Through the eyes of the community, he may look like just another brave, essential working hero within the medical field with many of his colleagues. But to those who he has treated and cared for, as well as his family and friends, Christopher Dunn is a hard-working, devoted, reliable and trusting individual, with a bit of a clown characteristic on the side. Chris is motivated to keep any person he interacts with happy, by encouraging life to be a blessing.

            As a young boy, Chris found it exciting to see and hear the lights and sirens of first responders. This typical childhood excitement never went away. Mixed with the example and inspiration from his aunt as a Registered Nurse, and his uncle working in his local hospital’s lab for over 50 years, these combined life experiences drove him to start his life within the medical field.

            During his high school general education at Fitch Senior High back in 1987, Chris joined a course in which he earned a certificate as a Certified Nursing Assistant. He quickly moved forward to obtain his Advanced First Aid/CPR Certification, as well as being trained by his area fire and rescue department, along with his local police and State Police Department to perform wilderness search and rescue. Within the next three years, Chris completed an EMT course while enrolled in college courses majoring in Business Management with a minor in Prehospital Emergency Medicine. In addition, he received training in Public Relations.

            It does not stop here. In 1989 Chris began his present volunteerism with two local ambulance services, later receiving a paid position in which he continues to serve this organization at the BLS level. Here, Chris has served as a member of the Board of Directors in 1994, and was reelected in 2015. Chris began his Paramedic training in 1997 and successfully graduated with a class diploma along with passing the State Paramedic exam and receiving his Paramedic license.

In the following years, leading up to present day, Chris has been involved with multiple emergency service organizations here in New London County, serving with a large role in the structuring of the Pediatric Emergency Room at his local community hospital, and among the first employed at the first subacute health and rehabilitation center in our area. Currently, Chris is structuring, with the help of a community of leaders with decades of healthcare experience, a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Service; DunnsNEMT. In addition, he continues his role in Emergency Medical Services, working full-time at a local General Hospital as an ED Tech II Paramedic, and is active with a Surgical Center as a Patient Care Tech. Chris also serves as the Tribal Genealogist for the Wiquapaug Eastern Pequot Indian Tribe.

            In a recent interview, Chris described himself as, “A blessed, loving father and husband.” He has an innate desire to treat, comfort, and direct those within his community. This came from the joy he receives in his line of medical care and the teachings of his elders. The joy comes natural to Chris, and he attests that this is due to his patients molding him to who he has become today. His fondest memory in all his years of service is a conversation had between himself and a 106-year-old woman. She told him something that has stuck and changed his perspective: “The body may get old, but the spirit stays young.”

            In addition to his working life, Chris finds joy within his family. He has been a dedicated member of Saint John’s Christian Church since 1984. In his spare time, he loves to BBQ! As well as doing genealogy. As Chris keeps pushing along, and serving his community, he continues to find the most joy by giving sound advice to those he encounters; “Sound advice to encourage that individual to keep moving forward, to not give up, but to have faith and belief in all your dreams of becoming successful, and to continue striving toward many achieving goals.”