Their day begins at 8:30 AM with a group photo to be taken of the 95 Stars in their respective uniforms on the reflecting pool steps in front of the west front of the U.S. Capitol building. The "Stars" then will meet throughout the day with their U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative in their Capitol Hill offices. The day will conclude with a dinner gala and awards ceremony held to honor the American Ambulance Association's "Millennium Stars of Life," which will begin at 6:45 PM at the Marriott Metro Center.

These "Stars", the men and women who embody the dedicated spirit and professional ideals of the emergency medical services (EMS) profession, will be recognized and honored by their AAA sponsors, their spouses, Members of Congress, representatives from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and representatives from various other organizations involved with emergency medical services. Together they will applaud the "Stars" for their heroic actions, exemplary performances and community involvement in the past year.

In addition, Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) will receive the AAA's Legislator of the Year Award for 2000. Representative Upton was the primary sponsor of the "Emergency Ambulance Services Access Assurance Act of 1999" (H.R. 1777) in the first session of the 106th Congress. This bill would assure access to covered emergency ambulance services under a prudent layperson test under group health plans and health insurance coverage. He also has strongly supported the industry's efforts to include prudent layperson language for emergency ambulance services in the Patients' Bill of Rights.

Since the following week, May 14-20, 2000 is "National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week" sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the "Stars" will go back home to play a key role in various local events sponsored by their ambulance service to help recognize "National EMS Week" in the communities they serve. The 2000 "National EMS Week" theme -- New Century, New Hope -- celebrates the contributions of EMS providers throughout the country, reaching out to potential recruits and stressing the importance of strong public support for the EMS System in their community.

Following is a list of the AAA's 2000 'Stars of Life':

Arkansas

• Dub Morris, Columbia County, Ambulance Service Magnolia, AR

Arizona (2)

• Barbara K. Clark, Rural/Metro-Southwest Ambulance, Mesa, AZ
• David Stockton, Rural/Metro-Southwest Ambulance Mesa, AZ

California (9)

• David Atkins, American Medical Response Redlands, CA
• Rachelle Byler, American Medical Response San Diego, CA
• Bert DeMello, American Medical Response Glendale, CA
• Dennis Flannery, American Medical Response Modesto, CA
• Patrick Gibson, American Medical Response San Kandro, CA
• Darlene Heitman, American Medical Response Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Noella Lelham, American Medical Response San Jose, CA
• Brian Pounds, American Medical Response Redlands, CA
• Dennis G. Smith, American Medical Response San Diego, CA

Colorado (2)

• Sheri Burcham, American Medical Response Colorado Springs, CO
• Michael Harvey, American Medical Response Grand Junction, C0

Connecticut (2)

• Jeffrey Adams, American Medical Response Bridgeport, CT
• Elaine Bartone, Hunter's Ambulance Service Meriden, CT

Florida (2)

• Brooke Liddle, American Medical Response Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Pagona Pratt, American Medical Response Largo, FL

Georgia (3)

• Terri L. Brown, American Medical Response Kennesaw, GA
• Bradley A. Melone, Mid-Georgia Ambulance Macon, GA
• Lisa D. Scott, Rural/Metro Ambulance Augusta, GA

Hawaii

• Danny Sagadraca, American Medical Response Honolulu, HI

Iowa (7)

• David Cole. Iowa EMS Association Lake Mills, IA
• Wendy L. Hackett. MEDIC EMS Davenport, IA
• Christine A. Hartley, Lee County EMS Ambulance Donnellson, IA
• Sandy Neyen, Iowa EMS Association Lake Mills, IA
• Jim B. Steffen, Henry County Health Center. EMS Mt. Pleasant, IA
• Andrew D. Stevens, MEDIC EMS Davenport, IA
• Dan R. Walderbach, Henry County Health Center EMS Mt. Pleasant, IA

Illinois

• Darin E. Longanecker, American Medical Response Cherry Valley, IL

Kansas

• Daren T. Pfeifer, American Medical Response Topeka, KS

Louisiana (5)

• Michael Moree, Acadian Ambulance & Air Med Servs. Lafayette, LA
• Annette V. Mouton, Med Express Ambulance Service Pineville, LA
• Jaime L. Richaud, Med Express Ambulance Service Pineville, LA
• Joan Savoy, Priority Mobile Health New Orleans, LA
• Mary Williams, Priority Mobile Health New Orleans, LA

Massachusetts (6)

• Jamie J. Crawford, Lyons Ambulance Service Danvers. MA
• Robert McDevitt, Action Ambulance Stoneham, MA
• Donna L. Moore, Lyons Ambulance Service Danvers, MA
• James Scolforo, American Medical Response Pittsfield, MA
• Alfred Theirrien, American Medical Response Natick, MA
• Gary Wright, Action Ambulance Stoneham, MA

