Albany, Georgia – The Albany Tech Foundation will receive a check for $10,000 in a presentation at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at the Charles B. Gillespie, M.D. Center for Emergency Responders on the campus of Albany Technical College. This philanthropic donation from Dr. Charles Gillespie will go to support the Emergency Medical Service Professions and Paramedicine program in the Healthcare Technology division of Albany Tech.
Dr. Gillespie and Mrs. Carolyn Gillespie, his wife of 60 years, will attend the check presentation at the Gillespie Center for Emergency Responders. Prior to the check presentation, Dr. and Mrs. Gillespie released a statement saying, “This donation is made in honor of Dr. Anthony Parker, a true visionary for Albany Tech and our community.” Dr. Parker has served as President of Albany Technical College since 1995.
Dr. Gillespie received his medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine in 1961, and he completed his orthopedic residency at Grady Hospital in 1966. Dr. Gillespie practice as an orthopedic surgeon in Albany for 39 years before retiring in 1998.
In 1971, Dr. Gillespie was appointed by then Governor Jimmy Carter to develop Georgia’s multi-county Emergency Medical Services System. He authored the internationally-recognized EMT Oath and Code of Conduct. In 1994, he received the Emergency Medical Pioneer Awardand in 1995 the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) Hardman Cup. He was awarded a second MAG Cup in 2016 for community service.
In 2003, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Dr. Gillespie to the Military Affairs Coordinating Committee. In 2009, he was honored with the U.S. Marine Corps and Department of Navy Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award for his leadership in co-founding the Department of Defense National Military Assistance Safety Traffic helicopter program.
A longtime commissioner with the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport Commission, Dr. Gillespie played a key role in the design and construction of a $12 million terminal at the airport, completed in 2013.
Dr. Gillespie is also a recipient of The Aranal Patz Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring distinguished Emory alumni from the School of Medicine for leadership and accomplishment in the field of medicine at the national or international level. He received this award in 2017.
Dr. Gillespie has long been a supporter of Albany Tech, which now has a training center bearing his name. He was instrumental in establishing the college’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program in 1972, even teaching EMT classes on campus for a number of years.
The EMT programs at Albany Tech have stayed at the forefront of training skilled, competent first responders for our community, region, and state. Now known as the Paramedicine program, students are able to choose certificate, diploma, and degree options to begin their service as a first responder. Students may start with a training certificate and advance to earn a two-year degree in Paramedicine. Because of Dr. Gillespie’s visionary initiatives, Albany Technical College has graduated hundreds of students who now work in this important service field.
Dr. Anthony Parker, commenting on this most recent contribution to the college by Dr. Gillespie, said, “Dr. Gillespie is known for his work to establish universal 911 services in Georgia and he is recognized as the ‘father’ of emergency medical services in the state as well. Here at Albany Tech we are so proud and appreciative of his leadership and vision through the years for our first responder programs. His ties to Albany Tech go back to the beginning of the program and he has continued to be a supporter and friend of the college. Dr. Gillespie is a true partner with Albany Technical College and for that we again say thank you.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of EMTs and paramedics is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Emergencies, such as natural disasters, will continue to require the skills of EMTs and paramedics. Growth in the middle-aged and older population is also expected to lead to an increase in age-related health emergencies, such as heart attacks and strokes. This increase, in turn, will create greater demand for EMT and paramedic services. An increase in the number of specialized medical facilities also will require more EMTs and paramedics to transfer patients with specific conditions to these facilities for treatment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual wage for EMTs and paramedics at $33,380 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,880, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $56,990.
About Albany Technical College
A public postsecondary institution of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Albany Technical College provides technical education and training support for the evolving workforce needs of Southwest Georgia through traditional and online classroom settings. Albany Tech is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS/COC). For more information about Albany Tech, go to www.albanytech.edu or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlbanyTech or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbanyTech. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel by visiting www.youtube.com/albanytech1 .