AMR of Central New York, formerly known as Rural Metro Medical Services, recently moved into a new building in Syracuse. The ambulance company also has a training facility there which it named after a longtime employee. Ed Moser worked there for 45 years before retiring several months ago. Iris St. Meran sat down with him and shares what this honor means to him.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Working in and out of an ambulance has been a part of Ed Moser's life for 45 years.

"You know, it's interesting, because I was supposed to be a history teacher and I was in the volunteer fire department down in Nedrow,” Moser said, “and a gentleman by the name of Eric Salisbury sent me to my first EMT class."

Moser said after his first ambulance call, he knew it was what he wanted to do, and he developed a passion for it.

"The two calls that I remember vividly, and I think any EMT or paramedic ever remembers, is the first time I delivered a baby,” he recalled with a smile. “I was 21 and she was 16. I don't know who was most scared, her or me."

The second call Moser said he remembers vividly was for a cardiac save. He started with the company on October 8, 1971, and has worn many hats since then: a care provider on the ambulance, a dispatcher, instructor, public information officer and supervisor. He retired at the end of May.

"Over the years, Ed has made such a lasting impression on the company and on the community," said AMR Central New York Regional Director Troy Hogue, "and really, if you think about it, tens of thousands of individuals of lives he's touched himself. We thought we should do something that's lasting for him to recognize that."

That something was surprising him with the news that the training center would be named after him. The Edward G. Moser Training Center was unveiled last week.

"I spent most of my adult life doing this,” Moser said, choking back tears, “so being able to have the training center named after me -- which is even better because, when I started teaching EMT classes, we were relatively small and now it's turned into this large center -- so it's really gratifying to have my name on it."

Even though he's enjoying retirement and spending time with his family, Moser still teaches a few hours every other week in in the space that has his namesake.

His advice for those coming up in the profession: "Do it the best you can every time you go out," Moser said.