Christina Mount-Barnes is an Operations Supervisor and Critical Care Transport Paramedic with Puckett EMS, a member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies. For more than two decades, she has served patients and communities with skill, compassion, and an enduring commitment to advancing emergency medical services.

Christina began her EMS career as an EMT-B in 2003, earned her EMT-IV credential less than a year later, became a Paramedic in 2008, and achieved Critical Care Paramedic certification in 2016. Since joining Puckett EMS in 2012, she has served as a field Paramedic, American Heart Association instructor, Critical Care Paramedic, Field Training Officer, and, since 2023, Operations Supervisor within the Marion and Sequatchie County 911 system.

Throughout her career, Christina has demonstrated a remarkable ability to recognize emerging needs and turn them into meaningful action. She helped establish the Marion and Sequatchie County Overdose Committee, supporting the development of leave-behind rehabilitation and naloxone kits as well as overdose-mapping initiatives that strengthen local and state prevention efforts.

Christina’s calm command presence is equally evident during large-scale emergencies. She helped manage a 10-vehicle mass-casualty incident in October 2021 and a battery plant fire mass-casualty incident in December 2023. Continuing her efforts to expand specialized care in the region, Christina is also helping lay the foundation for one of Tennessee’s first ground-based K9 transport teams in collaboration with LifeForce.

Her leadership and clinical excellence have earned the respect of both her peers and community. Christina was selected by her colleagues as Paramedic of the Year in 2015 and has been recognized as “Marion County’s Finest Paramedic.” Her commitment to public service extends beyond Puckett EMS through her work as a Marion County Medical Examiner Investigator since 2018 and as a volunteer firefighter with the Kimball Fire Department since 2022.

Despite her many accomplishments, Christina is known for her humility, integrity, and natural ability to inspire, mentor, and motivate others. Whether leading crews through complex emergencies, developing solutions to community health challenges, mentoring fellow EMS professionals, or expanding access to specialized care, she consistently puts service at the center of her work.

Through clinical excellence, innovation, mentorship, emergency leadership, and sustained community service, Christina has made a lasting impact on her patients, colleagues, and the communities she proudly serves. Puckett EMS is proud to recognize Christina Mount-Barnes as an American Ambulance Association Star of Life.

Jason Nugent has been a paramedic at Puckett EMS for almost 12 years and a supervisor for ten of those years. He worked as a Chattanooga medic before becoming ideally suited for the field supervisor position.

Jason was born and raised in Marion County, Tennessee. He has served as part of Kimball Fire & Rescue. He is active in his community and is a frequent attendee at Marion County Commission meetings. Marion County Mayor David Jackson has said he views Jason as the liaison between Marion County Commissioners and Puckett EMS.

Jason is well-known and well-liked in his community and within our Puckett EMS community. Any time there is a catastrophic event, Jason is on scene to assist—even when it means coming in on his day off from work.

Jason is fortunate that his wife is a long-term dispatcher for Marion County, so she is understanding of the business and Jason’s connection to the community.  

Sheila Norton has been with Puckett EMS, part of the Priority Ambulance family of companies, for 14 years. Sheila’s interest in EMS started early. She described how she was an “ambulance chaser” when she was young. Her family and friends thought she was just nosey, but deep inside, Sheila wanted to help. She would run after the ambulance in her neighborhood to see how she could help.

Sheila had a promising career in general merchandising, but that all changed in 2007 when her mother had a stroke. Sheila said the compassion and kindness the EMS crew showed her mother was amazing. She wanted to return that level of commitment and stewardship to other people, starting Sheila on her EMS journey. Sheila attended a rigorous in-house EMT-I program at Puckett EMS and excelled. Her career followed the same trajectory as Sheila rose to the position of Operations Supervisor today.

Sheila’s desire to help others is contagious. She consistently exemplifies genuine compassion and care for her patients and families. Sheila is a role model and “mother” figure to the younger EMTs and Paramedics who come through Puckett EMS. Her gentle yet stern way of leading resonates throughout the company’s culture.

Sheila has received numerous honors, including EMT of the Year and Paramedic of the Year, and she has been honored with several Phoenix Awards presented for exceptional trauma care delivery. Sheila’s patients are also quick to call her out on her compassionate care, noting that Sheila made them feel “like family.”