<p>COLUMBIA — Students from Columbia State Community College's Emergency Medical Services program came home from the fourth annual Battle of the Smokies in Sevierville with hardware in both major divisions of competition — a remarkable showing against more than 25 teams from community colleges, county EMS agencies, and mine rescue crews across Tennessee.</p><p>In the Student Advanced Life Support division, Columbia State claimed first and fourth place. In the Student Basic Life Support division, the school's teams took first and second. Gregory S. Johnson, the college's EMS program director and assistant professor, said the students performed at an incredible level of clinical skill and critical thinking inside a complex simulated scenario — a side-by-side utility vehicle crash with multiple patients, smoke, and on-scene hazards. Teams were scored on patient assessment speed, quality of medical interventions, and how quickly they prepared patients for transport. Competitors also earned eight hours of continuing education credit through the event.</p><p>Columbia State is located on Hampshire Pike and serves students from across Maury County and surrounding communities. The Battle of the Smokies is organized by the Tennessee Association of EMS Providers and the Tennessee Mine Rescue Association. More information on Columbia State's EMS program is available at ColumbiaState.edu.</p>