NEW WINDSOR — It has been 20 years since the death of Frederick “Rick” Metzger, co-founder of Mobile Life Support Services. Rick and his wife Gayle established the company in 1981, and it has grown from a four-person operation to the largest ambulance service in the Hudson Valley. Last week, Gayle and her Mobile Life family honored Rick with a video testimonial celebrating his life and legacy that lives on in the emergency medical services industry.
Rick started his EMS career in the 1960s and became one of the first-ever NYS-certified Paramedics in 1971. He later helped to found the Hudson Valley Regional Emergency Services Council, on which he served in multiple roles, including president and treasurer. Rick also held the position of president for the New York State Ambulance Association. A man ahead of his own time and industry innovator, he practiced what would eventually become EMS policies and procedures. He was an educator and a true expert in his field. He was an industry titan, caring for those in need and paving the way for future EMS providers.
Mobile Life began almost 40 years ago in the City of Newburgh. Now, the company provides emergency services to communities and healthcare facilities throughout the region, including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester. It operates a fleet of more than 70 emergency vehicles and employs approximately 500 emergency medical and office professionals.
“Rick’s dedication to emergency medical services and the creation of Mobile Life Support Services have touched countless lives. His impact reaches far beyond this company and into how emergency medicine is practiced in this region. He led by example as one of the most compassionate, intelligent and competent providers in the business. He’d be so proud of the continued fostering of the values and principles that were the foundation of our company as well as the education and training Mobile Life is able to provide – not just to its own staff, but also members of the community. All of these things are a reflection of our commitment to carry on his legacy by providing the highest quality of patient care to all who need it,” said Gayle Metzger, Mobile Life Owner and Chairman of the Board.
The company used its social media accounts to honor Rick on the 20th anniversary of his passing with a video montage featuring firsthand accounts of Rick’s life and legacy.
“He was our founder, original leader and, to many, a mentor, father figure and friend. Although 20 years have gone by since his passing, those who knew him, loved him, and those who loved him will forever remember him as kind, brilliant, fair and dedicated to his craft. May we continue to honor him every day by providing care and comfort to those in need without bias or judgment, as he did,” read the accompanying Facebook post shared by Mobile Life.
The video included stories shared by Gayle and several past and present Mobile Life employees, each with their own emotional, funny, honest and very genuine tributes.
“I remember the day I met Rick Metzger in October of 1985. I was a brand-new paramedic, and I walked into Mobile Life’s one and only station on Bridge Street in Newburgh and got a chance to actually sit down with Rick and talk a little about EMS and how I would fit in with Mobile Life. There’s one thing about the man that I think everyone who knew him would speak of: He was a mentor, he was a leader, he was all those things you apply to those people who are so formative in your life. A truly amazing man,” said Scott Woebse, current Mobile Life President & CEO.
To view the memorial video, visit Mobile Life Support Services on their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube page. To learn more about Mobile Life, visit www.mobilelife.com. Individuals interested in employment opportunities with Mobile Life should visit the company’s website to submit an application or inquire about educational opportunities to become certified.
