Lanier County Emergency Medical Services Director Randy Patten was awarded the EMS Director of the Year award for 2012 at the Region 8 EMS awards banquet held at Spence Field in Moultrie.This banquet is held each year to recognize EMS personnel who have excelled within the Emergency Medical Service community. Region 8 consists of EMS services from 27 counties in South Central and Southwest Georgia.Patten was nominated for this prestigious award and was chosen through a competitive process as the most deserving director in the region.A portion of Patten’s nomination packet listed his many accomplishments in the area of teaching Emergency Medical Responders and school and business employees how to apply life-saving procedures.Local citizens are fully aware of Patten’s contributions to the safety of Lanier County residents. He is not only the Director of the Hospital-based, EMS service, he is also the Safety Officer and the Emergency Manager at Louis Smith Memorial Hospital and Lakeland Villa Convalescent Center.Bill Wilson, Lanier Health Services Quality/Risk Manager, said: “It is difficult to put into words a description of the selfless dedication that Randy shows to the citizens of this community. He has worked tirelessly to insure that the local Emergency Medical Service is second to none.”Patten’s EMT class was present at the awards ceremony as were representatives of the Hospital staff and friends.