Claudio Leyssens
Claudio Leyssens, Emergency Medical Services instructor and clinical coordinator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), was named the 2017 EMS instructor of the year by Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS.
The Mike Miller EMS Educator of the Year award was presented to Mr. Leyssens during the annual Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS Council Awards Banquet that is held each year to honor Emergency Medical Service providers and stakeholders. The banquet recognizes EMS professionals from Bartow, Catoosa, Chattanooga, Cherokee, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.
“It was an amazing honor when they announced that I was the winner,” said Mr. Leyssens. “There was some very fierce competition this year and it’s definitely a big deal.”
The award is named in honor of Mike Miller who was a paramedic for Floyd Medical Center EMS and Polk County EMS. Mr. Miller was the first paramedic instructor at Coosa Valley Technical College before it became GNTC. He served in the Region 1 Office of EMS and Trauma as a regional training coordinator and addressed the problem of low pass rates for EMT courses in the region.
Mr. Leyssens is the lead instructor for the Advanced EMT program on the Floyd and Catoosa County Campuses of GNTC and is the clinical coordinator for all five EMS programs. He is a level 3 instructor and also teaches CPR courses at his church, volunteers for the Red Cross, and has served as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts by providing first aid.
According to Mr. Leyssens, EMS programs are a great fit for students that enjoy healthcare and like a big variety of situations.
“No day is the same and every call is different,” said Mr. Leyssens. “EMS providers are challenged every day.”