Maryland

• David L. Janey, Rural Metro Corporation - Mid-Atlantic SW Division Tuxedo, MD

Maine

• Cindy Walker, American Medical Response Scarborough, ME

Michigan (10)

• Mandy Argue, American Medical Response Pontiac, MI
• Bryan A. Fuller, LifeCare Ambulance Service Battle Creek, MI
• Steve Hazuka, Medstar Ambulance Mt. Clemins, MI
• Scott Hicks, Medstar Ambulance Mt. Clemins, MI
• Joseph Horvath, Huron Valley Ambulance Ann Arbor, MI
• Robert Martin, American Medical Response Grand Rapids, MI
• Wayne H. Mervau, North Flight, Inc. Traverse City, MI
• Judy Pearson, Life EMS Fremont, MI
• Joyce Porter, American Medical Response Detroit, MI
• Jack Taylor, Life EMS Kalamazoo, MI

Minnesota

• Robert Atzenhoefer, Gold Cross Ambulance Fairmont, MN

Mississippi

• Jimmy H. Gill, American Medical Response Jackson, MS

North Carolina (7)

• Martha A. Branden, Mecklenburg EMS Agency Charlotte, NC
• Rolanda L. Collins, American Medical Response Lumberton, NC
• Littlejohn Goodwin, Mecklenburg EMS Agency Charlotte, NC
• Patricia Graham, Medical Transportation Specialists Wilmington, NC
• John R. Tompkins, Mecklenburg EMS Agency Charlotte, NC
• Lee M. Van Vleet, FirstHealth of the Carolinas Pinehurst, NC
• James G. White, FirstHealth of the Carolinas Pinehurst, NC

North Dakota

• Darin B. Haverland, F-M Ambulance Service Fargo, ND

New Hampshire (2)

• David Lacaillade, Rockingham Regional Ambulance Nashua, NH
• Sylvia Riley, Rockingham Regional Ambulance Nashua, NH

New Jersey (2)

• Earl F. Gardner Jr., Med Alert Ambulance, Inc. Sparta, NJ
• John E. Romano, Rural/Metro Ambulance South Amboy, NJ

New Mexico

• Charlene Ortega, Living Cross Ambulance Service Peralta, NM

Nevada

• Patricia Beckwith, American Medical Response Las Vegas, NV

New York (2)

• Robert E. Mann, Rural/Metro Ambulance Buffalo, NY
• James Poole, Mohawk Ambulance Service Schenectady, NY

Ohio (2)

• Gaye Buckingham, Stofcheck Ambulance Service LaRue, OH
• Roger Meir Rural Metro Ambulance Youngstown, OH

Oregon (6)

• Randy W. Benetti, Sr. Rural/Metro Fire Department Grants Pass, OR
• Brett Gnau, Pacific West Ambulance Lincoln City, OR
• Joseph D. Hyatt, Rural/Metro Fire Department Grants Pass, OR
• Kevin Lambert, Metro West Ambulance Hillsboro, OR
• Paul Martin, American Medical Response Portland, OR
• Zane McKnight, Oregon State Ambulance Assn.& Medix Ambulance Nan Heim, OR

Pennsylvania (2)

• Timothy Blackston, Cetronia Ambulance Corps. Allentown, PA
• James Ralston, Rural/Metro Medical Services Scranton, PA

Tennessee

• Wonda C. Pickler, Rural/Metro - Mid South Memphis, TN

Texas (4)

• Cheryl Barrett, Life Ambulance Services, Inc. El Paso, TX
• Michael DeBerry, LifeNet EMS Texarkana, TX
• Ben Kruse, American Medical Response San Antonio, TX
• Paul M. Rogers, Rural/Metro - MedStar Fort Worth, TX

Utah (3)

• Daniel L. Evans, Gold Cross Services Salt Lake City, UT
• Ryan D. Pyle, Gold Cross Services Salt Lake City, UT
• James D. Stevens, Gold Cross Services Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia

• Lauren C. Challis, American Medical Response Richmond, VA

Vermont

• Colleen Gilman, Regional Ambulance Service Rutland, VT

Washington (2)

• Bradley C. Derting, American Medical Response Spokane, WA
• Ron Stewart, Rural Metro Ambulance Mountlake Terrace, WA

Wisconsin

• Laurie Whitfield, American Medical Response- Pathways Pleasant Prairie, WI

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) is headquartered in Washington DC, and represents almost 900 ambulance operations providing emergency and non- emergency ambulance services across the United States. Founded in 1979, the AAA's Mission is: "To promote health care policies that ensure excellence in the ambulance services industry and to provide research, education and communications programs to enable its members to effectively address the needs of the communities they serve."