Sunstar Paramedics employee Shonnah Adams was selected as a Gus Bilirakis First Responder of the Year for Florida’s 12th Congressional District.

Shonnah was recognized for her commitment to serving her community and her country. Her dedication to education and personal growth has resulted in her ability to take on more challenging opportunities during her tenure so far at Sunstar Paramedics.

She attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College, earning an associate degree in EMS and her EMT and paramedic credentials. She continued her education while working at Sunstar earning her degree in Nursing from St. Petersburg College and then attended the University of Florida where she earned her critical care/trauma nurse credentials as part of her commitment to serving her community.

In addition, the award recognizes Shonnah’s service to her country in the Army National Guard. She enlisted in 1999 and has since attended Combat Medic School to become a flight medic. She has been deployed 4 times to include tours in Kosovo, Iraq (2 tours) and Afghanistan. During her time in the Army National Guard, Shonnah has been recognized with the Army Achievement Award in 2011 and the Sikorsky Aircraft Rescue Award in 2011, 2012 and 2017.

“Shonnah is an outstanding member of our team and our community,” said Sunstar Paramedics’ Director of Operations Richard Schomp. “She is dedicated to serving both the people in Pinellas County and her country and we are extremely proud that she has been recognized in this way.”

The Gus Bilirakis 12th Congressional District First Responder of the Year award recognizes outstanding law enforcement officers, fire fighters and paramedics for going above and beyond in their service to our community. Bilirakis represents Florida’s 12th Congressional District which include North Pinellas and Pasco Counties.