BY BEN CARTER
Bradford County Fire Rescue
On April 5, Dr. Peter Gianas was posthumously awarded the “Wendell N. Rollason Award” by the Florida Rural Health Association. Each year, this achievement award is presented to individuals who have contributed tirelessly to the goals of the Florida Rural Health Association and have provided an enduring contribution to rural healthcare.
In the spirit of Wendell Rollason, awardees are honored for their compassion, selflessness, and commitment to seeking solutions to the delivery of health care and quality of life to rural Floridians.
At the award presentation, the following was stated: “Florida Rural Health Association wishes to honor Dr. Gianas’ lifelong leadership, dedication and service in the field of EMS, benefiting underserved rural Floridians.”
Bradford County Fire Rescue Chief Allen Parrish and Deputy Chief Ben Carter were honored to be there to accept the award on behalf of Dr. Gianas.
Chief Parrish stated the following: “When I was asked to accept this award on behalf of Dr. Gianas, I had to do some research to learn what this award represented. After learning about Wendell Rollason and his contribution to rural health care in Florida, I knew Dr. Gianas would be honored to receive this award. Over the lifetime that I knew Dr. Gianas, I’ve seen him honored by receiving many awards and accolades, but I think out of all the awards he has been given, he probably would have been most proud of this one.”
Dr. Gianas advocated that it didn’t matter if you were in the biggest city in the country or the smallest, you deserved the same level of health care. He didn’t just believe that, he made that his lifework. He made many trips to other countries to perform charity work, further demonstrating his passion for equal health care.
From his tenure in the emergency room, to his time spent as medical director for multiple EMS agencies, Dr. Gianas left behind a legacy of compassion for his patients and superior health care in rural communities. His legacy is carried on daily by those who were fortunate enough to have trained under him. The number of patients who were positively impacted by Dr. Gianas is unfathomable.
