Klay Hall, who has over 28 years of experience as a leader in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and firefighting, has been appointed director of operations (DOO) for LifeNet, Inc. in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Hall, who has spent the last five years of his career teaching others to become EMTs and paramedics at National Park College in Hot Springs, began the new role on July 1. He is responsible for LifeNet’s day-to-day operations in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

“All my life I wanted to be a firefighter paramedic, and at 19, I joined the Arch Street Volunteer Fire Department. I found out EMS was a big part of fire departments, and I went straight to EMT school at the Little Rock Fire Department Fire Academy,” Hall said, recalling how he first got into EMS nearly three decades ago.

At 19 years old, Hall went to work for a small private EMS company before taking a job at MEMS in Little Rock.

“While at MEMS, I started teaching EMT in the fire service and started as a career firefighter in North Little Rock. I was also the assistant chief of the Sylvan Hills Fire Department, which is now known as the Sherwood Fire Department,” Hall said.

It was during his time at the North Little Rock Fire Department that Hall decided to go back to college, earning his bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Ministry from Dallas Christian College and his master’s degree in Public Administration from Anna Maria College.

“After obtaining my masters’ degree, I had already retired out of the fire service and was working at MEMS full time when Southeast Arkansas College in Pine Bluff invited me to be their EMS program director. It was a good way to use my degree,” Hall said.

A year later, Hall was offered the same job at National Park College.

“The college and LifeNet have a very close relationship. It made sense if I was going to work call-in-relief for an EMS agency, that I work for LifeNet while teaching. I started that working relationship in 2018 and worked about a year before I applied for this role,” Hall added. “I love teaching. I’ve always taught and been an instructor, but education fulltime was never my intention. My heart and passion are with the people working on the streets, being on the scenes, and helping with the operations.”

A servant leader, Hall is excited about leading the team of EMS professionals at LifeNet and helping them break down barriers or overcome known hurdles to find success. It is his passion for people that he hopes will help him achieve this goal.

“I used to tell my students at the college all the time, ‘I love you. I invest myself in you, my time, my energy, my emotions.’ It is the same way here. I’m invested in our team. At the college, I got to share my experiences, my wisdom that I learned. I want to continue that in this role and help people see their potential as a medical provider,” he said.

Knowing there is a shortage nationwide of EMS professionals, Hall is also excited about the opportunity to recruit others into EMS.

“I’m a recruiter by heart. If I meet someone working in a restaurant who seems sharp, I never leave that person without saying, ‘Hey what’s your long-term career goal? Have you ever thought about being a paramedic?’ Then I give them my card and tell them to contact me,” he said.

Hall is one of three DOOs working in the Hot Springs Division and reports to the Division’s Area Director, Brett Peine.

“We are very fortunate to have Klay join our leadership team, and we are looking forward to implementing several of his new ideas related to the overall effectiveness of our operation. He has a vast amount of knowledge and experience, a positive attitude, and a commitment to the program that we believe will only continue to enhance the medical services we provide in Garland County,” Gartner said.

In addition to working for LifeNet, Hall is a member of Creekside Community Church. He has four children and two grandchildren.