News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Fentress County EMS Interim Director Jonathan Beaty has stepped down from his position.
That is according to County Executive Jimmy Johnson. Johnson said Paramedic Steve Bradfield will be the new interim director.
“He’s going to try it for around 30 days, and hopefully, we can figure out some things to get the ambulance service back on track to where it needs to be,” Johnson said. “I believe Steve will do a good job. He will be starting that today.”
Beaty asked commissioners for an immediate raise at a special called meeting last week. He also expressed concerns about the workload.
Johnson said the county will wait to see how the 30-day trial with Bradfield goes before permanently filling the position. Johnson said shortages in EMTs and paramedics has made rebuilding the ambulance service a challenge.
“Counties are in competition with each other at this standpoint,” Johnson said. “This is not just a Fentress County thing. It’s all over the state of Tennessee. You have a shortage of EMTs and paramedics, because you might see the process or the assembly line has not been really well supported to recruit and do things.”
Johnson said he wants to take advice from Bradfield, past directors and the county commission to create a plan moving forward.
“It’s not an overnight process or a seven day process,” Johnson said. “This plan hopefully that we can put together, which Mr. Beaty was doing also, is going to take two to three years to get built back up to where we once were.”
Johnson said he thanks Beaty for his time as interim director. Beaty will continue work as an ambulance paramedic for the county.
