At this week’s ECHO 2025 Public Safety Aviation Conference in Louisville, KY, we proudly announced the launch of the Justin Powers Paramedic Education Scholarship, in honor of our colleague and dear friend who passed away in December 2024 after a battle with PTSD.
Justin, a member of the Army National Guard who joined Boston MedFlight in 2019 as an EMT, also served as a firefighter and paramedic for the Avon Fire Department and was a vital part of our education staff, primarily working in our Simulation Lab to help educate and train clinical team members.
The scholarship, sponsored by Boston MedFlight and Stay Fit 4 Duty—an organization founded by another of our own, paramedic James Boomhower, to provide physical and emotional wellness resources for healthcare providers and first responders—will be awarded annually beginning in fall 2026 to support a paramedic’s education and professional growth.
ECHO (Every Coast Helicopter Operations), a valued partner of Boston MedFlight, was founded by a group of paramedics, nurses, pilots, and more from various flight programs across the country to create joint training opportunities in a less formal environment. Today, ECHO provides free or low-cost education, high-quality training programs, crew and program support, and networking opportunities to public safety aviation professionals around the world.
During the scholarship announcement, Boston MedFlight’s Vice President of Clinical Care, Michael Frakes, reflected on Justin’s impact, saying: “Justin embodied three things—superhuman strength, a love for teaching and learning, and a contagious optimism. ‘What a great day we are having,’ he would say. Today, I have the opportunity to help honor that legacy in a meaningful and permanent way.”
James Boomhower—founder of Stay Fit 4 Duty, and also a colleague and close friend of Justin—added, “Justin’s presence in our community was undeniable, and his loss is still deeply felt. Partnering on this scholarship allows us to honor Justin in the best way we know how—by building others up, giving them the tools to serve, and ensuring that optimism and strength don’t end with one life, but multiply through many. It also carries forward Justin’s passion for championing paramedicine, and specifically the critical care transport profession he cared about so deeply.”
