Tenn.'s Macon County Names New EMS Director

Jan. 29--Macon County has a new Emergency Medical Service Director. Mike Ethridge official first day was Tuesday, January 26.

Ethridge has worked for Macon County EMS since January of 1986. He has been a part time employee until four years ago when he filled a full time position at the Westside EMS. Ethridge also worked at Trousdale County EMS for almost 15 years and was the director there for three years.

"I went through my initial EMT training 30 years ago at the Vocational School in Hartsville'" said Ethridge. "I went to paramedic school in 1990 at Tennessee Tech. I was actually in the first paramedic program that TN Tech offered.

"I have taught at Tennessee Tech and at Vol State various EMS programs. I am very excited with this position. The director's main responsibility is overseeing the ambulance service, making sure the daily operation goes smooth and keeping the equipment well maintained. The director's job is more support and making sure the people in the ambulances have everything they need. I'm looking to put a bigger, sharper focus on the educational part of it and take it to a higher level than what it has been on in the past, with more training and different types of training. We have in-services that mostly revolves around lectures and I'm wanting to have training with more hands on and interactive approach."

Ethridge has lived in Macon County since he was a 13 year old boy. He is married to Cheryl Etheridge and has two daughters; Tara Amalfitano of Lafayette and Tiffany Warren of Westmoreland.

"During the interviews for this position, one of the questions asked was; why do you want this job," explains Ethridge. Which is a really good question and I told them there was really two reasons. One, this is my home, this is where my family and all my friends and people that I know live. I want to make sure they have the best possible care that they can get. Second, I knew the people that I would be working with. There is a really good staff here. There are some really hard working dedicated people, especially showed this past weekend with this snow storm. You have experienced people and younger people with not as much experience but with a lot of enthusiasm for what they do. We've got a really good mix. I'm really looking forward to making sure they have everything they need to do the job."

Reach Kelly Rich at 615-666-2440.

Copyright 2016 - Macon County Times, Lafayette, Tenn.