As published in the Rome Sentinel

By Will Phillips, Staff writer

UTICA — Several months after traveling to Washington D.C. to be recognized for his work in emergency medical services, Anthony Arrigo is back in Utica helping the next generation decide whether EMS is the right path for them.

Arrigo, the operations manager at Kunkel Ambulance, was among roughly 100 EMS professionals from across the country honored at the AAA Stars of Life ceremony last fall. But instead of basking in a solo achievement, he said he viewed it more as an opportunity to talk about a profession that is often misunderstood.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is what we actually do,” Arrigo said. “People think we just toss somebody in the back and take them to the hospital.”

In reality, EMS work often involves navigating broken elevators, carrying equipment up multiple flights of stairs, or extracting patients from unsafe or squalid homes. “There’s so much more that goes into it than people realize,” he said.

Arrigo’s own career began in 2010 as a volunteer driver, when he was, by his own description, “so timid, so green, so new.” He remembered one veteran EMS in particular named Vanessa Evans, who took him under her wing and helped him find his confidence. “She had a way of pushing you, but in a way that made you comfortable,” he said.

Mentorship remained a big part of his approach as he stepped into a leadership role, becoming Kunkel’s operations manager in July 2025.

Burnout and staffing shortages have always been “huge deals” in EMS work, according to Arrigo. There is a common line of thinking among providers that “you’ve got about 10 good years on the street” before needing to transition to other roles. But he said the field is making positive strides.

”It’s actually getting better,” he said, thanks in part to outreach efforts like school career days and ride-alongs that allow students to get up close and personal with the work. Arrigo and Kunkel Ambulance will bring programs like these to General Herkimer School on February 12 and Proctor High School on March 12.

Arrigo pointed out that EMS work can have a powerful ripple effect beyond saving a single life. In July 2023, while still working the front lines, Arrigo was part of a team that responded to a call involving a woman who suffered a cardiac arrest at church. Thanks to his care and the quick actions of those around her, Ann Furner made a full recovery. Furner is now a proud ambassador of the American Heart Association, speaking publicly about the importance of CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

”It’s crazy to think about,” Arrigo reflected. “Because we saved her life … and just the number of lives that she could potentially save by what she does, pushing the CPR, getting AEDs placed in places that don’t have them, it’s crazy to think about.”

For young people considering EMS, Arrigo is candid about the demands. “EMS is not a nine-to-five, cubicle-type job,” he said. “The work can be physically and emotionally taxing. Things get messy — sometimes literally.”

But for those drawn to it, the rewards can be immeasurable. “If you truly care about helping someone on their worst day,” Arrigo said, “this might be the job for you.”

Pictured with Anthony is Ann Furner, whom he helped save during a cardiac emergency in July 2023.