John Lamont retires as Boyne EMS director, with over 50 years in profession
BOYNE CITY — A longtime servant to the community has recently retired with over 50 years of combined EMS work throughout the state.
John Lamont, the now former Boyne City EMS director, has hung up his hat and is now enjoying a slower pace of life in retirement. With over five decades in EMS work, Lamont spent the last three working in the Tip of the Mitt region, setting up EMS systems, teaching and more.
Lamont started his career in 1972 when he was a senior in high school. He was hired by a funeral director in Troy to help run an ambulance.
"So I did that and from there I went to Rochester and then to Detroit for my EMT training," he said. "From there I made my way to Royal Oak and got my bachelor's degree from Madonna University."
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Shortly after, Lamont headed north to Marquette where he started a paramedic program.
"Back then, there was only a few services but they were small and really isolated," he said.
Lamont stayed in Marquette for about seven years and had two children with his wife, Tina, before moving to the Petoskey area in the early '80s. He had started teaching and saw the local health department was looking for an EMS coordinator to do both development and education. It was the perfect fit.
"We moved down here when I was hired and we covered Charlevoix, Otsego, Antrim and Emmet counties and I spent three years educating throughout the region," he said.
"Then one day I was taken to lunch by the hospital's vice president and was asked to help start the Life Link Ambulance Service."
Lamont then helped grow that service over the next 14 years to extend to Petoskey, Rogers City, Bellaire, Mackinac Island and beyond before spinning it into what the area knows as Allied Health today.
All of this was before he found his last home in the area with Boyne City.
"I got fortunate and 18 years ago I was hired by Boyne City and helped them then upgrade their advanced life support," he said.
Lamont retires as the Boyne City EMS director and many know of his service to the area, however, his wife shared many other stories she remembers fondly throughout his tenure.
"He's an extremely humble man," she said.
"I was talking to our daughter the other day and she wanted people to know that he saved a baby duck once. She said 'someone has to know about the duck!' He's really done so much and has touched so many lives," she said.
Tina also shared that Lamont was a local 4-H leader and part of the local team for 25 years.
"Any city kid that wanted to raise a pet goat, lamb, swine, steer or horse had a place on our farm," she said.
He also taught at North Central Michigan College and has given his time to many other community projects and efforts.
"John is an icon in EMS and he has changed the face of EMS in Northern Michigan forever and, because of that, helped save countless lives," said former Emmet County Emergency Medical Services director Larry Hansen.
Others, including the new Boyne City EMS director Brenda Wilson, went to Facebook to share their support and love for Lamont.
Wilson's post reads: "... he encouraged me to do better for myself and my family. Pushed me to go to medic school even though I went kicking and screaming. After 50 years of public service John has built a legacy and I hope to fill those very big boots. I will take the values he has instilled in me and try to live up to the role model and all around amazing person he truly is. My hope is to continue to foster the beautiful legacy he has built and encourage those who will come long after us in this field to be amazing providers. Enjoy your retirement John Lamont and thank you for everything."
A retirement party for Lamont has also been planned and the public is welcome to attend. The party will take place between 3-6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5 in the Boyne City Veterans Park Pavilion.
Lamont is looking forward to the party but also toward retirement, traveling to Spain to see his daughter, doing some more camping and spending time with his seven grandchildren.
"I'm looking forward to all of that sure but I have been really fortunate to have had so many people working with me all these years," he said.
"It's been a really special thing and I've loved the camaraderie and the ability to make these special bonds with everyone. Patients included," he said.
Contact reporter Sean Miller at smiller@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @seanmillerpnr, and Instagram, @sean_everest.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: John Lamont retires as Boyne EMS director, with over 50 years in profession
