Greer County EMS

06/01/2026

Greer County, don't miss out on this valuable program, launching tomorrow, June 2, from 0900-1100.

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

🚨 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚨

Staten Strickland has spent the last couple of years in EMS already proving she has the composure, determination, and heart that make a lasting impact in this field.

Even in the middle of high-pressure and difficult scenes, Staten has shown that she can stay calm, listen closely, and handle herself with professionalism well beyond what many expect. In EMS, the ability to stay steady when everything around you feels chaotic is something that cannot be taught easily, and Staten carries herself with that kind of quiet confidence.

She is a huge patient advocate who genuinely cares about the people she serves. Staten is reliable, dependable, and always willing to step up where she’s needed. She also has a strong love for learning and continuously works to grow her skills and knowledge in EMS.

She’s the type of provider who pays attention, works hard, and shows up ready to learn. Whether it’s taking direction during a critical call or stepping in wherever she’s needed, Staten approaches the job with a level head and a willingness to grow that speaks volumes about the kind of medic she is becoming.

One of the best things about EMS is watching dedicated providers continue to grow and excel in this profession, and Staten is absolutely someone to watch. She has already shown that she can handle tough situations with grace, and we have no doubt she has a bright future ahead of her in EMS.

We are grateful to have Staten on our team and excited to watch her continue to grow in this profession.

Staten, thank you for all you do!

05/24/2026

🚨 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚨

Maddie Sass serves part-time as a paramedic for our agency while also working full-time in Lawton, where she has built a reputation as an incredibly knowledgeable and compassionate medic.

Lovingly known simply as “Sass,” she is the kind of person who leaves an impression everywhere she goes. Not because she demands attention, but because the level of care she gives her patients is impossible to overlook.

Sass has one of the biggest hearts you’ll ever encounter in EMS. She’s incredibly intelligent, confident in her skills, and excellent at what she does, but what truly sets her apart is the attention she gives to the little things. She understands that patient care is about more than medicine. It’s about people.

If a scared patient is worried about leaving their pets behind, Sass is the type of medic who will stop and feed the animals just to help bring that patient peace of mind before going to the hospital. That kind of compassion cannot be taught. It comes from a genuinely good heart, and Sass carries that heart into every patient interaction she has.

She is an incredible advocate for her patients, consistently going above and beyond to make sure they feel heard, cared for, and safe. The trust and comfort she creates with people during some of their hardest moments speaks volumes about the kind of medic and person she is.

And while she takes patient care seriously, Sass also keeps the entire crew laughing. Her sense of humor is unmatched, her personality is contagious, and there’s rarely a dull moment when she’s around. She has a way of making difficult days lighter without ever losing sight of the job at hand.

When Sass isn’t working, her creative wheels are constantly turning. Whether she’s wrapping a truck, designing decals, or creating absolute masterpieces, she pours the same passion and creativity into her hobbies that she does into patient care. Most importantly, she loves spending time with her wife and children, who are at the center of everything she does.

To say we’re grateful to have Sass on our team would honestly be an understatement. She brings knowledge, compassion, humor, creativity, and heart into every shift, and our service is better because of it.

Sass, thank you for all you do. We are incredibly lucky to have you here!

05/24/2026

🚨 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚨

Samantha Paustell has been serving in EMS for the past six years and currently works as an EMT for our service. From the very beginning, Sam has had a genuine heart for helping people, and it shows in everything she does.

To say Sam is dedicated to her job would honestly be an understatement. No matter how stressful things get or how long the shift becomes, Sam is someone you can always count on. She shows up, works hard, takes care of her patients, and supports the people around her without hesitation.

Sam is also the kind of coworker and friend everybody hopes to have on their shift. She has a great sense of humor, keeps people laughing, and somehow manages to make difficult days a little easier just by being herself. She brings a steady, caring presence to the team and genuinely cares about the people she works with and serves.

One of the best things about Sam is that her compassion never feels forced. She truly cares about people, and that kind of heart cannot be taught.

Outside of work, Sam enjoys gaming, spending time with her husband and girls, and making memories with the people she loves most.

We are incredibly grateful to have Sam as part of our team and thankful for the compassion, dedication, and positivity she brings to EMS every day.

