LAFAYETTE, La. — More than 1,100 guests were in attendance as Acadian Ambulance honored Flight RN Joannie Sanchez and EMT Alison Cagle as its 2025 Medics of the Year during its annual luncheon at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA. They were selected from 32 paramedics and EMTs who represent each of the company’s service areas, as well as Acadian Air Med and Safety Management Systems.
Acadian also recognized its entire medical team of emergency medical responders, emergency care attendants, van operators, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, dispatchers, flight paramedics and nurses, remote paramedics and community paramedics for the compassionate, high-level care they deliver to patients every day.
Sanchez represents Acadian Air Med and is the first Flight RN to receive the company’s top honor. Cagle represents Acadian’s Hub City region, which spans Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, Vermilion and Iberia Parishes.
Sanchez has been a valued member of the Air Med team for two years, serving as a flight nurse on Air Med 1 in Lafayette. Originally from LaPlace, she resides in Duson with her rescue dog, Xanadu.
After earning her EMT certification in 2018, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Emergency Room tech while completing her Bachelor of Science in nursing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Sanchez gained experience in the ER, trauma care, and ICU before joining Air Med. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nursing, at the University of South Alabama.
Since joining Air Med, Sanchez has shown exceptional dedication through mentoring new nurses, and actively participating in the clinical development team and safety committee. Her colleagues admire her commitment, often going above and beyond to support her team. Joannie’s goal is to continue her education and provide the best care for her patients.
“Today, standing here as the first nurse to ever receive this honor, I am overwhelmed—not because of any title, but because of the people who make this life possible,” Sanchez said in her remarks. “None of us walk this road alone. Behind every flight, every call, every life saved, there is a team: dispatchers who are the first voice in the darkness; pilots who carry us safely through skies we sometimes can’t even see; EMTs and paramedics who never stop fighting on the ground; and leaders and management who make sure the mission never stops.”
Cagle began her journey in EMS while still in high school, where she took EMR classes. She obtained her EMT certification in early 2021 and worked in Sacramento, California, for two years before moving across the country to join the Acadian family. Cagle is currently in paramedic school at Acadian’s National EMS Academy and works out of Lafayette. She has a passion for EMS and for educating kids on the importance of EMS, and hopes to have even a small impact on the youth in her area.
Cagle specializes in protection training for dogs, and her paramedic partner stated that her training with dogs has come in handy on many calls where dogs are present.
Cagle takes immense pride in her work and consistently brings a smile and a positive attitude to everything she does. Her unmatched dedication and strong work ethic have earned her the respect of both her peers and superiors. Her dedication to EMS, consistent hard work, and commitment to quality patient care led to her recognition as EMT of the Year.
Cagle reflected on the value of mentorship as she accepted her award, saying, “I’m eternally thankful for those who have given me the tools and support during this journey of learning and growth and am eager to continue on this path at Acadian.”
Acadian’s Chairman of the Board, Fred Mills Jr., was the celebration’s master of ceremonies, Louisiana State Senator Gerald Boudreaux recited the Pledge of Allegiance, Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel led the invocation, and National EMS Academy Education Coordinator Jennifer Melancon sang the national anthem.
The keynote speech was given by Nicole Malachowski, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame.
In an additional element, Louisiana State Senator Gerald Boudreaux presented Sanchez and Cagle with a Senate Resolution authored by Boudreaux and Senator Brach Myers, commending their honor.
In his remarks, Acadian Chief Executive Officer H. Eddy Dupuis said, “All of the honorees you meet today were selected by their peers for their knowledge, skill, dedication, and devotion to providing exceptional patient care. These are the best of the best in EMS, and we are proud to showcase them.”
He paid tribute to Acadian’s late Chairman & CEO Richard Zuschlag by sharing a memorial video and honoring Richard’s wife, Elaine, and their family who was present. “Richard Zuschlag is the man who made Acadian what it is today, the man whose impact on the community and the state will be felt for decades, and the man whose faith, love, and friendship have touched so many,” Dupuis said.
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