Greene County-Greeneville EMS Director Calvin Hawkins announced he will retire on November 1st at the EMS board meeting Thursday. He asked for the board’s support to have Operations Director TJ Manis take over as EMS Director when he leaves. Hawkins said it had been his plan all along to put Manis in his position. He explained Manis knows everything about the ins and outs of the job. He said if anything, Manis knows more.
Hawkins has worked with the EMS Department for about 31 years. He told Radio Greeneville News that once he was out of High School, he began working at a factory. Then he transitioned and started work at the Davy Crockett Truck Stop pumping diesel fuel. After about three years, Hawkins went to work as a book printer in Kingsport and worked at the press for almost nine years.
During that time, Hawkins volunteered at a fire department and later joined a rescue squad in Gray Station, which led him to discover his passion. He got his EMT license in Spring 1993. Hawkins joined a station that opened up in Baileyton and was 1 out of about nine people hired. He said he was on the road until 2007. He eventually transitioned into Operations Director and received the official title of EMS Director around 2016.
Hawkins expressed he has always loved what he does and enjoys the job but added it was time to go. The EMS board gave Hawkins their support to appoint Manis as EMS Director. The matter will go before the Greene County mayor and county commissioners for final approval.
