UT Health East Texas EMS

08/25/2026

When it comes to cardiac emergencies, every second counts.

Recently, UT Health East Texas EMS Education Coordinator Vicky LaMay and our EMS Clinical Education team partnered with the East Texas Food Bank to deliver hands-on AED and CPR training. Participants learned life-saving skills through interactive demonstrations designed to build confidence and preparedness.

A big thank you to the East Texas Food Bank team for investing in the safety of your employees, volunteers and community. Together, we're equipping more East Texans with the knowledge to act when it matters most.

08/21/2026

UT Health East Texas EMS is proud to add new blood coolers to our supervisor vehicles, increasing the availability of whole blood in the field for patients experiencing life-threatening hemorrhage. This effort is part of a statewide initiative to expand access to prehospital blood transfusions and improve outcomes when every second counts.

For critically injured patients, early access to whole blood can be lifesaving, helping restore circulation, improve oxygen delivery and increase the chances of survival and recovery before arrival at the hospital.

This advancement was made possible through funding from the Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council (RAC). Their partnership is helping expand access to lifesaving treatment across our region and bridge the critical gap between the scene of an emergency and definitive hospital care.
We are proud to partner with the RAC as we continue Answering the Call and improving outcomes for the patients and communities we serve every day.

08/17/2026

After completing their training, these team members have advanced within UT Health East Texas EMS and are now serving our communities as certified paramedics.

Even more impressive, every member of this class earned their Texas Paramedic certification within just one month of program completion, achieving a 100% certification rate. This accomplishment reflects their dedication, perseverance, countless hours of education and hands-on training and unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care.

Every lesson, every challenge and every shift has prepared them to answer the call when our communities need them most.

Please join us in congratulating (L-R): Samuel Smith, Danielle Neely, Austin Trosino, Sean Mangan, David Ruiz, Hamilton Orozco, Joshua Pearce and Tristan Tamlin.

Thank you for your commitment to serving East Texas. We are proud to have you on the UT Health East Texas EMS team!

08/14/2026

We’re proud to recognize UT Health EMS Paramedic Jaime Rawson and EMT Kaylee Thomas for their outstanding response during a difficult childbirth emergency.

Their calm leadership, clinical expertise and excellent communication were instrumental in ensuring both mother and baby received the care they needed. Thanks to their timely updates, UT Health Tyler was able to activate Labor & Delivery and NICU teams before arrival, helping provide a smooth transition of care.

As one team member described it, their response was simply "phenomenal."

Thank you, Jaime and Kaylee, for living our mission and making a difference when it matters most.

08/13/2026

UT Health East Texas EMS providers recently had the opportunity to teach CPR and basic life-saving skills to the first-year students at The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine.

Through hands-on training and real-world experience, these future physicians are learning the critical skills needed to respond confidently in emergencies.

We’re proud to partner in educating the next generation of physicians right here in East Texas, ensuring they are prepared to serve our communities and help save lives.

Thank you to our EMS team for sharing their skills and passion for patient care, and to the medical students for their commitment to becoming tomorrow’s healthcare leaders.

08/11/2026

The UT Health East Texas EMS Community Paramedicine Program is about more than emergency care. It's about helping people live safer, healthier and more independent lives.

After receiving a referral for 68-year-old Mabank resident Thomas Davis, Community Paramedic Brian Stites coordinated transportation services and rallied community partners to secure critical resources, including a wheelchair, shower chair, knee braces, a cooling unit and support for a future wheelchair ramp.

This is what community healthcare looks like: EMS providers, churches, nonprofits, and transportation partners working together to improve a neighbor's quality of life.

Thank you to First United Methodist Church Athens, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, the Texas Ramp Project and GoBus for helping make it happen.

07/31/2026

With temperatures continuing to hover near 100 degrees, UT Health East Texas EMS Education Coordinator Vicky LaMay spoke with KLTV 7 about the important steps everyone can take to prevent heat-related illness. Stay safe this summer and watch the full story below.

As triple-digit heat continues across East Texas, UT Health East Texas EMS says crews are seeing more heat-related medical calls—and they’re urging families to know the warning signs before an emergency happens.

07/30/2026

Please join us in congratulating Paramedic Zachary Gonzales, UT Health East Texas EMS's July Employee of the Month!

Zachary embodies the professionalism, dedication and compassion that define our EMS team. Whether he's responding to emergencies, caring for patients and their families or supporting his colleagues, he consistently goes above and beyond to make a difference.

His commitment to exceptional patient care has a lasting impact in the city of Henderson and across the communities we serve. We are grateful for his hard work, positive attitude and unwavering service.

Congratulations, Zachary, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for all you do for our patients, team and community!

Pictured from left to right: Hayden Ray, UT Health East Texas EMS Regional Director, City of Henderson; Paramedic Zachary Gonzales; John Smith, UT Health East Texas EMS CEO.

07/30/2026

UT Health East Texas EMS welcomes new caregivers to the team! They are finishing orientation and will begin their field training across our service areas. Pictured from left to right are EMT Steven Echols, EMT Brodie Allen and EMT Teriyan Cuba. Welcome to the team!

If you or someone you know is interested in a career with UT Health East Texas EMS/AIR 1, learn more at the link in the comments.

07/29/2026

Please join us in congratulating UT Health East Texas EMS Paramedic Shauna Norrell and EMT Eric Rhodes for their outstanding care of a recent stroke patient at the UT Health Athens Emergency Department.

From the moment they recognized the signs of stroke, Shauna and Eric demonstrated exceptional clinical skill and teamwork. Using stroke assessment tools, providing early notification to the stroke team and maintaining a rapid scene time, they ensured the patient received the right care without delay.

Upon arrival, the patient was quickly treated with clot-busting medication and then transported by UT Health East Texas AIR 1 to UT Health Tyler for an advanced interventional procedure. Thanks to the seamless coordination of care across the continuum, the patient is doing well and achieved complete restoration of blood flow following the procedure.

This case highlights the critical importance of rapid stroke recognition, effective communication and teamwork. Every minute matters during a stroke, and the actions of Shauna and Eric helped give this patient the best possible chance for recovery and a return to quality of life.

Thank you, Shauna and Eric, for your professionalism, clinical excellence and the dedication with which you Answer the Call every day.