Bay County selects longtime paramedic and Navy officer as new chief of emergency services

PANAMA CITY − The Bay County Commission selected a certified paramedic from Denver with experience in fiscal management, human resources and policy development to oversee emergency services in the county

In a Wednesday meeting, the board appointed Matthew Lindewirth, 47, of Denver as the new chief of emergency services, a position previously held by Brad Monroe, who resigned last summer.

A post on the Bay County, Florida Emergency Services Facebook page said Lindewirth will begin the position on Feb. 26. It also said he "has held several senior leadership positions, including chief and deputy chief of counties in Missouri, South Carolina and Virginia."

"I've turned multiple positions down in the last year after learning about different organizations (and deciding) it just wasn't a fit that I was looking for," Lindewirth said. "With Bay County, it was very different. You have a good commission, and you have senior leadership ... that is well respected, well regarded. I look for that."

He said his hope is "to create a system that the residents and the visitors are all proud of."

According to the county's Facebook post, Lindewirth is a national certified paramedic with almost three decades prehospital experience − 26 years as a paramedic.

The post said he "graduated from both the St. Charles County and St. Louis County fire academies and served as a paramedic/firefighter for five years with two fire protection districts in Missouri and 18 years with an EMS district. He also has served as a certified heavy rescue technician and public information officer for a metropolitan Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team."

Lindewirth completed a master's degree in EMS from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and a bachelor's degree in political science from Troy University in Alabama. He also has an associate degree in aviation operations, as well as an associate degree in paramedic science, from the community college of the U.S. Air Force.

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"Lindewirth proudly serves the nation as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, now in the reserves," the post reads. "He is completing his 21st year of service. Prior to accepting his commission, he served as an enlisted petty officer (corpsman) in the Navy and staff sergeant (inflight refueler) with the Air Force.

"Lindewirth has been honored with several awards from both local and national organizations for outstanding patient care, public relations and child injury prevention. He also has numerous personal and unit awards from his military service."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Longtime paramedic and Navy officer will lead Bay emergency services