Janny Wing Becomes First Woman Deputy Chief at Ada EMS

Janny Wing has been promoted to the first-ever woman deputy chief of Ada County Paramedics, a milestone achievement for the 50-year-old history of the agency, which has been dedicated for 20 years. The promotion is in recognition of both Janny's exceptional leadership and the increased number of women in the field of emergency medical services (EMS).

Janny's path to EMS was anything but the norm. She started teaching but worked at Roaring Springs Water Park during her summers where they encouraged people to get their Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. The program started as a way for them to get some additional training at work but eventually turned into a passion for emergency medicine. In the winter she was an EMT volunteer in Elmore County, and she chose to drop her teaching goals to become an EMS fulltimer.

Janny recounts the moment as a turning point in her career and how fulfilling her choice of emergency medicine was over the classroom. She eventually joined the ranks of the paramedics at Ada County Paramedics, and worked her way up from EMT to one of the agency's top positions.

Key Highlights:

• Historic First: Janny Wing is the first woman appointed deputy chief of Ada County Paramedics
• Career Journey: She rose from EMT to leading 144 field staff after 20 years of service
• Leadership Focus: Wing promotes mental health, inclusion, and women’s leadership in EMS

As deputy chief, Janny currently oversees about 144 field crew members and operations of up to 18 ambulances in communities located throughout the Treasure Valley in Idaho. More than 36,000 calls are responded to by the Ada County Paramedics each year making it one of the busiest EMS agencies in the region. The department has been serving as an Emergency Medical Service since 1975 and is known for its dedication to clinical excellence, innovation and caring for the patient.

In her years of service, Wing has not only been credited with being quick to respond to critical situations, but has also been recognized as a mentor to new paramedics, a support to family members of those who have lost someone, and a help to other colleagues dealing with the emotional ups and downs of working in an emergency. She says that the relationships she developed with her co-workers and patients is what has kept her going for more than 2 decades as a Health Care Worker.

The EMS profession has changed significantly since Wing first went to work in it, she said, becoming far more inclusive. She remembered that many times properly fitted uniforms for women were not available when she first was working. Over the years, workplace culture has changed, but the emotional needs when caring for patients in life-threatening situations, haven't.

Janny's leadership priority is to promote the mental health of first responders. She encourages open communication with other paramedics, peer support and to not take emotional burden alone. Strong leadership, says Wing, is about setting the example and never asking team members to do things that she wouldn't do herself.

Her hiring follows a trend of efforts among EMS organizations in the United States to recruit more diverse and develop more capable leaders. Wing is expected to spark more women to pursue careers and leadership roles in emergency medical services by breaking down a longstanding barrier at Ada County Paramedics.

Janny's accomplishment is a personal success, as well as a positive step for the agency in promoting inclusive leadership and continuing to provide excellent EM service to Ada County residents.