After many years of keeping John Green's phone number on their refrigerator for emergencies, the citizens of Yorktown honored him on Sunday, December 8, at the Yorktown fire station for his two decades of service in Yorktown Emergency Medical Services (YEMS). Green looks forward to a lot of off-duty time, camping with friends and family.
His contributions to the DeWitt community include serving with the Nordheim Volunteer Fire Department and advocating for public education as a trustee on the Nordheim Independent School District board for twenty years.
Public service runs strongly in Green. He’s “been a volunteer since age 15 at Manchaca Volunteer Fire Department in Austin,” Green said.
He later joined the San Marcos Fire Department during college. Green became a firefighter with the Austin Fire Department in 1986, retiring as a lieutenant after thirty years, during which he responded to major incidents, including the 1999 Texas A&M Bonfire collapse, the 1997 tornados that struck Cedar Park and Jarrell and the central Tex- as flooding in 1998. He was also a member of the Helicopter Search and Rescue team during Hurricane Rita.
While still employed with the Austin Fire Department, he moved to Nordheim with his wife, Lori, and two daughters, Emalee and Tessa.
Knowing of Green’s Austin Fire and EMT experience, EMS President /Judge Bill Robinson asked Green for help if a life-threatening situation arose, and he joined Yorktown EMS in 2004. Green was the only paramedic between Cuero, Nixon, Kennedy, and Goliad at that time.
Green said he and Robinson consulted with Dr. Gordon Bart on how to improve pre-hospital emergency care at the scene. YEMS underwent additional training to provide advanced life support, which is a series of life-saving techniques and protocols that go beyond basic life support. Green stressed that YEMS strives to move forward.
“We introduced new medications, including pain meds that required us to go to the DEA in Houston to apply for a license and procured new equipment and protocols,” Green said.
He took pride when they took a patient to the hospital, and the doctor exclaimed, ‘Wow, I didn’t know y’all could do that.’ You know, to me, that was always a big moment,” Green beamed.
He has also taught life-saving classes like Stop the Bleed and CPR/AED training to DeWitt County Sheriff's Office deputies, Nordheim and Yorktown school districts, and others in the community.
His teaching has gone further to specialized rescue training.
“I started Texas Rope Rescue 25 years ago, where we provide onsite industrial and wilderness rope and technical rescue training,” Green said.
The most rewarding moments for Green come from personal interactions, such as when people greet him and his wife Lori at a restaurant and thank him for his service.
“After you drop them off at the hospital, you don’t hear about them. So, if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘Thank You,’ that's always been a great recognition,” Green said.
In retirement, Green is excited to experience nature directly from a campfire instead of viewing it on a screen. He reflects that his work was not for monetary gain but for the fulfillment of helping others.
“Because I love helping people. It's rewarding to make a difference, especially on someone's worst day. I hope I can positively impact their lives,” Green said.
