CALAIS – The director of Downeast EMS was presented Wednesday with the state’s highest award at the Maine Emergency Medical Services annual awards ceremony in Augusta.

The governor’s award was presented to Downeast EMS director Danny Carlow during ceremonies held in the Maine State House Hall of Flags.

Carlow said Thursday he was honored that his staff nominated him for the award. “I was nominated for an EMS Merit Award. There is an award system in the state of Maine that is given out for different levels of participation in EMS,” he said. “They have a committee in Augusta that reads all these requests and then decides who gets what, and they decided because of the length of service and different committees I serve on they upgraded it to the Governor’s Award. It was quite a surprise.”

Carlow said he learned he had received the state’s highest EMS award only a few days before the ceremonies.

The Governor’s Award is conferred for exceptional contribution to the EMS system at the state, national or system-wide level. The candidate should have demonstrated involvement and contribution in multiple areas of EMS activity, including system development, education, administration, public education, and quality-process improvement, the awards ceremony program said.

Carlow joined the Calais Fire Department as a volunteer in 1974 and became a full-time firefighter in 1977. He was appointed fire chief in 1995.

He attended his first EMT class in the late 1970s, giving him more than 30 classes in EMS and fire services. Carlow has spent most of his fire and EMS career as an instructor.

The fire chief-EMS director has a staff of 30 volunteer and paid firefighters and 52 EMS personnel.

But it was Carlow’s work in emergency medical services that got him the award.

In 2001, eastern Washington County learned it had 48 hours to replace the ambulance service for 22 communities after the area’s former ambulance service went out of business.

Washington County EMS Association was formed, and Carlow was appointed director.

“The population in eastern Maine continues to benefit greatly, as do the employees by his leadership,” the program said. “Chief Carlow is described by his peers as being both unselfish and modest. His acts of kindness are rarely known to anyone but the recipient.”

And Carlow is modest. When asked about the award, he said it was a “team” effort. “I am pleased because it not only recognizes me but the whole Downeast EMS, which is very important because it’s certainly more than a one-man operation,” he said.

Asked what was next, Carlow chuckled and said, “I am going to take [Friday] off.”

His wife Marcia and other family members including his mother-in-law Sandra Hill and four grandchildren accompanied Carlow to Augusta.

The fire chief said the governor attended and gave a speech, but had to leave because of flooding issues in southern Maine.

In addition to the Governor’s Award, an EMS Excellence Award was presented to Denys Cornelio of Presque Isle.

Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to Peter Carbonneau of Van Buren, Patricia Dougherty of South Thomaston, and Michael A. Leo Jr. of Thomaston.

EMS Merit Awards were presented to Lorraine Stockbridge of Swans Island, Aldene Tucker of Milbridge, and Jim Keene, Joe Marshall, Elliot Spiker and Dave Robertson of Southwest Harbor.