Questar III Speech Language Pathologist was named the 2013 Johnsonville Volunteer Fire Company Firefighter of the Year
Questar III Speech Language Pathologist Terri Ryan has devoted her life to helping people both in the classroom and in her community.
On January 18, Ryan was named Johnsonville Volunteer Fire Company 2013 Firefighter of the year for her actions that saved a pregnant woman’s life.
On Mother’s Day last year, Ryan, a volunteer firefighter and EMT, received a pregnancy related call for a mother in distress. Although Ryan normally doesn’t ride in the ambulance, that day she was asked to help check the woman’s vital signs. Sensing something was wrong, Ryan quickly realized the baby was on its way and helped deliver the baby on the spot within minutes.
Sadly, despite their best efforts, the baby did not survive, but had it not been for Ryan the story would have been much worse. It turns out the mother was suffering from a condition that is fatal if untreated properly and survived thanks to Ryan’s quick actions.
“I feel like I was just doing my job,” said a humble Ryan.
Thirteen years ago Ryan joined the Johnsonville Women’s Auxiliary as a way to meet people in a town she had just moved to. After impressing the fire chief during the Schaghticoke Fair Firefighter’s Combat Challenge – a physically demanding obstacle course in which participants compete in full firefighter gear – she agreed to volunteer as a firefighter and hasn’t looked back.
“The chief wanted me to join, so I did and I loved it,” she said. “I just love having the ability to help a community member in need and do something really good for someone.”
As a speech language pathologist at Questar III’s Achieving Individual Milestones (AIM ) program at Red Mill Elementary, her humanitarianism is also evident. Ryan says her favorite part of her job is working with non-verbal students work with devices to communicate.
“There’s no better feeling than helping a child use a device to tell their mom and dad they love them for the very first time.”
To learn more about Questar III’s AIM program, please visit https://old.questar.org/education/special-ed/classroom-programs/aim.php.
