasper County Fire Chief Christopher Finch, celebrated Holmes as the EMS Hero for the quarter on April 21, presenting him with a certificate during a leadership huddle.