By Dani Messick
Goshen News
GOSHEN, Ind. 鈥� A Goshen Fire Department EMS Captain was honored at the state level for his work in emergency services earlier this month.
Goshen Fire Department EMS Captain Kit Castetter was named Indiana EMS Association Paramedic of the Year during the Indiana EMS Association鈥檚 Golden Siren Banquet on May 18.
With 34 years on the job, he was nominated by Goshen Assistant Chief of EMS Shane McKerchie.
Castetter said it was a shock for him.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored, pretty humbled,鈥� Castetter said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of deserving people that are working hard.鈥�
Castetter鈥檚 EMT career began in 1987 as a volunteer for Topeka, but he wanted more. He went to medic school and then worked at LaGrange for a year before joining Goshen鈥檚 team.
鈥淚 did my clinical ride time for Goshen鈥檚 paramedic class here at the fire department,鈥� he recalled.
After his year at Lagrange, the Goshen Fire Department was looking for paramedics so he tested in and got the job.
鈥淭his is a good place to work,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his was close. It was a paid position. The city is great to work for. As far as being a paramedic, we get a nice mix of time on the fire truck and also time on the ambulance so that鈥檚 important and kind of helps spread the work, little variety, little routine. It鈥檚 just been a good life.鈥�
Today, Castetter also does education and oversees training.
鈥淲e do a lot for the number of people that we have,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that makes it interesting because we get a lot of exposure to other disciplines. We鈥檝e got people doing hazmat, river rescue, fire fighting, there鈥檚 a whole plethora of things that are available to do here. People have different interests and fill different roles and mine鈥檚 EMS.鈥�
In fact, much of Castetter鈥檚 time outside the department is also comprised of EMS work. He鈥檚 a Medflight nurse and a NICU nurse for Beacon Ground Transport. He got his nursing degree in 1996 and worked in the ER at Goshen Health for 20 years but gave up for the opportunity to become a flight nurse.
The rest of his time is spent with his wife, three kids, two stepdaughters, and 11 grandkids.
鈥淚鈥檓 doing what I want to do and a drive as much pleasure out of it now as I did 30 years ago when I started,鈥� Castetter said. 鈥淚 like going on ambulance calls.鈥�
To learn more about the Indiana EMS Association, visit them at .
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