Man retires after dedicating decades to Cabell EMS
By COURTNEY HESSLER, The Herald-Dispatch, June 7, 2016
Photo: Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch Dwight Edwards of Culloden has retired from Cabell EMS after 27 years. During his tenure at Cabell EMS, Edwards helped in the creation of EMS’s bike division, which allows up to four people to give medical services on bicycles during major outdoor events throughout the county.
HUNTINGTON - As long as there is a need for medical assistance, there will be a need for emergency medical technicians. As long as there is a need for medical technicians, people like Dwight Edwards will continue to dedicate their lives to helping others.
After 27 years of public service - 23 with Cabell County EMS as an EMT - Edwards closed a chapter he won't soon forget as he retired.
Although he is just 45, Edwards said he knew it was time after responding to a routine call.
"It weighs on you. You have nursing home calls or to homes you have people are suffering or sick. That kind of stuff wears on you," he said. "There's a certain amount of PTSD that goes with this job. It doesn't matter what you do to keep from it, it's still there."
That emotional pain, along with physical back pain pushed him to make the decision to retire as a full time medic.
Edwards got his start at his local station in Culloden and still plans on working there in the future.
Growing up in Culloden, Edwards said he always knew he wanted to be in the medical field.
"I knew what I wanted to do when I was young, that goes clear back to that old Emergency show," he said. "My mom would go 'What do you want to be?' and I would say 'EMT.' At that time the world medic wasn't used very much. It was rare."
Edwards said after joining Cabell EMS when director Gordon Merry hired him, he never fretted about what his future held.
"With this job I've never sat around and worried about being laid off," he said. "There are always going to be ambulance calls to run. There are always going to be sick people ... I'm so thankful for the opportunity to serve the citizens.
"It's been a great ride. It's not that I am looking for it to end, but a reduction in service is a good thing when you've been doing it so long."
After 27 years of service, Edwards leaves quite a legacy behind.
In 1999 he helped create Cabell County EMS's bike medic division with Chris Frazier. The unit allows up to four medics - split in teams of two - to provide medical services quicker at highly attended outdoor events throughout the county, like Marshall football games.
The program was state-of-the-art at the time and Edwards still travels nationwide to train law enforcement and medical agencies nationwide on how to create programs and skills needed to perform well.
Retirement for Edwards does not mean rest. He owns his own firearms training facility in Ona - Edwards Training Center - and still plans to pick up shifts with Cabell EMS when needed.
"The good thing is there's a good side and a bad side," he said. "My wife, when we got together, I was already doing the 24-hour thing. So she's never known anything but me working 24 hours. It will be an adjustment to me being home every evening."
While retirement does have sad undertones, Edwards said he doesn't look at it as closing a chapter on life.
"I would think anytime you do something for 27 years, yeah, you are going to miss it, but I'll still have just a little bit hanging on. It may be another eight, 10, 15 years," he said. "One of the good things about retirement here is one day if I decide I want to come back full time (I can do that)."
At his retirement party, Edwards had lots to thank. He thanked his home department - Culloden VFD - who put him on the map, Merry for giving him a chance and the staff he has worked with for years. Edwards also thanked friend Steve Murry.
Edwards leaves behind his partner of 10 years, Danny Neal, who he says will always hold a special place in his heart.
"We've been together for 10 years, that's the longest I've kept a partner," he said. "We will remain friends the rest of our lives. We will still hang out and talk every day."
Edwards says he hopes to vacation and relax for the upcoming months before adjusting to a new work pattern and retired life. He also said he looks forward to spending more time with his mother, who is 82.