John “Johnny” Jones, a certified paramedic and Georgetown-Scott County EMS billing administrator, is referred to by some as “the heart and soul” of EMS, he said. He sees himself as more of a mentor, with almost 50 years of experience in the department.
“I think that when they (call me) that, it’s like, you realize that I have some experience here, and when I tell you something, it’s from experience, and it’s from the position that you’re in,” Jones said. “I have been in that position.”
For the last 12 years, Jones has served as a billing administrator with EMS, overseeing insurance information between patients, companies and first-responders, he said. Long before that, he served as an EMT and paramedic. His career is filled with experience and wisdom worth sharing.
“I’m not the 24-year-old anymore,” Jones said. “I’m not trying to take (another paramedic’s) job.
I’m trying to help (EMS employees) with their job, and maybe make their job easier. … I think they look at me as, ‘he’s really trying to help me. He doesn’t care about the other things.’”
Initially a firefighter in Scott County, Jones made the switch to EMS 48 years ago after realizing his passion for health services.
“Back then in the ‘70s, both fire departments, city and county, were volunteer,” Jones said. “I was working a job as a truck driver and volunteering on Scott County Fire Department. They had classes there. You had to learn there, whether it was pumping a truck or learning the roads in the county where you’re going. We did stuff like the CPR and first aid.
“We had one of those (first aid) classes there at the fire department, and I’m like, hey, I like this. I liked that better than I did the firefighting aspects. So, I switched over and focused more on the EMS side than I did fire. I remained a volunteer for a while, but pretty soon I was going to dedicate my energy to EMS.”
A Georgetown native, Jones said he’s made many friends through his EMS career, especially when first starting out in the field.
“I was educated in Georgetown. I grew up here,” he said. “I know people, and when I was on the truck, it made my job, not easier, but I wanted to do that job a lot more because I knew those people. I felt wanted, and I felt like I was helping people that I knew.”
Over his long career, Jones has watched Georgetown grow from a population of around 8,000 to nearly 50,000, he said. Still, he finds himself feeling just as connected and often recognized in the field.
“Even when the crews today get ready to go out, if I’m close to the crew that’s going to make that call, I’m like, ‘oh, this is who you’re going to pick up,’” Jones said.
”This job has given me a lot of friends.”
Jones has many stories from his time in the field, filled with lives saved and connections made, he said. One in particular involved his now-wife, Margie Esham, who at the time was just a friend.
“My wife (Esham) that I’ve been married to now for 43 years, I actually picked her up (on a run),” Jones said. “I knew her before that, but she was in a very serious car wreck. Her husband was killed in that car wreck. I made that run.”
Through all his runs, from trauma situations to convalescence, Jones said that compassion has been one of the most important skills in the EMS trade.
“You talk to somebody, and you see the smile on their face, or you see them being comfortable, or they even tell you, ‘I appreciate you listening to me,’” he said. “I tell the people today, sometimes (patients) just want somebody, you know? They don’t need help. They don’t need medical attention. They just want somebody.
“That’s what I try to get across to our paramedics and EMTs today. You will get as much out of (a conversation) as you do out of starting an IV, administering a medication, or using an AED. To me, probably the biggest part of the job is compassion.”
Jones retired in 2014, he said, and wintered in Florida until 2022. Upon his first season back in Georgetown, he took an opportunity to return to his EMS family.
“When I came back in 2014, I’m like, you know what? I’m back now. I got nine months here. I don’t want to just sit. I like to work,” Jones said. “That’s when this position that I’m in now opened up. … (Returning to EMS) wasn’t anything that I set out to do; it was an opportunity and one that I could do.”
“I’ve enjoyed every minute coming to work,” he added. “I’m sure you’ve heard it said: If you enjoy your work, it’s not work. So that’s been me.”