Vinton Deputy Fire and EMS Chief Chris Linkous introduced new Firefighter/Paramedic Donald “Wayne” King to Vinton Town Council at its meeting on February 21. He also recognized Firefighter/Paramedic Larry Whiting for earning his National Registry Paramedic certification.
King grew up in the Midway area of Vinton and attended William Byrd High School.
“Wayne has a diverse background and has considered himself fortunate to have had many experiences in his life,” said Linkous. “To name a few, he has served nine years as an infantry solider in the United States Army. Wayne has owned and operated a general contracting business and now is a Firefighter/Paramedic and has been serving as such for the past seven years.”
King obtained his Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification as an Intermediate Provider. He furthered his medical training and attended the Jefferson College of Health Sciences where he received his Paramedic certification.
“Wayne also brings with him numerous certifications and experiences from the fire service,” noted Linkous. “Not only does he have the typical certifications as Firefighter I and Firefighter II, but he has several advanced training certificates such as Fire Instructor, HTS ropes, trench rescue, confined space and vehicle extraction, and attended the FEMA Structural Collapse School in Virginia Beach.”
King currently lives in Hardy. He has been married for 22 years and has three children.
Deputy Chief Linkous also recognized Lt. Larry Whiting.
“As you know from the last council meeting, Larry and Corey Gee spent most of 2016 attending the Jefferson College of Health Sciences to obtain their National Registry Paramedic Certification,” said Linkous. “Again, this is the highest level of certification in our profession of emergency medical care.”
Whiting has served the citizens of Vinton since 2007. He has over 25 years of experience in firefighting and EMS.
“Prior to his employment with Vinton, Larry had earned such honors as Firefighter of the Year with the Snowville Fire Department and holds numerous certifications,” said Linkous.
Whiting was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2015. While serving the Town of Vinton, he has continued his education in the field of Emergency Services. In addition to his ongoing duties in Vinton, he attended several college-credited courses including Driver Pump Operator and Officer I class.
“Of all the accomplishments previously listed, Larry was one of two employees fortunate enough in 2016 to attend the Jefferson College of Health Sciences with the aid of the town,” commented Linkous. “After 300 grueling hours of classroom time, on top of over 200 hours of clinical rotations in an intern and externship environment, Larry deservingly received his National Registry Paramedic Certification. Larry plans to continue his educational growth in the field of Fire/EMS in order to better serve the citizens of Vinton. Congratulations to Larry for his accomplishment in earning his National Registry EMT-P.”
Linkous told council that the town now has a total of five Paramedic/Firefighters on staff with another starting this spring in the Jefferson College of Health Sciences Paramedic course.
“That’s not bad out of a staff of 12 employees,” said Linkous.
