HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR-Orofino EMT Leonard Eckman (center) shown with his wife, Kathleen, (right) has been named Orofino Rotary’s 2008 second annual Health Care Professional of the Year. Pictured with Eckman is Lynn MacEachern, Rotary president and committee chairman Charlie Nation. Eckman was nominated for the honor by EMT Jim McCann. Last year’s recipient was the late EMT Pete Morgan. This award honors an individual who not only is an outstanding health care professional but also exemplifies Rotary’s motto Service above Self.
Rotary honors Eckman with prestigious award
Leonard Eckman, who has been an advanced EMT for 30 years receives Rotary’s Health Care Professional of the Year award. Nominee states Eckman has missed many meals and been up all night many times while serving as an EMT.
In nominating Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Leonard Eckman for Health Care Professional of the Year, fellow EMT Jim McCann wrote “Eckman, who was born in Lewiston in1944, has devoted most of his life to Service above Self’. Eckman was raised in Juliaetta where he joined the Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Dept. while still in high school. He has been an EMT since 1971 and still serves to this day.” Eckman has been an advanced EMT for over 30 years.
McCann, who has worked with Eckman on the county ambulance force since 1989, writes “Eckman has missed a lot of meals and has been up all night over the years serving in the capacity as EMT. He has helped people with stubbed toes all the way up to heart attack, strokes, car crashes and given CPR and saved many lives.” Eckman has been involved in multiple transfers.
During the recognition ceremony Friday fellow EMT Neal Johnson said Eckman never loses his cool and is an expert at starting IV’s.
Eckman took 81 hours of classes as a basic EMT, then 60 hours as an advance EMT. He is certified by the State of Idaho and is required to be recertified every three to four years.
He is on the state EMT testing team and has tested new EMTs from New Meadows to Potlatch.
Eckman attended LCSC where he received his teaching degree and taught school for four years in Oregon and in Orofino Elementary for 22 years before retiring as a teacher. He joined the Orofino Volunteer Fire Dept. in 1971 and served until 1998. He worked his way up from fireman to secretary-treasurer to assistant chief and was fire chief for 10 years before his retirement.
He and his wife, Kathleen, also a retired school teacher, have two sons, Lester Lee, who is stationed with the US Air Force in Maryland, is married and the father of four sons, and Lance, who resides and works in Orofino.