Mervin McKenna
Winston Salem,NC
Summary
Dedicated EMT with a decade of experience, currently completing paramedic licensure in the spring. Proven experience as a ski patroller in Southwest Montana for eight years, complemented by 1.5 years of hands-on experience in urban 911 EMS in North Carolina. Seeking a dynamic 911 EMS agency to further my career while giving back to my community.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
EMT
Forsyth County EMS
08.2024 - Current
- Worked in a busy high volume 911 urban EMS setting with ~75,000 agency calls per year. Averaged 6-10 calls per shift. High acuity patient population with a wide range of trauma and medical emergencies.
- Managed patients as an EMS provider as well as drove the ambulance with my partner attending patients.
- Worked on a dual basic truck, EMT/advanced truck and EMT/paramedic truck.
- Maintained levelheadedness and efficiency in high-pressure situations, effectively prioritizing tasks to provide medical care.
EMT and Rescue Dog Handler
Big Sky Ski Patrol
01.2016 - 01.2024
- Worked as an EMT providing BLS care to injured skiers in addition to transport. Duties involved complicated extrication and transport in difficult outdoor winter conditions. Experience with simple to complex trauma patients as well as medical emergencies. Worked in a supervisory/lead capacity for many scenes.
- Worked as an avalanche rescue dog handler for 6 years at Big Sky. I trained and managed my german shepherd at work. Training involves managing an avalanche rescue scene and using dogs to pinpoint burial locations of victims in the snow. Gained experience with the Incident Command System (ICS) as related to mass casualty events as a dog handler.
- Worked to mitigate avalanche risks as a BATF certified blaster using hand deployed explosives for avalanche control. Did control routes on the mountain with hand deployed explosives to trigger avalanches before terrain opened to the public. I gained extensive experience with risk management and teamwork to safely do this.
Raft Guide
Montana Whitewater
01.2016 - 01.2023
- Worked as a guide on the Gallatin river in Montana taking customers on half or full day rafting trips. The Gallatin is a class 3 to 4 river close to Yellowstone park. Work involved 1000's of hours of customer interaction and guiding as well as risk management.
- Worked frequently in a trip leader capacity. Involved managing other employees, finding good fits between customers and guides, and leading medical responses as needed on the river.
Education
High School -
Bozeman High School
Bozeman, MT01.2008
Paramedic -
Davidson Davie Community College
Thomasville, NC05-2026
Paramedic -
Davidson Davie Community College
Thomasville, NC05.2026
Skills
- NREMT EMT Certification
- PHTLS & ACA BLS CPR AED Certifications
- NREMT-P License and ACLS PALS (Upon paramedic course completion May 2026)
- NIMS 100, 200, 700, 800 Certifications
- Fit and capable of heavy lifting
- Excellent patient rapport
- Clean driving record and ambulance driving experience
Timeline
EMT
Forsyth County EMS
08.2024 - Current
EMT and Rescue Dog Handler
Big Sky Ski Patrol
01.2016 - 01.2024
Raft Guide
Montana Whitewater
01.2016 - 01.2023
Paramedic -
Davidson Davie Community College
High School -
Bozeman High School
Paramedic -
Davidson Davie Community College