Lyme Ambulance Association, Inc.
Tribute to Paul Ahnell
Tribute to Paul Ahnell
The article below is reprinted from The Lyme Times, published by The Day Publishing Company (theday.com)
Published March 24. 2022 2:24PM
A Tribute to a Life of Service
By Will Boller, Special to the Times
“1Y8 reporting to the scene.”
If you were monitoring emergency response over the last 10 years in the Lyme community, you would have frequently heard this refrain. 1Y8 is the radio call sign of Paul Ahnell, Lyme Ambulance’s most prolific Emergency Medical Technician. On March 31, Lyme Ambulance Association and the Lyme community will celebrate the third retirement of this great American, who after a lifetime of service is finally hanging up his jump kit.
Paul started a life of service early, drafted into the Army at age 24. He studied to be a mortar crewman at Army Artillery School in Fort Sill, Okla., and he was commissioned early via Officer Candidate School. His career selection, which set the course of his career in engineering, was, as he puts it, by chance — “they needed one engineering officer from our class, I was last name A in the file, and I had a few college credits under my belt, so guess what.”
Following graduation and assignment to the Fourth Infantry Division in Fort Lewis, Wash., he was dispatched to Vietnam aboard the USNS Gordon, and spent time on the ground as a combat engineer in 1966, 1967 and 1969. It was upon his return here following this second tour as a Company Commander that he was selected to attend Norwich University to get his Civil Engineering degree.
One of Paul’s fondest memories of his Army life was buying his first BMW direct from the factory in Germany, when following graduation he was assigned to a nuclear capable division in the Fulda Gap. This spurred a love of sportscars that exists to this day.
Returning to the U.S. again, he was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh, Pa., becoming a Steelers and Pirates fan for life. His career finally brought him to coastal Connecticut, where he retired from the Army in 1985, taking a job with General Dynamics equipment testing.
In 1998, he moved from Waterford to Lyme to his current residence, with his wife Jane. His second retirement from Electric Boat came in 2005 after 24 years of service. Initially, his call to civic duty drew him to volunteer as ski patrol at Mount Snow. In 2011, he received the annual solicitation for donations to Lyme Ambulance and, he “checked the box” indicating that he wanted to volunteer for the ambulance service. He was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician that spring.
“The class ended on Friday, and I took the exam first thing Monday,” Paul said.
For the past 10 years Paul has been one of Lyme Ambulance’s top responders, and most recently has been the No. 1 EMT responder for the community. When asked what drives him to volunteer, he cites the need to keep busy but also civic duty.
“It is interesting work, and I get to know the town and the people better,” he said.
Over the years, Paul has touched the life of all of his fellow Lyme Ambulance responders.
“One of the most enjoyable parts about going on calls with Paul is the ride back where I get to hear his military and ski patrol stories,” says Carie Tonovitz, a fellow EMT.
Paul’s retirement will leave a big gap for Lyme’s ambulance service. Volunteers like Paul have helped Lyme to remain one of the few communities in the state to continue with an all-volunteer service.
This year will also see the ambulance service renew a recruiting push to find new citizens willing to train as emergency medical technicians. Many of the ambulance service’s top responders, like Paul, are in their 60s and 70s and thus the service is always in need of new members.
After 12 years in his third career, Paul is finally retiring once again, this time to keep a promise to Jane to free up time to travel more. He leaves behind a legacy of dedication to civic duty and a career of service.
When asked what he will do next, Paul states, “probably pull my Porsche out of the garage to start working on it once the weather gets warm.”
If they’re lucky, Lyme residents will still get to enjoy seeing Paul drive by on a sunny afternoon, this time with a smile and sunglasses instead of lights and sirens.
Lyme Ambulance Association (LAA) is a volunteer organization operated by and for Lyme residents. It relies heavily on community volunteers to maintain operations. Almost all LAA responders are members of the Lyme community; most do not have a prior medical background. Our responders include corporate executives, skilled craftspeople, mothers, investment bankers and scientists. Many are at or near retirement age. Most of our responders start as EMR / Drivers and some progress to getting Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. Please contact Ariana Eaton ariana.eaton@lymeambulance.org, or text/call (860) 510-2815 to ask how you can contribute to LAA.
Will Boller is head of the Recruiting Committee and a Board Member at large for Lyme Ambulance Association.
The Lives of Our Times is an opportunity for readers to tell us stories about interesting local people. Email times@theday.com to contribute.
Although Paul’s official retirement date is March 31st, don’t be surprised to see him helping out, if he’s free, on some emergency 911 calls through the end of the year
Interested in volunteering with Lyme Ambulance?
Lyme Ambulance Association (LAA) is a volunteer organization operated by and for Lyme residents. We rely heavily on community volunteers to maintain operations. Almost all LAA responders are members of the Lyme community; most do not have a prior medical background. Our responders include corporate executives, skilled craftspeople, mothers, investment bankers and scientists. Many are at or near retirement age. Most of our responders start as EMR / Drivers and some progress to getting Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. Please contact Ariana Eaton ariana.eaton@lymeambulance.org, or text/call 860-510-2815 to ask how you can contribute to LAA.
