Born and raised in Oglethorpe County, Josh Robinson was drawn to public service early in life. His journey began in high school, when he joined the Beaverdam Volunteer Fire Department.
“I started running first responder calls,” Robinson said. “I realized that what they did on ambulances really intrigued me. I was really interested in that and had a passion for wanting to help people.”
Now, Oglethorpe County is welcoming Robinson as its new EMS director to continue his dedication to public safety in the community that raised him. He replaces Jason Lewis, who became the county administrator last month.
After graduating high school, Robinson earned his EMT license from Lanier Technical College and began working for the Barrow County Fire and EMS Department. He later moved to Augusta to obtain his paramedic license.
While in Augusta, he felt a strong pull to return home and serve the community that shaped him. So he returned to Oglethorpe County and worked part time.
Robinson then pursued a new opportunity with the University of Georgia Police Department (UGAPD), where he served as an officer for 2½ years.
EMS work in Oglethorpe County continued calling to him. Finally, he answered the call.
Robinson joined Oglethorpe County EMS full time in 2013 and has been with the department ever since.
Robinson said working in the place where he grew up adds meaning to his role.
“I feel like it gives you more of a sense of care, and I care a lot more about who I am taking care of,” he said. “You have a little more buy-in when you work in the place where you live and care for your family members. Everybody knows everybody in Oglethorpe County, so when you go on a call, you know the whole history of the family when you get there.”
Robinson served as deputy EMS director under Lewis for six years.
The two built a close professional relationship during their time together, and Lewis mentored Robinson in preparation for leadership. It was a natural transition for Robinson to step into the role.
“Ultimately, he has been kind of in that interim role since I shifted my focus here (to the county administrator position),” Lewis said. “Even before then, we had that same kind of collaborative working style in EMS.”
Lewis said he is confident in Robinson’s ability to lead the department.
“Josh is one of those people who, once he starts something, sees it through to the very end,” Lewis said. “There is no quit. I think he’s going to do great.”
Lewis also praised Robinson’s attention to detail, calling it “better than I ever had at that point in my career.”
Robinson agreed being detail-oriented will serve him well in his new role.
“Details matter,” he said. “Specifically, if you look at taking care of a patient, the right amount of medication is an important detail. If you give too much, you hurt the patient. If you don’t give enough, you don’t get the desired effect. I’ve taken a lot of that mindset into the administrative side of the job to make sure everything is in order.”
Robinson doesn’t plan to make immediate changes to the department. However, he has a few ideas for improvements, including carrying whole blood products in the field.
“There’s been a lot of research showing that trauma patients who’ve lost a lot of blood benefit from receiving whole blood in the field,” Robinson said. “It reduces their chances of multiple organ system failure while they recover from their injuries.”
Neighboring counties such as Madison, Jackson and Elbert have already implemented whole blood use in the field with success, he added.
Robinson also hopes to see the department expand with substations throughout the county to help reduce response times.
He said he believes having a 24-hour quick-response vehicle (QRV) would also make a big impact. These vehicles can respond to emergencies when ambulances are tied up at the hospital, allowing care to continue without delay.
Oglethorpe County has only one 12-hour QRV.
Robinson emphasized that EMS will continue working closely with other local agencies. He said his team often steps in to assist with additional responsibilities when needed.
“For example, when a storm comes through, we help clean up debris and move trees, working alongside the fire department,” Robinson said. “They can’t handle everything — though they do a great job — so we all just come together and get the work done.”
Both Lewis and Robinson expressed optimism for the future of EMS and its leadership.
“I am confident in his ability, and I’ll still be available to help him in areas he’s less familiar with,” Lewis said. “He’s a great paramedic, he’s competent, and he has a strong working knowledge of all aspects of public safety — whether it’s law enforcement, fire, or emergency management. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Josh.”