EMS Recruiting - Testimonials

I have been with Austin-Travis County EMS since June of 2017.

I previously worked for a private ambulance service and was encouraged by a close mentor there to consider applying with a public service entity- one that is equally as invested in its employees as it is its community and one that encourages and supports both personal and professional growth and achievement.

I was already somewhat familiar with ATCEMS, as it is well known among other EMS agencies as considerably progressive, with a broad scope of practice and being true clinicians at the helm. I knew ATCEMS challenged the idea that EMS employees were “just ambulance drivers”, and I wanted to be a part of something that was on the path to change the status quo of pre-hospital medicine. Since day one of the Academy, I knew I made the right choice for life.

Being stationed within a booming metropolis, my shift is as exhilarating as it is unpredictable. This job is enormously dynamic, and my role varies on every call. Fundamentally, we are all equipped and trained to reverse either acute or chronic illness, injury, or even death in unpredictable and austere environments. Often times, we function in a more human capacity. We are called on by the public to solve problems, many of which are not medical or traumatic in nature. It is the most gratifying part of my life thus far, to be able to help in a time when someone felt helpless. To “lean in” and find solutions that extend far beyond the ambulance and the emergency room. To listen to, protect, and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. It is truly an honor to serve this city, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so every day.

I’m JC Ferguson and I'm a Commander in Communications. I previously served as a Captain at the ATCEMS Training Academy, administering all of the initial and continuing education for Communications Cadets and Medics. I come from a varied background that includes Fire Service, Law Enforcement, and EMS as well as pavement and Geo-Technical engineering. I’ve been an EMT for 15 years and with the City of Austin for seven.

I’m a native Texan, born in Tyler. After high school I lived in San Antonio, Billings (Montana), and Chapel Hill, (North Carolina). After graduating North Carolina State University (Go Pack!), my wife and I moved back to Austin to begin our careers.

I always knew I belonged in public safety. It wasn’t just a drive to help people; many careers do that. “Emergent servitude” is the term I would use to describe what drove me to EMS over other options. We get to solve problems, and when needed, do so expediently within a clinical mindset, all while interacting closely with the public. When searching for an EMS job, I slung applications and resumes at as many places as I could. Luckily, ATCEMS was the first process I was offered a chance to participate in. This department's reputation as a high volume system that demands clinical thinkers would have drawn me in no matter where I started, so I consider myself very lucky that I was able to get in when I did. Since I've been here, the people I work with have become one of the things I appreciate most. There are some very brilliant and very passionate medics in this department. It’s energizing to work alongside people who care so much about what they do, and care so much about ensuring our public gets the best response, treatments, and experience possible.