2025 Florida Ambulance Association Star of Life
Carlos Costa, Critical Care Paramedic
Century Ambulance Service
Carlos Costa’s career in Emergency Medical Services spans nearly five decades, beginning in 1977 as an Emergency Medical Technician. His dedication to the field led him to become a paramedic in 1990 after attending the Daniel Freeman Paramedic Program at UCLA. Over the years, Carlos has continuously expanded his expertise, serving as an ACLS, PALS, and BLS instructor, as well as a preceptor to new paramedics. He has made a significant impact as a flight medic and search-and-rescue specialist for the sheriff’s department, and for 15 years, he was a paramedic rescue diver. Carlos also served as a SWAT paramedic, gaining invaluable experience in high-stakes, high-pressure environments.
Carlos has been deeply involved in the 911 emergency system throughout his career, primarily working in Southern California with AMR. In 2010, he was deployed as a rescue paramedic to Haiti following the devastating earthquake, providing critical care in the midst of chaos. After relocating to Florida in 2012, Carlos continued his work in inter-facility transport, primarily in the Fort Myers area, before joining Century Ambulance Service in January 2024 as a Critical Care Paramedic.
On June 25th, 2024, Carlos was paged out to a 935 lb. patient that was experiencing extreme shortness of breath, possible pulmonary edema. Upon arrival, the patient was on a ventilator with multiple drips running. Carlos was able to assess the scene, contact dispatch and the supervisor, and request the manpower needed to complete the call safely. This patient needed a CT scan and unfortunately, the hospital has a weight restriction of 600 lbs. for CT scanners. Due to the size of the patient and the severity of the situation, the hospital was able to find a CT scanner at an Equine facility in Ocala. Arrangements began to be made to get transfer/lift help lined up for this patient. Upon arrival our crew and Marion County fire worked together to safely unload the patient from our unit to the CT scanner. Carlos and the team worked with a Veterinarian Technician to ensure the patient was properly placed with no inference to vital signs. The patient was then transported safely back to the hospital. Amazing teamwork, collaboration and compassion by all involved.
Since joining Century, Carlos has proven to be an invaluable asset to the company, consistently going above and beyond to deliver exceptional patient care. His dedication was recognized with the BMCS LOTUS Award for his outstanding care of a patient. With a career built on skill, compassion, and a commitment to excellence, Carlos Costa continues to make a lasting impact on the EMS community.
