<p><strong>COLUMBIA —</strong> Emergency medical services students from Columbia State Community College earned awards in two categories at the fourth annual Battle of the Smokies competition held March 4 in Sevierville. Over 25 teams from community colleges, county EMS agencies, and mine rescue crews across Tennessee participated.</p><p>Columbia State's Advanced Life Support teams took first and fourth place, while their Basic Life Support teams won first and second place. The competition tested students' ability to assess patients quickly, perform proper medical interventions, and maintain awareness in a complex crash scenario involving a utility vehicle collision with a telephone pole. According to Gregory S. Johnson, Columbia State's EMS program director, the students demonstrated "an incredible level of skill and showcased their ability to think critically in a very complex situation."</p>