This annual award is given each year during National EMS Week to a Rowan County Medical Responder who has made significant contributions to the County's EMS system over the last year. Nominations are given by Department personnel. The award is named after former County Commissioner Rufus Honeycutt, who was instrumental in establishing a higher level of emergency medical care to the citizen's of Rowan County by the creation of a county EMS service in 1984. Honeycutt continued to be an on-going advocate of EMS - helping to promote the service's improvements from EMT to Paramedic level of care.