Photo courtesy of Botetourt Co.
By Matt de Simone
Jason Ferguson, who spent 25 years with Botetourt County’s emergency services system, rising from the county’s first staff paramedic to fire and EMS chief, will leave next month to lead Bedford County’s Department of Fire & Rescue.
Ferguson announced last week that he has accepted the position of chief in Bedford County. His final day with Botetourt County will be Aug. 14, and he will begin his new role Aug. 17.
While Ferguson said leaving Botetourt was not something he had been pursuing, the opportunity to return to his hometown ultimately proved too meaningful to pass up.
“I have enjoyed an absolutely wonderful career in Botetourt and had not looked for any other opportunities,” Ferguson said. “When I saw the Bedford County posting, I saw it as an opportunity to go home.”
Originally from Bedford County, Ferguson said he carefully weighed the decision with his family before applying.
“I thought on it, prayed on it and talked it over with my family before hitting submit,” he said. “My heart and head were telling me to take a chance.”
Ferguson’s career in emergency services began in 2000 as an emergency department technician-paramedic with Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He joined the Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS in 2001 as the county’s first staff paramedic and later rose to become chief.
During his tenure, Botetourt’s Fire & EMS system underwent significant growth and modernization. According to the county, Ferguson helped expand operational capabilities, strengthen partnerships with volunteer agencies, invest in personnel and apparatus, improve emergency preparedness, and place a greater emphasis on firefighter and EMS health and wellness.
Ferguson said he believes the department is well positioned for the future.
“I feel that Botetourt’s Department of Fire & EMS is positioned in an excellent spot to continue to evolve to meet the needs of the community,” he said. “I feel certain that Botetourt will remain in highly capable hands.”
Reflecting on his career, Ferguson said the people he worked alongside stand out most.
“I am most proud of the team that we’ve built and the level of services we provide to the Botetourt community,” he said. “There are many milestones along the way that I can look back and point to, but ultimately those are just moments in time along the road of my 25-year journey. What matters most to me about our accomplishments is that the coordinated Botetourt Fire & EMS system now has a strong foundation and strategic vision into the future.”
Ferguson acknowledged there is still work to do but said the department is well positioned to meet the challenges facing modern fire and EMS agencies.
“The state of the department is strong,” he said. “That is not to say that there isn’t more work to do, because there certainly is.”
Ferguson said he is confident the department’s firefighters, EMTs and volunteers have the knowledge, talent and determination to continue moving the department forward.
Asked what he hopes his legacy will be, Ferguson emphasized that the department’s future matters more than any one individual.
“I hope that my legacy is one of humility and grace,” he said. “My hope is that future generations can look back and see how our organization was led through changing circumstances, challenging times and cultural change to develop what will serve this community for generations to come.
“The organization will outlast every individual within it,” he added. “That is always important to remember, to stay grounded.”
As he prepares to leave, Ferguson expressed gratitude to the community and the firefighters, EMS personnel and volunteers he served alongside for a quarter-century.
“I am forever grateful for the opportunities afforded to me over the past 25 years and will cherish those memories for years to come,” he said.
“Botetourt is an amazing place, with amazing people.”
