MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - For the last three years Sparrow Health has awarded one local Fire Department's EMS team "Outstanding EMS Agency" of the year award. Previous winners include Delta Township and Lansing Township.

This year, Sparrow Health recognized Meridian Township's Paramedic Unit for their continued service.

The Fire Department received notice yesterday that they would be receiving the award at 8am this morning.

FAWM Associate Medical Director of Sparrow Emergency Department John Dery was in attendance to present a plaque to the Fire Department.

Sparrow Health has a committee that sits down every year and looks at the number of calls, what kind of calls they are, and other criteria such as success with cardiac arrest, when evaluating a department for the award.

Fire Chief Fred Cowper said the award is very special and the department transports nearly 3,000 patients to Sparrow Emergency every year.

Chief Cowper also said, "It was a challenging year, I know we had quite a few successful outcomes with our cardiac arrest, difficulty breathing those kind of things. So I thought we were certainly at the top of the charts. Our paramedics are trained every day and we have an excellent Training Chief, Chief Priese, and those are the kind of things that make you successful."

Along with a plaque, the Fire Department will also be rewarded with lunch as a thank you from Sparrow Health later in the week.