Plano Fire-Rescue named 2025 EMS Provider of the Year

A stroke patient’s odds can change before the ambulance ever reaches the emergency room, and Plano Fire-Rescue was honored for getting that part right. Texas Health Resources Plano named the department its 2025 EMS Provider of the Year on April 16 at the Collin County EMS Providers of the Year Luncheon, recognizing the crews who deliver care in the field when minutes can shape survival and recovery.

Station 10 A-Shift also received recognition for early stroke recognition, patient care and rapid transport, a combination that officials said helped save a life. That kind of response is more than a ceremonial nod. It points to a chain of decisions that starts at the curb, where firefighters and paramedics have to spot warning signs, move quickly and get the patient to definitive care without losing time.

The award comes as Plano Fire-Rescue prepares to add another layer of prehospital treatment this summer with a whole blood transfusion program. Medical director Dr. Mark Gamber said early whole blood administration can significantly decrease mortality in trauma patients, a reminder that the city’s EMS system is moving beyond transport and basic stabilization toward more advanced field medicine.

That progression fits a department with deep roots in a fast-growing city. Plano Fire-Rescue has provided emergency services since 1897, and the city says it is the only agency in Texas with CFAI and CAAS accreditations plus an ISO Class 1 rating. The Emergency Services division includes EMS, Emergency Operations, Special Operations and Training, showing how much of the department’s work depends on medical readiness, not just fire response.

Plano’s open-data portal tracks EMS dispatches and fire-EMS incident trends, giving residents a window into the volume and complexity of the calls behind awards like this one. The recognition also connects to Texas Health Plano, which serves Plano and nearby communities including Frisco, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and McKinney, where a strong prehospital system can affect outcomes well beyond city limits.

Gamber’s name has long been tied to that work. He was named Texas EMS Medical Director of the Year in 2015, and his latest push for whole blood reflects the same medical direction that helped bring the department this honor. Plano Fire-Rescue and the Plano Police Department have also built a local blood-donation culture through recurring drives, including a 2024 campaign that collected 335 units of blood and a summer challenge launched July 8 as shortages and travel-related crashes rose.

For Collin County, the award is a measure of what taxpayers get when an emergency call turns critical: faster stroke recognition, stronger trauma care and a fire-rescue system increasingly built to save lives before the hospital doors open.