Sam, thank you for all you do!

05/24/2026

🚨 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚨

Konner Croft has spent over a decade in EMS and currently serves part-time as an Advanced EMT for our service. He has spent much of his career working in Lawton and Altus, bringing experience, consistency, and one of the calmest presences you could ever ask for on a scene.

Konner is the kind of provider who doesn’t have to be the loudest person in the room to make a huge impact. He keeps things calm, cool, and collected no matter what’s going on, and somehow has the ability to make even the most chaotic scenes feel manageable. Around Konner, everything just seems to settle down a notch.

He’s also known around here as the “Airway King,” and honestly, the title fits. Konner is currently working toward going into respiratory therapy, which is probably one of the most perfect career paths imaginable for him. When it comes to airway management, he is absolutely at the top of his game, but beyond that, he’s just an all-around solid medic and teammate.

Konner always brings a positive attitude, a steady demeanor, and a level-headed approach to the job. He simply shows up, works hard, takes care of people, and makes the shift better for everyone around him.

We lovingly refer to Konner as “part-time part-time” because he isn’t here all the time, but when he is here, he makes a huge impact. His presence, work ethic, and calm leadership never go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful to have him as part of our team.

Outside of work, Konner enjoys spending time with his fiancee and his boys, and if there’s a fishing pole nearby, there’s a pretty good chance he’s headed toward the water.

Konner, thank you for all you do. We appreciate you more than you know!

05/24/2026

🚨 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚨

Jaitton Balcom brings 13 years of experience, knowledge, and just the right amount of chaos to the first responder world.

When Jaitton began his career into emergency services, he apparently decided one job title simply wasn’t enough. Why stop at one certification when you can collect them like Pokémon cards?

Jaitton started his career as an EMR, worked his way up to paramedic, then went on to become a flight paramedic. He’s also trained as a firefighter, a deputy sheriff, CLEET certified, and has completed countless trainings across the first responder world. One of his biggest accomplishments is earning his CONTOMS certification, along with becoming a Fellow of the Academy of Extreme Medicine and being inducted into the Journal Record Healthcare Heroes Hall of Fame in 2024.

And somehow, that still wasn’t enough. Jaitton also holds instructor titles in so many different disciplines that if we tried listing every single one, we’d probably all be here until next EMS Week. 😂 He has played a huge role in being a part of Heartland Medical Directions team and has worked hard to help educate many services.

Beyond all the credentials, Jaitton is incredibly intelligent and an amazing educator. He has the patience of a saint and can teach just about anything. He genuinely cares about helping others learn and grow, and his passion for education shows in everything he does.

Jaitton currently works full-time for Greer County EMS and cares deeply about rural healthcare and the communities he serves. Coming from a small town himself, he understands the importance of quality emergency care in rural areas and works hard to make a difference every single day.

He’s also one of the biggest patient advocates you’ll ever meet. Jaitton provides exceptional care, fights for his patients, and always goes above and beyond to make sure people are taken care of the right way.

Now… while Jaitton may talk a lot of crap and give everybody a hard time, the truth is he’s one of the most down-to-earth and genuinely good-hearted people you’ll ever meet. He never meets a stranger, has a great attitude, and if he can help somebody, he absolutely will. Even if he’d probably argue with us for saying it, he really is one of the most likable guys around.

In his free time, Jaitton enjoys spending time with his wife and children, hunting, gardening, geocaching, and pretty much anything that gets him outdoors. He’s also the kind of person who can somehow turn a random conversation into a full history lesson loaded with facts nobody even knew they needed while simultaneously tending to bees 🐝

We are incredibly lucky to have Jaitton on our team and even luckier to call him our friend.

Thank you for all you do, Jaitton!

05/24/2026

🚨EMS Week Medic Spotlight🚨

If you’ve spent more than five minutes around Rayanna Fisher, there’s a good chance you’ve laughed, learned something, and maybe questioned whether the universe personally schedules chaos around her shifts.

Rayanna brings 11 years of EMS experience to our team and has spent the last five years working full-time as a paramedic in Lawton. She recently joined our service part-time to help support our community, and we’re incredibly lucky to have her.

