Patrick has been involved in emergency medical services for almost 35 years and has been an instructor/coordinator for more than 25 of those years. He founded an all-volunteer ambulance service and was the second EMT in the county where he lives.

Patrick was instrumental in recruiting a private EMS provider to later serve the county when the run volume reached a point that was too much for the volunteers. Finally, he helped establish a hospital-based paramedic service in his community that was Arkansas’ most award-winning service and was eventually recognized as Arkansas’ first Advanced Life Support Service of the Year. Patrick served as the Special Operations Coordinator with that service for more than 21 years.

The Arkansas EMS community has recognized Patrick on many occasions, but the most prestigious were the Arkansas EMT Instructor/Coordinator Award and the Dr. E.P. Hammons Arkansas EMS Leadership Award. On the national level, Patrick’s most cherished recognitions were receiving the NAEMT Instructor/Coordinator of the Year Award and the Jeffrey S. Harris State Leadership Award.

During his career, Patrick has served in many capacities of leadership. For the Arkansas EMT Association, he served as I/C Society vice president and president; as editor of the Arkansas EMS newsletter, LifeLine; as the Arkansas Governor’s EMS Advisory Committee Rules and Regulations vice chair and Training Subcommittee liaison; and as the NAEMT representative on the Board of Governors.

For the National Association of EMTs, he has served as the liaison for FEMA, for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks, and for the National Native American EMS Association. He has also been a board member and treasurer for the Commission for Accreditation of Ambulance Services. He has served as a director on the NAEMT Board, as a member of the Executive Council, as secretary and as vice president.