PULSE Magazine | February 2020 Issue

Meet-A-Medic: Andrew Azelton, Clinical Specialist Special Operations

I’m Andrew Azelton. I wear a few different hats at ATCEMS. I’m currently a Clinical Specialist in our Special Operations section where I function as a Rescue Medic. I’m also a Field Educator, and train our new hires as well as paramedic students. I’m a founding member of our Association Competition Team, and travel all around the country competing in EMS competitions. I live just outside of Austin with my amaz- ing wife Kendra and a few old, broken down dogs we’ve rescued. I enjoy traveling and have been all over the world.

Where are you from originally and what brought you to Austin? I moved to Austin for a position with ATCEMS. I came from Oklahoma City where I was a medic for 7 years. I graduated Paramedic school in 2008 and moved to Austin shortly after that. What inspired you to become a medic/What attracted you to this career choice? After graduating high school I started to attend college but did not really feel I was interested in anything. Being a young adult I was looking for some kind of career path to go down. One day I went to the movies and watched Bringing out the Dead. If you’ve seen the movie you know it’s not the most feel-good movie about EMS. Despite this, I found the job interest- ing in that you drove around going to crazy situations trying to help peo- ple. Soon after, I signed up for EMT-Basic class and after my first clinical I was hooked. I quickly fell in love with the job, and never left. How long have you been with ATCEMS and what motivated you to work here? I’ve been with ATCEMS for 11 years. While I was in my Paramedic program I began searching for EMS departments that I thought would give me the best chance of having a career in EMS. I was attracted to ATCEMS because

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