Anderson County Emergency Medical Services

05/26/2026

As we wrapped up 2026 EMS Week we would like to congratulate those that took home the annual awards:
EMT/AEMT: Robert Martin
Paramedic: Jessica Hill
Officer: Daniel Thomas
Those awards were nominated by their peers in the organization.
Michael Patton was awarded the Director’s award by Director Sweet.
Janelle Fontaine was awarded Clinical Specialist after completing her clinical pathway.

05/22/2026

Last night ACEMS was proud to recognize our EMR and AEMT classes at their graduation. They each put so much time and heart in since February. These EMR graduates are often those who show up first in emergencies and are volunteers! The AEMT graduates can now offer a much higher level of care for their patients. Please join us in congratulating them!

05/22/2026

🐾 BIG NEWS FOR ANDERSON COUNTY ANIMAL OWNERS & VOLUNTEERS! 🐾
We are thrilled to officially announce the reestablishment of the Anderson County Disaster Animal Response Team (DART)!
When disaster strikes—whether it’s severe weather, flash flooding, or large-scale emergencies, our human emergency services swing into action. But what about our beloved pets and livestock? That’s where DART comes in.
Our mission is simple: to provide coordinated, specialized care, temporary sheltering, and evacuation assistance for animals during emergencies. From house pets to barnyard animals, we want to ensure no member of the family is left behind.

🤝 WE NEED YOU: JOIN THE TEAM!
A response team is only as strong as its community. We are officially opening our doors for volunteers to join DART, and we need a wide variety of skills to build a successful network.
We are looking for passionate individuals for multiple roles, including:
• Animal Handling & Care: Assist with temporary sheltering, feeding, and basic care.
• Logistics & Admin: Help with check-ins, record-keeping, supply management, and coordination.
• Transport & Field Operations: Assist with moving animals safely out of harm's way.
⚠️ No prior emergency management or veterinary experience is required! We will provide the necessary training and certifications to ensure everyone operates safely and effectively in the field.
📅 How to Get Involved
If you have a heart for animals, a willingness to help your neighbors, and a desire to make Anderson County more resilient, we want to hear from you.
👉 To sign up or request more information: Send us a direct message right here on Facebook or email our program manager Karen Ooten at Kooten@andersoncountytn.gov

If you are unable to volunteer you can still support the program. Here is a link to Amazon if you would like to purchase and donate items to the DART program:

https://a.co/09GznxdX

Let’s work together to keep all residents of Anderson County safe—two-legged and four-legged alike!

05/22/2026

05/19/2026

On day two of EMS week we would like to recognize our crews, and Rocky Top First Responders, that were recently awarded the Excellence in EMS award given by Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital. They responded to a cardiac arrest in Rocky Top, “their calm coordinated professionalism, from initial assessment through the final hand off, resulted in the successful resuscitation and stabilization of the patient. Thank you for all you do!
Commander CCP Eli Dickson, AEMT Marty Zorn, CCP Scott Prosise, and AEMT Bobbie Frazer. Not pictured: RTFD Chief Braden, FF Kennedy, FF Seiber, FF Bell, FF Smith, RTPD officers Marcum and Henderson .

05/18/2026

As we kick off EMS Week we would like to congratulate our crew, along with Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department, and Anderson County Rescue Squad for receiving the 2026 Region 2 Star of Life Award. In 2025 they were dispatched to a rollover car crash on I-75, on arrival they found a pediatric patient with a partial leg amputation. Bystanders had already placed an improvised tourniquet. The crew immediately placed the first tourniquet on the patient, rapidly extricated him from the vehicle and replaced the bystanders tourniquet with another proper tourniquet. The patient was administered IV fluids and TXA (a medication to help control bleeding). "Because of their swift actions and expert care the child's bleeding was controlled"..."giving him the best possible chance for survival". "This call is a powerful example of how preparation, interagency teamwork, and clinical excellence can change the outcome of even the most devastating emergency." ACEMS: Commander Eli Dickson, Paramedic Matt Galyon, and CC-EMTP Mark Brown. AVFD: EMT Brittany Carden and EMT Chris Dixon. ACRS: EMT Nick Glen.

04/28/2026

We are honored to collaborate with UT Medical Center to assist in furthering their nurse technician’s knowledge and skill set. Josh, congratulations on being recognized by your employer, your personal attributes noted are the same in the classroom. Well deserved!

04/24/2026

You may hear the term “Code White” in discussions about EMS operations. A Code White means that all staffed 911 ambulances are currently committed to other assignments and not immediately available. These events are tracked in the Anderson County E911 CAD system.

It’s important to note that this does not always mean no resources are available, basic life support (BLS) units or other options may still be able to respond.

On average, these events last about 10 minutes, with 72% in 2025 occurring between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. They do not happen every day, Code Whites occurred on 42% of days in 2025, averaging about 4 per day on those days.

This is not unique to our community. EMS systems locally and across the country experience similar challenges. When needed, we work with neighboring agencies through mutual aid to ensure calls are answered. In 2025, mutual aid was requested 39 times.

Anderson County EMS has made requests during the budget process last year and this year to help improve this issue.

03/18/2026

Just finished up two great NAEMT courses, GEMS and PTEP. These courses are invaluable to our daily operations learning more about geriatric emergencies and psychological trauma that our patients may encounter during their medical or traumatic emergency.

02/22/2026