Congratulations to our 2017 Stars of Life!

James Garvin
Paramedic, Supervisor
Muskogee County EMS
Muskogee, Oklahoma

James Garvin began his career in EMS relatively late in life. Prior to becoming an EMT, James worked for 21 years as a machine operator for a nationally known paper production company. During his employment with the paper company, James became a member of the fire brigade and Emergency Response Team. When he retired in 2006, he came to Muskogee County EMS. Since he has been with us, James has furthered his education and is now a Paramedic. In addition to his duties as a Paramedic, James is a supervisor, Field Training Officer, and a certified CLEET officer and tactical medic with the Muskogee Police Department.

James has embraced his new career with passion and professionalism. Soon after he started as an EMT, James saw a need to enhance our service’s mapping programs. On his own time and without expectation, James wrote and distributed a 30 page mapping companion that alphabetized and gave simple, easy-to-follow directions to the most obscure streets, avenues, and roads in our county. Even with our current mapping programs, medics still rely on the directions in James’s map book when they receive a call for an address on an unknown street.

In the last 10 years with Muskogee County EMS, James has received numerous awards and accolades. Some of his many awards include EMT-Basic of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Paramedic of the Year, Employee of the Month, and most importantly to him, multiple code saves. When asked what he likes most about this job, James is quick to say that it is the satisfaction of knowing he’s helped save someone’s life. “When I get there and they are in cardiac arrest, not breathing, no pulse, and then later they are being discharged from the hospital and sometimes even coming to see you and say ‘Thank you,’ well, it’s just something that can’t be explained. It’s the best thing in the world,” James explained.

When James is not working, he still stays busy. He and his wife, Chanel, recently built a new house on 40 acres, doing all of the work themselves! James also loves to hunt and fish and spend time with his four sons, his two step-sons, and six grandchildren.

Each day James exemplifies the standard for Muskogee County EMS in his professionalism, his compassion, and his exemplary performance. Muskogee County EMS is honored to endorse James Garvin for the Oklahoma Ambulance Association Star of Life Award, 2017.