An emergency medical services professional whose experience includes working as a private contractor paramedic at Afghanistan military bases has been named the new EMS chief of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services.

Nate Sullivan succeeds Danny West, who retired in December, according to a Cherokee County Fire announcement.

Sullivan first joined the county fire department in 1997 and left 10 years later for Afghanistan. He returned to the U.S. and worked for Rural Metro and Central Ambulance services and the Sandy Springs Fire Department before rejoining Cherokee County as a firefighter/paramedic in 2010.

He later served as EMS training officer, training firefighter recruits to become emergency medical technicians; became the first department employee to complete the Georgia Emergency Medical Service Association’s EMS Director Leadership Course; and rose to the rank of lieutenant before his appointment as EMS chief.

Sullivan also was instrumental in accrediting the paramedic training program, the county said. He and his wife Leslie and their three sons live in Holly Springs. Information: https://bit.ly/2U3Xg8A

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