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Coffee County EMS chief Michael Bock to retire July 31; board approves amended director qualifications and names interim chief
Summary
Chief Michael Bock submitted notice he will retire effective July 31, 2026. The board amended the director job description (moving to a 6-year emergency/critical-care minimum with three supervisory years and paramedic certification) and appointed Paul Tibbs as interim chief by voice vote.
Michael Bock, chief of Coffee County EMS, informed the board on July 16 that he intends to retire effective July 31, 2026.
Bock read a retirement notice placed on the record saying he will retire at the end of the month after 13 years as chief and more than four decades in EMS. "I intend to retire from my position as chief of Coffee County EMS. My last day of work will be 07/31/2026," the notice stated.
Why it matters: The board must replace a long-serving chief while keeping operations running. Members discussed job qualifications and interim leadership to ensure continuity.
Job qualifications and hiring criteria: The board reviewed a packet containing a 2014 job description that called for a technical certificate, paramedic license, and six to eight years of EMS experience including three years supervisory experience. Members debated tightening language to prioritize demonstrated emergency/911 response experience (to exclude purely convalescent or nonresponse work) while preserving eligibility for military medics.
There was consensus to set a minimum of six years of emergency/critical-care response experience, including at least three years of supervisory experience, and to retain paramedic certification as a requirement. The board agreed to remove the ambiguous phrase "equivalent combination of education and experience" from the posted job description and to send the revised description to HR and the personnel committee for posting.
Interim appointment and next steps: The board nominated and approved Paul Tibbs as interim chief by voice vote; members asked staff to coordinate HR posting protocols (Heather handles official postings) and to prepare a list of outstanding projects and transition tasks. The board discussed whether to name an interim assistant chief but deferred that decision until they assess operational needs.
The personnel changes and the revised job description will proceed through HR and policy/personnel committees as required before a full recruitment process moves forward.
