Andy Link, a self-described man of modesty and humbleness, will not like this next sentence. A fellow professional at the KFD has an opinion of him: “Andy is a rising star in the Knoxville Fire Department.”

Andy Link

Link is the department’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training officer, a master firefighter, a critical care paramedic, and a member of the KFD search & rescue team. He has almost 15 years in emergency services – 10 with the KFD and before that working with Rural Metro Ambulances (now AMR) – and he’s only 34.

Training is his game, driven by a focused and contagious passion.

“We all have the capacity to feel empathy for others and I have a deep sense of purpose for my work. I’ve seen how everything we do in our training can affect someone’s life,” he says. “I’m shaped by the people around me, my family, my patients and those I work with. This work truly matters. I’m driven by knowing the work we do has a major impact on peoples’ lives.”

His list of emergency certifications, each requiring hours of training, reflect this hunger to learn and impart these skills to others:

  • Trench Rescue
  • Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
  • Advanced Life Support
  • Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) Instructor
  • Emergency Service Rope Rescue Levels I & II
  • Confined Space Rescue Levels I & II
  • Flight Paramedic Certification
  • Hazardous Materials Technician
  • Critical Care Paramedic
  • Paramedic

And this is but a partial accounting of his skillset.

Link has a bachelor’s degree in emergency medicine from Eastern Kentucky University and he earned a bachelor’s in homeland security from Middle Tennessee State University. His thirst to learn continues as he works for a bachelor’s in fire administration from Columbia Southern University.

He’s a 2009 graduate of Bearden High School.

So exactly how did he get interested in emergency services work? He says: “I fell into this line of work. I was driving down Ebenezer Road one day and an ambulance went by me on a call. I got to wondering what all they do and how they do it. I had always sorta had some career aspirations about the medical field. I started researching this and found out about Roane State (Community College) having an EMT IV class so I enrolled, passed in 2011 and started working for Rural Metro in 2012.” And in 2013, he became a paramedic at the age of 20 and in 2017 he became a critical care paramedic.

His work on ambulances and fire engines exposed him to accidents involving fatalities of the young and old, helping save the lives of injured people injured in all types of accidents and fires, assisting the elderly in their homes, and rescuing those trapped or lost.

After his ambulance work, he spent seven years at KFD’s Station 11 on Whittle Springs Road, one of only three stations still with a fireman’s pole for firefighters to slide down from the upper floor to the engines. His last day on an engine was in December 2023. Next on his resume was becoming the EMS training officer.

His job sounds so simple – training – yet it’s anything but simple. “My primary responsibility is making sure all of our 327 fire employees are keeping up with the EMS program and that it runs smoothly, scheduling the training for our crews, making sure they understand how to operate the equipment and having the right equipment they need to take care of the public,” he explained.

Another part of his work is coordinating the EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Academy. He has nine firefighters in the program currently. In the fall he will have 20 students in the Advanced EMT Academy. Last year 20 students graduated, giving the department 131 Advanced EMTs and 98 EMTs.

KFD’s four-member Emergency Services Dept. is led by Chief John Dodson. Capt. Mike Terrell is the Quality Assurance Officer and Capt. Buddy Gibson handles Special Events and Logistics.

This young pro refers to himself as a facilitator and is always focused on being better. “The potential is there for us to have a great EMS program and expand our capabilities. I love this department. I care about our people and we have a family feel here and camaraderie that we talk about. We’re not perfect but we do whatever needs to be done to function and get the job done.”

Link teaches and facilitates classes around 40 hours a week, Monday-Friday 8 to 4:30. He enjoys grant writing for new EMS equipment and makes sure they have the right equipment. “I thrive on setting everyone up for success with our training. Learning the EMT and Advanced EMT and paramedic skills is crucial because 65% of our calls are medical emergency calls,” he said. “My vision and focus are on expanding our EMS operations.”

Away from this passion, his other passion is the Link family and their 3½-acre farm in Anderson County. He and wife Keera have two children – Emmett, 10, and Ameera, 5. His wife is creating a non-profit to aid wildlife – Linked Together Wildlife Rehabilitation. She will run this from home and care for the animals on the farm. Today they have two goats, eight chickens and baby chicks, two cats, two dogs and an African gray parrott.

Once her organization is active, Link will be working seven days a week on his two passions – training firefighters Monday through Friday and helping Keera and their kids with the critters at home.

Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.

Our Town Hero is sponsored by Aubrey’s Restaurants.