George A. Durgin, Jr., who served as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Federal Emergency Management Agency’s ambulance contact technical representative in Mississippi in 2008, said McNeer played a pivotal role in assisting victims of Hurricane Gustav. She served as operations chief.

Durgin said their forward area command (FAC) was busy transporting hundreds of patients who had come to Jackson to escape Hurricane Gustav. “Our operations chief had to be highly-organized, dedicated, resourceful and attentive to myriad details,” he said. “AMR Jackson has a 100 percent survival rate of all transported patients.

“Stella was awfully close to perfect in the conduct of her duties,” Durgin continued. “I cannot recall a single mission assigned to her that she and her crews failed to carry out with finesse. ...In short, Stella became a linchpin in the entire FAC. Because of her deep genuine caring for colleagues, crews from all over the country started, right away, calling her by her local nickname, ‘Mama Stella.’”

It’s a fitting nickname for McNeer who often tells her patients, “I’m going to take care of you just like I would take care of my momma.” McNeer said when people hear that, they know they will be treated right.

McNeer also prepares holiday meals for those she works with. She and her husband, Carlton, who works as a paramedic in Hattiesburg, decided to provide the meals to show their appreciation for the hard work and dedication of McNeer’s team members.

“These guys work hard, even during the holidays,” said McNeer. “We use to cater a meal for them, but several years ago, my husband said, ‘Let’s do it like we do at home.’

“So we decided we would spend time with our family later and spend Christmas day with the guys. We wanted to make sure they had a hot meal too.”

Pollard said it’s the little things that McNeer does that makes her so well-loved and respected. “She’s one of a kind,” he said.

“I do these things because I want people to know that I will never forget where I came from,” said McNeer. “Sometimes people get management positions or promotions on their jobs and tend to act differently. Not me.”

And just how long will McNeer continue her work in emergency management services?

“As long as the Lord continues to give me health and strength,” she said. “I’ll be 51 on my birthday and I still feel pretty good.

“I think I will continue at it for another 10 years at least. I would love to make that 40 year mark in my career.”