Since 1988, Todd Giles has been a paramedic at Morristown-Hamblen EMS, where he’s gotten the reputation of being a dependable employee.

On Friday, Giles, along with two others, responded to a call of a person with a leg injury. When Giles got there, he began to walk up a very steep hill when he suddenly collapsed due to a cardiac arrest.

Despite the efforts of several first responders, Giles passed away at the age of 60.

“I’ve cut a lot of clothing off of people, but I’ve never cut a uniform off before and it’s just different,” said Rescue Squad Captain Claude Thompson who was there to try and save Giles.

Over a career that spanned nearly 40 years, Giles became known for how he helped train the next generation of first responders as well as his calm demeanor in the face of a tense situation.

“I’ve never seen him rattled. He could calm the most excited patient down,” said Fire Chief Clark Taylor.

That steady hand was tested in January when Hamblen County Sheriff Chad Mullins needed urgent help when he was at his office one day.

“I was having really extreme chest pains and didn’t really know what was going on,” said Mullins.

Mullins immediately thought of Giles and drove next door to the location where he was stationed. There, Giles provided a calming presence for Mullins who said the longtime paramedic helped save his life.

County leaders call Giles’ passing a “painful numbness.” They are still working with family to finalize funeral arrangements. Story courtesy of WVLT