: Xavier Martin – News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.
From fighting fires to fighting for patients’ lives, the new Caldwell County Emergency Medical Services Manager has done it all.
Nathan Elliot, 40, started his emergency services career when he was 17 years old, volunteering with the Linville Volunteer Fire Department.
“I just made some friends when I was about 17 who kind of introduced me to the fire service, and really just fell in love with it, and started there as a volunteer. I ended up working about 10 years in the fire service, and then wanted a little bit of a change, and transitioned to EMS,” Elliot said. “From that first day of getting your feet wet and meeting people, I just kind of fell in love with it. It’s all I’ve ever done.”
He was later promoted to captain at the fire department.
Before working with Caldwell County, Elliot spent six years with Watauga County Medics, where he began as a part-time Emergency Medical Technician.
“I started in EMS as part part-time EMT, and then just literally transitioned through pretty much every step as a part-time paramedic, and then a full-time paramedic,” Elliot said. “Then I was an assistant supervisor, and then a shift supervisor, and then I started handling a lot of logistics for them, supply stuff.”
Elliot started as a part-time paramedic for Caldwell County EMS in 2019. A few years later, he left Watagua to work full-time in Caldwell County.
“From the first time I came here, I fell in love with the area and just the agency and the culture here,” Elliot said. “Then I left there and came here full-time. Best thing I ever did, by far. I tell people my only regret about it was that I didn’t come here a whole lot sooner.”
The 22-year emergency services veteran moved through the ranks, promoting to sergeant while working with the county community paramedic program. Before assuming his new role, he served as a captain while acting as the agency’s training coordinator.
Education and Training
Elliot holds a bachelor’s degree in emergency and disaster management from Western Carolina University and an associate’s degree in emergency management from Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute. He graduated from UNC-Charlotte’s School of Professional Studies EMS Management Institute and will complete his master’s degree in public administration, with a concentration in emergency management, from Columbia Southern University next summer.
In addition to his studies, Elliot is certified in a plethora of fire, rescue and EMS certifications. These include earning his national registry paramedic certification, level 2 EMS instructor, level 3 fire instructor, fire officer 2, rescue officer and rescue technician, with specialties in agriculture, ropes, wilderness and vehicle and machinery.
Elliot’s diverse background and skills have prepared him to excel in his new role. His diverse background and training have prepared him to not only lead EMS but also to coordinate with agency partners.
“I truly like emergency services as a whole, being able to see every aspect of it. And so from spending time in the fire service, my degree path was emergency management, and then as much time as I’ve spent in EMS, being able to really see the whole picture,” Elliot said. “I tell people, it’s like that 10,000-foot view, so I understand the perspective of the patient, of the fire department, of all of our partners.”
Agency Goals
In his new role, Elliot hopes to continue to focus on finding ways to improve work-life balance, reduce burnout and focus on the mental health of his staff.
“I’m not interested in just making decisions and then being like, ‘Here, here’s what we’re going to do.’ I’m huge on surveys and really take input from the staff to understand what helps,” Elliot said. “Trying to find ways outside of the normal job that we do, to interact together, those types of things. We try to be very diligent about checking on mental health. We have options available to them for that. But constantly just asking, ‘Are we good? What can we do to help you?’ And I think a lot of that comes from the culture here, where it’s really family.”
As EMS Manager, Elliot aims to improve recruitment in the short term and continue to keep Caldwell County EMS well-equipped in the long term, always looking to incorporate more innovative and effective ways to treat patients.
“We’re constantly trying to figure out new ways, new techniques, new things that we can do. And I think that’s a huge part of our recruitment tool that we use here,” Elliot said. “I’m a little biased, but I think in the state, you’re not going to find another agency that has anything better than we do when it comes to equipment.”
336-654-5001
Service Areas