She’s an educator, an incredible medic, and one of the most compassionate people you’ll ever meet. Rayanna is deeply passionate about first responder mental health and constantly goes above and beyond for the people around her. She is an incredible patient advocate, never afraid to speak up for her patients, and provides a level of care that exceeds expectations with every single patient she encounters.

Some of y’all may already know her as “Crazy Medic Ray” on TikTok, where she keeps the EMS world laughing while also taking time to educate others about the realities of EMS life.

Rayanna has a hilarious sense of humor, and there is truly never a dull moment around her. She’s also famously known as a bit of a “black cloud,” because chaos somehow seems to follow her everywhere she goes. The difference is, she manages it all with a level of style, grace, and calm that honestly deserves its own award category.

Outside of work, Rayanna enjoys digging through vinyl records like she’s searching for buried treasure, spending time in nature, vibing to music, and hanging out with her husband Jason and daughter Ellie.

Rayanna is a free spirit with one of the kindest souls you’ll ever encounter, and we are beyond grateful to have her on our team.

Thank you for all you do, Rayanna! 🚑✨

05/21/2026

🚑 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚑

Drue Sirmons is our next medic on deck, and if you know Drue, you already know there’s never a dull moment when he’s around. 😂

Born and raised in Granite, Drue went on to serve his country as an Army Ranger before spending over a decade in the oilfield. A little over a year ago, he obtained his EMR license and is currently in EMT class, where he has absolutely flourished.

Drue is one of the hardest working people you’ll ever meet and a true jack of all trades. If something is broken, chances are Drue can fix it. Around the station, he’s known just as much for keeping things running as he is for keeping the crew laughing.

If you walk into the station and hear nonstop trash talk and chaos, there’s a good chance Drue and Kiah are involved. 😂 Even on the hard days, Drue always finds a way to keep spirits up and make people laugh.

Patients love Drue because he’s local, familiar, and has a way of making people feel comfortable. After years of hog hunting, outdoor adventures, and roaming every backroad imaginable, Drue has practically become part of the local geography. There’s probably not a pasture, creek crossing, or dirt road around here he hasn’t somehow ended up on at some point. 😂 He has also unofficially become our crew navigator and absolutely loves the fact that there are times we all have to depend on him to figure out where we’re going. 😂

When he’s not working EMS, Drue serves as a Major for Granite Fire Department, where he volunteers his time serving the community. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, hunting, fishing, anything outdoors, and enlightening everyone with random historical facts. He’s a huge animal lover and pretty much a kid at heart, which honestly explains at least half the chaos around the station. 😂

Drue has spent a great deal of his life serving and helping others in many different capacities, and we are incredibly thankful for everything he brings to our team every single day.

Just don’t tell him we said all that though… he’ll deny every bit of it, and we’ll all end up on the roasting block afterward. 😂👏🚑

05/21/2026

🚑 EMS Week Medic Spotlight 🚑

Next up on the roster is Nikki Strange. While some people collect baseball cards, coins, or stamps… Nikki collects first responder titles. 😂

Nikki has been in EMS for a little over a year, but this marks her twentieth year of teaching, where she has spent decades molding young minds and making an impact on countless students. On top of that, she serves as a Captain for Granite Fire Department, is the EMRA Director for the department, and is now stepping into the role of Assistant EMS Director.

And somehow, she still wasn’t busy enough… because Nikki also holds her CLEET certification, officially adding law enforcement to her already overloaded first responder résumé. 🚑🚒🚓

Nikki is one of the most dedicated people you’ll ever meet, and every role she fills reflects how deeply she cares about her community. Whether she’s helping patients, teaching students, supporting firefighters, or handling EMS operations behind the scenes, she gives everything she has to the people around her.

She’s also known around the station for organization skills that honestly can’t be matched. Nikki operates at a level of color coding most of us can’t even comprehend. If there’s a binder, spreadsheet, tab, label maker, or highlighter involved, just know Nikki already has a system for it… and it’s probably alphabetized, highlighted, and cross-referenced. 😂

When Nikki is not fulfilling her many roles, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Pat, and their children.

We are incredibly thankful for Nikki and the leadership, dedication, and heart she brings to our service and community every single day. 👏🚑