Foxwall EMS paramedic earns national award for dedication to profession, years of public service

Those who have worked with Foxwall EMS Lt. Jen Swab know she is a national treasure.

The paramedic and training officer with more than three decades of experience saving lives recently received the hardware to prove it.

Swab was among this year’s American Ambulance Association’s Vanguard Award winners.

Association officials said the award is intended to recognize women leaders with at least 35 years in EMS who blazed the trail for fellow female medical professionals.

It also honors those who have contributed to their organization, state ambulance association, AAA or other professional associations and/or the EMS profession in an extraordinary way beyond faithful completion of job duties.

Swab said she was humbled to receive what she called “the most significant accolade from an awards standpoint” in her career.

“It is a significant commitment to service and education,” Swab said about the EMS field. “Medicine is a science and science is forever changing. When it comes to EMS, what we’re doing is always changing.

“There are researchers taking a look at the process, a piece of equipment, a medication determining whether it’s effective or not.”

Honor to be nominated

Swab, 61, of Ross was nominated by the late Foxwall Chief Tony Cuda, who passed away Oct. 28.

Deputy Chief Gino Mollica shared some of the nomination details with TribLive via email.

“In the past 37 years, Jenifer has served as an example to thousands of EMS providers,” Cuda said. “Her passion for patient care, empathy and kindness are an example to us all. She has touched thousands of lives, from scared EMT graduates, who she helped to gain confidence, to terminally ill patients whose hands she held on the way to the hospital.

“We should all strive to exhibit the level of Jenifer’s passion and kindness. I personally learned so much from her over the past 37 years that made me a better paramedic and better person. Recognizing Jenifer’s commitment to excellence demonstrates to future generations that hard work and perseverance can overcome great obstacles.”

Mollica echoed his former chief’s comments and witnessed Swab receiving her award.

“Jen exemplifies what it means to devote an entire career to public safety,” Mollica said via email. “She consistently demonstrates exceptional dedication and expertise in her role, significantly enhancing our EMS field for so many years. Seeing her nationally recognized at the conference was such a surreal moment. Most importantly, she deserves it for the invaluable contributions she makes.”

There were 15 other Vanguard awardees selected from numerous nominations this year. They included professionals from New Hampshire, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, California and Chicago.

“The American Ambulance Association Vanguard Awards honor the contributions of women in emergency medical services,” said Maria Bianchi, the association’s chief executive officer. “Jenifer Swab’s nearly 40 years of dedication to her patients, peers and community perfectly embody the spirit of this national honor.”

Life of service

Swab’s career included stints at several agencies in the North Hills.

The mother of five began her EMS journey at Elfinwild Volunteer Fire Company shortly after graduating from Shaler Area High School in 1981.

Swab said she felt inspired to join the mobile medicine field after watching what it could be like on TV.

The show “Emergency!” was one of her favorites. It was about crews of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Station, particularly the paramedic team, and how they responded to emergencies in their operating area.

“They really set the stage for the EMS profession,” Swab said.

She worked at Ross/West View Emergency Medical Services Authority for about 31 years including about 15 as training officer.

Swab received the Pennsylvania Instructor of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council in 2008.

A member of the Western Pennsylvania EMS Honor Guard, she continues to serve as a peer debriefer for the Pittsburgh-area Critical Incident Stress Management team.

The all-volunteer group of police, EMS, firefighters, mental health providers, dispatchers, clergy and others are deployed to help public safety personnel recover after work-related stressful events.

Swab also is a technician for the Hazerdous Materials Medical Response Team in Allegheny County. That all-volunteer team deploys with hazmat teams to ensure the health and safety of those responders. They do pre-entry screenings of anyone entering hazardous environments and post-screenings upon their exit.

She joined Foxwall EMS in December 2022.

Swab said Cuda was a good friend and the company has provided a welcoming environment.

“The support that I have received from all of them, including the board of directors, has been incredible, and I cannot say enough about Gino,” Swab said. “He has stood beside me, in front of me, behind me since my first days at Foxwall.”

Her educational accomplishments include a master’s degree in instructional leadership and a doctorate in instructional management and leadership, both from Robert Morris University.

Changes to EMS

Swab said the biggest changes to EMS through the years have been with technology.

Inventions such as power loaders/stretchers, automatic CPR machines and improvements to heart monitors and other tools have made it easier to move, diagnose and treat people.

Foxwall’s newest ambulance has a stretcher that can lift a patient in and out of the emergency vehicle at the push of a button. The cab includes shoulder harnesses instead of traditional seat belts, which enable staff to be secure and still move around.

The company also has a mechanical chest-compression system called LUCAS. It fits around a patient and, with a mechanical arm, performs compressions at the proper rate and force.

Swab said such tools allow paramedics and EMTs to save stamina and focus on other tasks.

The Shaler-area native feels optimistic about Foxwall’s future, especially with the recent boost in financial support from Aspinwall and Fox Chapel.

Both communities boosted their annual contributions to the ambulance company along with additional funds to pay for the new ambulance.

Foxwall is a mix of paid workers and volunteers. It has four full-time staffers. There are 27 EMTs, 19 paramedics, two nurses and two advanced EMTs.

“We’re significantly stable,” Swab said. “It’s been very stressful, and now we feel like we can breathe and try to get on with business. The future is to maintain and improve.”