New Deputy Director Appointed For Westport EMS

WESTPORT, CT — The Westport Police Department has promoted Patrick Riddle to deputy director of Westport Emergency Medical Services, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of longtime EMS leader Marc Hartog.

Hartog, who had held the position since 2010, retired earlier this year after more than a decade of service to the community.

Riddle joined Westport EMS in 2024 as a paramedic crew chief. Though relatively new to the department, he brings more than two decades of emergency medical experience.

As deputy director, Riddle will oversee operational management, clinical and quality assurance programs, administrative functions, and emergency field operations. The position also involves community engagement and liaison responsibilities.

— Patrick Riddle, new deputy director of Westport Emergency Medical Services. Photo credit: Westport Police Department

Riddle began his EMS career in 2002 as a volunteer in New City, New York, and became a licensed paramedic in 2005, working in Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey. He later joined Hackensack University Medical Center as a field paramedic, field instructor and training officer. In 2008, he was named “EMS Provider of the Year” and received three commendations for meritorious service in collaboration with the Hackensack Police Department.

In 2010, Riddle joined American Medical Response in Bridgeport, where he served as a field training officer and paramedic instructor until 2022. He then worked as a paramedic for Norwalk Hospital before joining Westport EMS.

Riddle attended the University of Dallas and served in the U.S. Navy during the Persian Gulf War. He is the father of four and grandfather of one. Outside of EMS, he teaches martial arts and promotes physical fitness and wellness.