DeKalb committee recommends three Region 3 EMS council appointments

The DeKalb County Employee Relations & Public Safety Committee voted to recommend three appointments to the Region 3 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council following interviews with each candidate.

Chair Ladina Bolton opened the appointments portion and the committee questioned interim Deputy Fire Chief Winfred O. Smith II, who told commissioners he has "been with fire rescue 17 years now" and recently was promoted to deputy chief over EMS operations. Smith said he participates in local work groups addressing hospital delays and performance metrics and that his data-analysis experience will guide evaluation of emergency response zones.

Dr. Michael Carr, an Emory emergency physician and the county's medical director, described his EMS and disaster-medicine training and said quality measurement should go "beyond just response times" to include clinical outcomes and system flow. "We need to optimize turnover of patients so ambulances can return to service," Carr said.

Samuel Sharter, who has served on the council since 2007 and identified himself as vice chair, told commissioners his experience in university crisis management and long service representing DeKalb will inform regional workforce strategies and preventive-care programs to reduce 911 demand. After commissioners deliberated, the committee moved and voted by voice to recommend approval of all three candidates for the council.