Rebecca Harrison takes helm of Unicoi County EMS

Rebecca Harrison didn't set out to make history when she walked into the Unicoi County EMS director's office last fall. She came to rebuild. Harrison took over as the official Unicoi County EMS director on Oct. 16, 2025, following interim director Jimmy Erwin in the postion. In doing so, she became the first woman to lead Unicoi County EMS. "I feel honored for people to have confidence in me and trust me with such a big responsibility," Harrison said. "I've worked with these crews for a long, long time." Harrison said she first came to Unicoi County EMS in 2014 as an EMT. Since then, she has worked contract jobs, spent time in the Virgin Islands and eventually returned home to Erwin, working her way to chief of EMS. "I came back part time, and then it turned into a full-time job," she said. "Then the flood happened, and I've been here ever since." Hurricane Helene, which devastated much of the county in September 2024, also wiped out nearly everything the EMS department relied on. "It was hard after the flood to rebuild because there were a lot of people that left," she said. "We lost all of our ambulances. We lost all of our equipment. To rebuild has been a task." Help arrived quickly, often from unexpected places. Harrison recalled the moment Robertson County EMS pulled an emergency vehicle into the parking lot just days after the flood. "They just pulled up, got out and said, 'Here, it's yours,'" she said. "Fully equipped, monitors – everything. That truck is still running today." More assistance followed from across the region and beyond, including trucks from Virginia and Wisconsin. One donated ambulance from the Midwest earned a nickname that stuck. "We still call it Big Red," Harrison said, noting it has since been repainted. Those donated vehicles remain in service as the county works through the lengthy process of replacing what was lost. Harrison said Unicoi County EMS is currently working with FEMA to secure funding for new ambulances, while juggling inspections, licensing and equipment installation. "To get them here — striped, stocked and licensed — it's a huge process," she said. The anticipated reopening of a hospital in Unicoi County is expected to ease some of the strain on EMS crews, who currently transport nearly all patients to Johnson City. "Right now, when we respond to a call and go to Johnson City. It can add 15 to 20 minutes," Harrison said. "When the hospital opens, transport time is going to be cut down dramatically." Under Harrison's leadership, EMS is also investing in its future workforce. Harrison said the department is set to graduate one of its first EMT classes in the coming days, with plans for additional EMT and EMR classes throughout the year. "The classes are open to anyone, but many local firefighters and police officers attend too," Harrison said. "They just want to further their skills to be able to help better when we're on scene." When asked about her long-term vision for the department, Harrison didn't hesitate. "To the moon," she said, "I push the crews hard because I want them to succeed. I want them to be the best of the best. I want them to advance to become paramedics and I want them to get degrees." Her goals include a standalone EMS station with a dedicated training center and a centralized location for all ambulances. Harrison directed praise toward her team, including Deputy Director Patrick Potts and the crews who worked through exhaustion in the aftermath of the flood. "They would work 12 hours and come right back," she said. "Sometimes we would sleep here. We just did what we had to do." That devotion, she said, defines Unicoi County EMS. "They are the legs I stand on," Harrison said. "I love each and every one of them, and I appreciate them more than they'll ever know." Harrison said the job is about service, trust and shared resilience, values she believes carried the department through its hardest days and will guide it forward. "We're family," she said. "That's what makes Unicoi County EMS what it is."