A veteran Hamblen County paramedic, known for his decades of dedicated service, tragically died while on duty. Captain Todd Giles, a stalwart of the Morristown-Hamblen EMS since 1988, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest last Friday, as reported by WVLT. Giles, 60, was responding to an incident involving a person with a leg injury when he collapsed.
According to WATE, Giles, accompanied by two other emergency responders, began experiencing shortness of breath as he ascended a steep driveway and subsequently went into cardiac arrest. Immediate CPR efforts by AEMT Azlynn Ross and assistance from other first responders couldn't save Giles, who passed away despite being rushed to a local emergency room.
In a statement obtained by JEMS, Morristown-Hamblen EMS expressed profound loss, stating, "No amount of words can fully capture the influence he had or the profound void his absence creates." Giles left a marked imprint on his community, serving as a medical death investigator for Hamblen County and mentoring many EMTs over his career.
Giles, who served in the army before joining EMS, was remembered for his unshakable composure and exceptional ability to comfort and calm those in crisis. Fire Chief Clark Taylor recalled to WVLT, "I've never seen him rattled. He could calm the most excited patient down." His service and leadership were indispensable, especially recalled when he aided Sheriff Chad Mullins during a severe medical emergency. Mullins told WVLT, "I was having really extreme chest pains and didn't really know what was going on," crediting Giles for his life-saving assistance.
As the community mourns, arrangements for Giles are being discussed. "We ask for continued prayers for his family and our service," Morristown-Hamblen EMS noted in their tribute to the beloved paramedic.
