American Medical Response hosted a special event Friday for its longest-serving employee, El Cajon-native Gordon Anderson, who has been with the company for 55 years.
Anderson grew up in El Cajon, graduated from El Cajon Valley High School and has lived his adult life in the South Bay area of San Diego County. He joined AMR, Hartson's Ambulance then, on April 5, 1969, where he worked as an ambulance driver.
"EMTs and paramedics hadn't been invented yet," Anderson told NBC 7, with a laugh and a grin, as he reflected on the early years of his career. But when the roles were created, Anderson became one of the very first licensed EMTs in the county.
"It was not because of the lights and the sirens," Anderson said. "It was because of the interaction with the people that we were able to take care of."
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Over his career, Anderson has responded to some of the county's most memorable disasters, including the 1970 Laguna Fire and the crash of PSA Flight 182 in North Park in 1978. Later, as a dispatcher, he helped carry out AMR's response to the 1985 Normal Heights Fire, the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire. While he has spent most of his career as a dispatcher, the last several years have been as a communications supervisor in AMR's Communications Center.
However, he says, what he remembers most about his decades of service are not necessarily the historic incidents themselves.
"One of the things that has impacted me the most is the people I get to meet who, maybe I'm taking care of them, but because of who they are they've actually ministered to me and helped me develop who I am," Anderson said.
Anderson was presented with a proclamation on behalf of San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson at a special luncheon event at Montgomery Field on Friday.
"The County of San Diego does hereby commend Gordon Anderson for his service to our region and for aiding thousands of people in need over the course of his distinguished career, and do hereby declare today April 5, 2024 to be Gordon Anderson Day throughout San Diego County," the proclamation read.
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Beyond his life-saving efforts, Anderson has been married to his wife, Claudia, for more than 40 years. His family now includes four children, nine grandchildren, and three great grandchildren, with one more on the way.
Additionally, the California Ambulance Association has presented him with the Star of Life Award, recognizing and honoring dedicated professionals in the ambulance services industry in the state.
"At the end of the day, I can walk out of here, away from my desk and say I've been able to accomplish something for somebody," Anderson said.
