<p>COLUMBIA — Emergency medical services students from Columbia State Community College dominated the fourth annual Battle of the Smokies competition held March 4 in Sevierville, Tennessee. Competing against more than 25 teams from community colleges and county EMS crews across the state, Columbia State's students won first and fourth place in the Student Advanced Life Support division and swept first and second place in the Student Basic Life Support division.</p><p>EMS Program Director Gregory S. Johnson praised the students' clinical excellence and their ability to think critically under pressure. The competition scenario involved a simulated side-by-side utility vehicle crash with smoke and other hazards, requiring students to rapidly assess patients, perform medical interventions, and prepare them for transport — all while being scored on speed and quality. Students also earned eight hours of continuing education credits through the event.</p><p>Columbia State's EMS Academy, located on Hampshire Pike, continues to set the standard for pre-hospital care education in Tennessee. The program offers both EMT and Advanced EMT technical certificates, and the Fall 2025 graduating class achieved a 100% first-attempt pass rate on the national registry — a remarkable achievement by any measure. These are the men and women who will answer the call when Maury County needs them most.</p>