Talbot Paramedic Foundation

10/17/2026

Talbot Paramedic Foundation featured in today’s Star Democrat!

Thank you to the Star Democrat for featuring our 40th anniversary celebration so prominently in today’s edition. And also to On & Off the Fire Scene for allowing us to use such great photography.

The Star Democrat has played such an important role in keeping efforts to create an excellent EMS system front and center before the public. This has resulted in the great system serving Talbot today.
Talbot County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association
Talbot County Emergency Services (DES)
Easton Volunteer Fire Dept. MD

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10/12/2026

Talbot Paramedic Foundation featured in the Talbot Spy…

Talbot Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Paramedic Foundation and Advanced Life Support
October 12, 2026
By Spy Desk
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Talbot Paramedic Foundation and Talbot County Department of Emergency Services hosted a celebration of 40 years of advanced life support (ALS) care and the 40th anniversary of the Talbot Paramedic Foundation this month. Current and former EMS providers and foundation members, as well as those involved in establishing ALS were present.

District 37 Delegate Johnny Mautz presented Paramedic Foundation President Wayne Dyott with a proclamation from the Maryland General Assembly recognizing the group’s impact on supporting Talbot’s EMS over the last four decades.

Also attending was Talbot County Manager Clay Stamp, himself a paramedic, who remembered the unique approach Talbot had in applying for a countywide designation for ALS from the regional EMS Council which paved the way for an outstanding EMS system in Talbot.

Talbot Paramedic Foundation board member and former paramedic, Kevin Knussman spoke about the history of ALS, including a successful pilot program sponsored by the Easton Volunteer Fire Department. Knussman reviewed the many accomplishments and struggles in establishing ALS while also establishing a nonprofit organization, Talbot County Advanced Life Support Services, Inc. He listed the volunteer ALS providers involved in that effort. Every volunteer fire department in Talbot County had representation in the first training class which helped with establishing the service. Knussman pointed out how Talbot’s ALS efforts formed the foundation of the county’s great EMS services! The hurdles faced by the county ALS program set the stage for formation of the Talbot Paramedic Foundation.

Dyott recognized Talbot Paramedic Foundation’s current and charter members who had the foresight to establish the organization which exists to support and encourage excellent EMS in Talbot. And Dyott also recognized current board members, most of whom were in attendance.

“The Foundation continues to thrive and sponsors ongoing projects such as Talbot CARES, which place AEDs in publicly accessible locations throughout the county. In addition, the foundation also provides grants for EMS equipment and scholarships for EMT, paramedic, nursing, and other healthcare pursuits, stated Dyott. “We plan to continue expanding the impact of Talbot Paramedic Foundation for many year to come!”

10/11/2026

Who makes the Talbot Paramedic Foundation's operation so effective? We are featuring our Board's members. Today's feature is Renee Edsall.
Renee Edsall
Board Member
Renee Edsall is a Talbot County native. She was educated in Talbot County Public Schools and obtained a nursing diploma from the Macqueen Gibbs Willis School of Nursing. She then continued her education to obtain a Bachelor of Science of Nursing at University of Maryland Baltimore County while working in the Intermediate Care Unit of Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. She returned to the Shore and began working in the Intensive care Unit at Memorial Hospital (now UM Shore Regional Health). Continuing her education, she earned a master’s degree in Family Nursing at Salisbury University.

Edsall continued employment at Shore Health working as a staff nurse, Research Specialist, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Easton and Dorchester Hospitals and later as a Nursing Educator in the Emergency Department. In this role she was actively involved in teaching Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Basic Life support and coordinating nursing orientation, education and competencies. She was a member of the Stroke Committee and the Cardiac Steering Committee. One of her roles also included working as one of the STEMI coordinators and leading the nursing education of the Emergency Department team during the development of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Easton. She most recently worked as the interim nurse manager in the Emergency Department at Easton.

Furthering her education, Edsall earned a post Master’s Nursing Certificate in Primary Care at Wilmington University. She currently works as Certified Nurse Practitioner at University of Maryland Shore Medical Group Primary Care in Easton. Her awards include Nurse of the Year in 2010 and in 2020 she was selected as a recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award in Mentorship and Advocacy.

Renee currently resides in Cordova, MD. She enjoys spending time with her family. Her hobbies include exercising, gardening and piano playing.

10/11/2026

10/09/2026

Paramedic Cox works closely with the Talbot Paramedic Foundation and supports Talbot CARES public access AED program.

In recognition of Mobile Integrated Health Week, meet Rachael Cox, the paramedic helping lead Talbot County’s Mobile Integrated Health efforts out of Talbot County Emergency Services (DES)

As Special Programs Coordinator with Talbot County Department of Emergency Services, Rachael manages the Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program and Public Access Defibrillator program, working closely with community members and local partners every day.

“People might not realize how much I interact with the community in a non-emergency setting. Creating partnerships between our department and our community has been essential in both of my roles, and I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people outside of our organization.”

For Rachael, that connection to the community is also one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

“I enjoy serving a community that is incredibly appreciative of the services our department provides.”

Thank you, Rachael, for your dedication to serving Talbot County and building connections that help keep our community healthy and safe.