EMS

Mike Doss began his EMS career with the Nashville Fire Department in the EMS Division in 1990 as an EMT before becoming a Paramedic in 1999. He holds an associate of applied science degree with a prehospital emphasis from Volunteer State Community College and has dedicated over three decades to the field of emergency medical services.

Students in the Volunteer State Community College Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program in Cookeville had a 92 percent pass rate on the Paramedic National Registry written exam this summer. The national average for paramedic students is 69 percent. This is the national written exam that all paramedic students must pass to obtain their state EMS license.  In addition, the program had a 100 percent pass rate on the psychomotor exam. Vol State teaches EMT and Paramedic classes at the Cookeville Higher Education Center (CHEC).

Many kids want to be firefighters. They may play rescue with their friends or push around toy fire engines. Jair Hawkins took it to a whole different level. “Every Halloween Jair dressed up as a firefighter,” said his dad, Jerrod Hawkins. “Every year. When he was ten-years-old he would ask me questions when I got home from work. How many calls did you get? How long did it take you to get out of the bay? Really specific questions.”