Trust, teamwork and a calling to save lives inspires Life Lion paramedic
As a teenager, Alex Blackwood developed a passion for emergency medical care and once considered a career as a trauma surgeon.
“But when I was going to Penn State Berks, it came to me that I really wanted to be the first person on the scene to help patients in emergency situations, to actually touch them and give them that initial care,” she said.
After earning her emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic certifications, Blackwood joined Penn State Health Life Lion Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Critical Care Transport as a third shift paramedic in 2022. She’s part of a team of 400 professionals — paramedics, EMTs, nurses, physicians, pilots, dispatchers and mechanics — who provide 24/7 EMS and 911 response throughout Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, Lebanon, York, Lancaster and Berks counties.
“I grew up in Berks County and discovered an interest in emergency medicine while I was in high school at Schuylkill Valley,” said Blackwood, who’s based at Ono Fire Company in Lebanon County. “I went to PSU Berks for a few years for biochem and molecular biology but decided that I didn’t want to work in a hospital. I was introduced to the fire service, then started working at Western Berks EMS and fell completely in love with EMS.”
Compassion in action
Blackwood’s work requires patience, compassion and empathy. One call might involve coordinating with social workers to help a patient get into an assisted living or rehabilitation facility. Others focus on patient education, such as asking why they hesitated to call 911 or helping them take the correct dose of medications.
“Understandably, patients can get very anxious, especially when we have to insert an IV or perform other advanced procedures,” Blackwood said. “Just holding someone’s hand and explaining the situation gives them the comfort they need in that moment.”
The best of the best
Alex Blackwood, left, a paramedic with Penn State Health Life Lion, and Kali Shelley, center, an EMT, talk with patient Kimberly Arndt during a late-night call to her home.
“I’d always heard great things about Penn State Health, and being a Penn State Berks alum, I’ve always been involved with Penn State,” she said. “Life Lion has the reputation of being the best of the best. That’s where I wanted to be.”
Life Lion quickly became an extended family for Blackwood. EMT Kali Shelley is her best friend. They’ve been working side by side for about two years.
“If I don’t see something, she usually does. She asks me questions that make me think about other problems a patient might have. Kali is my extra set of eyes,” said Blackwood.
Work-life fit
Alex Blackwood talks with staff about a patient in the Emergency Department at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
For a paramedic or anyone working in emergency medicine, it’s important to maintain good mental and physical health, she noted.
“It can be very emotionally demanding, with the long shifts and being out in different types of weather,” Blackwood said. “Learning your own personal boundaries and knowing when to ask for outside help is very important to avoid burnout.”
Spending quality time with her miniature Australian shepherd, Finnigan, snowboarding in winter and going to the beach in the summer are all part of her routine to stay mentally and physically fit.
Being a bikini athlete is also part of her fitness routine.
“I first got into bodybuilding just to shed some pounds, get healthier, have more energy and increase my mental health. But it turned into a true lifestyle and then into the competing world, which opened up a whole new avenue,” said Blackwood. Working night shifts fits her active lifestyle, giving her the time she needs to excel both in the gym and on the job.
“I’d like to become an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro, which is a professional bikini athlete, and eventually hit that Bikini Olympia stage, which is the Super Bowl of bodybuilding,” she said.
Her strength training also helps her as a paramedic.
“I can lift more. I can do more effective chest compressions,” Blackwood noted. “I don’t get tired as much. And I’ve learned proper lifting mechanics and proper nutrition for my body.”
A bond like no other
Alex Blackwood, right, a paramedic with Penn State Health Life Lion, talks with her supervisor and fellow paramedic Ed Berkhimer during a call.
Now working on her flight paramedic certification, Blackwood takes pride in her many accomplishments. But the relationships she’s established with the Life Lion team mean the most.
“First responders share a bond like no other. We’re a tight-knit group brought together by trust, teamwork and a calling to save lives,” she said. “Working at Penn State Health Life Lion has given me a career I’m proud of and lifelong friendships. It’s where I met my closest friends, and together, we’ve faced challenges, celebrated victories and built a connection that goes beyond the job.”
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