ROANOKE, Va. – Being a teacher and a mentor in the medical field has earned Richard Knick hero recognition.
Knick is by far a busy man.
He is a full-time police officer with the VA DMV, a volunteer firefighter and paramedic with Dunlap Volunteer Fire and Rescue and a paramedic for White Sulphur Springs EMS. He also teaches basic emergency medical services classes at New River Community and Technical College.
Among his long list of hats he wears, one of the greatest impacts Knick has made is educating and training emergency medical technicians who serve our communities.
“Taking an individual who is interested in EMS and transforming them into a trained, competent provider is a great skill and a huge responsibility that Rick takes great pride in,” the American Red Cross said.
From teaching the basics to going through all the highly developed skills required of emergency medical providers, Knick does it all by taking each student under his wings to train, coach and mentor them into capable and confident EMTs.
“It is a task which requires a person like Rick with strong communications ability, exceptional professional skills, dedication to each student coupled with long hours inside and outside the classroom along with the desire to share one’s belief in taking care of people,” the American Red Cross said. “Our community, Commonwealth and Nation have seen the importance of our front-line EMS providers during the COVID epidemic. Equally important are people like Rick who are ensuring a steady stream of providers are trained and able to enter the field and do their part.”
The American Red Cross is proud to award Rick Knick as the 2022 Community Impact Hero.
