First Responders from Lakeport, CA Win Top Honors at National Clinical and Safety Competition
1.26.2026
REACH Flight Paramedic Tyler Farris and Flight Nurse Sarah Cobb came out on top among elite teams from across the nation for clinical excellence and operational precision.
REACH Air Medical Services (REACH), proudly announces its REACH 6 rotor wing team based in Lakeport earned first place at the inaugural Global Medical Response (GMR) Clinical and Safety Competition, held in Mineral Wells, Texas. This prestigious two-day event was the first time top-performing teams from both GMR’s air and ground medical teams came together from across the nation for a series of high-stakes, skill-based challenges designed to elevate clinical performance and reinforce a culture of safety.
“As a key partner in providing access to care in rural communities, REACH 6’s achievement at the GMR Clinical and Safety Competition is a testament to the dedication and expertise our teams bring to every mission,” said Cole Allinson, clinical manager for REACH 6. “Sarah and Tyler demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and teamwork throughout the event. Their success is more than a competition win; it reflects countless hours of advanced training and preparation that directly benefit the residents we serve. This achievement underscores GMR’s mission to provide exceptional care in every community we serve, advancing clinical excellence and safety for all."
Representing REACH 6 were Flight Nurse Sarah Cobb and Flight Paramedic Tyler Farris, two exceptional clinicians whose expertise and dedication exemplify the caliber of care available to the rural communities throughout the North Coast region.
Competition Highlights
Eleven elite teams—representing ground advanced life support (ALS), rotor-wing critical care, and fixed-wing critical care—advanced from regional qualifiers to participate in the final event in October 2025. With volunteers acting as patients and bystanders, each team navigated complex clinical scenarios and operational drills that tested their precision, timing and collaborative response. High-stakes situations included a patient with an acute respiratory emergency requiring ventilator support and critical medications mid-flight, as well as a rotor-wing mission responding to a pediatric trauma case after a vehicle strike.
A panel of independent industry experts evaluated each phase of the competition, scoring teams on both technical execution and holistic patient care, including:
Cobb began her emergency medical services (EMS) career with REACH and has been a dedicated team member for six years, serving the majority of that time at REACH 6. Before joining the team, she spent five years as a nurse, gaining extensive experience in an intensive care unit (ICU). At REACH 6, Cobb is the senior-most crew member and, as a natural leader, a trusted go-to resource for her peers in the region.
“We were very excited to bring the win home to REACH 6,” said Cobb. “We showcased skills that we use every day, and Tyler and I were proud to represent our region knowing that any other team would have performed the same way. The competition was an intense two days of scenarios where we were judged on our clinical, communication, and interpersonal skills. There is always more to learn, and I think we came away from the contest better than we started. We enjoyed meeting other teams from across the country and are proud to be part of such an elite group of clinicians."
Farris brings a decade of paramedic experience to his role as a flight paramedic with REACH, including six years served in the U.S. Army. For the past three years, Farris has been part of the REACH 6 team, where, when not taking care of patients, he coordinates base events and demonstrations while enthusiastically providing much needed comic relief. In 2025, he earned REACH’s prestigious Dr. McDonald Award as Northern California’s Flight Paramedic of the Year.
Farris shared, “Honestly, it was an amazing experience. Meeting awesome people, experiencing the challenges presented, and getting to showcase our region were all some of my favorite bits. Getting to represent both REACH 6 and GMR’s Pacific Region was a huge honor, and the feeling of winning and bringing that home was incomparable. Knowing the level of work we each put in every day, and then to win the competition, it just made it all worth it."
“As a key partner in providing access to care in rural communities, REACH 6’s achievement at the GMR Clinical and Safety Competition is a testament to the dedication and expertise our teams bring to every mission,” said Cole Allinson, clinical manager for REACH 6. “Sarah and Tyler demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and teamwork throughout the event. Their success is more than a competition win; it reflects countless hours of advanced training and preparation that directly benefit the residents we serve. This achievement underscores GMR’s mission to provide exceptional care in every community we serve, advancing clinical excellence and safety for all."
Representing REACH 6 were Flight Nurse Sarah Cobb and Flight Paramedic Tyler Farris, two exceptional clinicians whose expertise and dedication exemplify the caliber of care available to the rural communities throughout the North Coast region.
Competition Highlights
Eleven elite teams—representing ground advanced life support (ALS), rotor-wing critical care, and fixed-wing critical care—advanced from regional qualifiers to participate in the final event in October 2025. With volunteers acting as patients and bystanders, each team navigated complex clinical scenarios and operational drills that tested their precision, timing and collaborative response. High-stakes situations included a patient with an acute respiratory emergency requiring ventilator support and critical medications mid-flight, as well as a rotor-wing mission responding to a pediatric trauma case after a vehicle strike.
A panel of independent industry experts evaluated each phase of the competition, scoring teams on both technical execution and holistic patient care, including:
- Clinical skills & knowledge
- Safety judgment & critical thinking
- Operational readiness
- Professional conduct
Cobb began her emergency medical services (EMS) career with REACH and has been a dedicated team member for six years, serving the majority of that time at REACH 6. Before joining the team, she spent five years as a nurse, gaining extensive experience in an intensive care unit (ICU). At REACH 6, Cobb is the senior-most crew member and, as a natural leader, a trusted go-to resource for her peers in the region.
“We were very excited to bring the win home to REACH 6,” said Cobb. “We showcased skills that we use every day, and Tyler and I were proud to represent our region knowing that any other team would have performed the same way. The competition was an intense two days of scenarios where we were judged on our clinical, communication, and interpersonal skills. There is always more to learn, and I think we came away from the contest better than we started. We enjoyed meeting other teams from across the country and are proud to be part of such an elite group of clinicians."
Farris brings a decade of paramedic experience to his role as a flight paramedic with REACH, including six years served in the U.S. Army. For the past three years, Farris has been part of the REACH 6 team, where, when not taking care of patients, he coordinates base events and demonstrations while enthusiastically providing much needed comic relief. In 2025, he earned REACH’s prestigious Dr. McDonald Award as Northern California’s Flight Paramedic of the Year.
Farris shared, “Honestly, it was an amazing experience. Meeting awesome people, experiencing the challenges presented, and getting to showcase our region were all some of my favorite bits. Getting to represent both REACH 6 and GMR’s Pacific Region was a huge honor, and the feeling of winning and bringing that home was incomparable. Knowing the level of work we each put in every day, and then to win the competition, it just made it all worth it."
