Greg Higginbotham officially begins leading Pella Community Ambulance today. Higginbotham tells KNIA/KRLS News as the new director, he looks forward to bolstering the life-saving service in the community.

“When I heard the Pella Community Ambulance position came open, it was perfect timing for me,” he says. “It was at a time where I was ready to be either a chief or director somewhere, and this just happened to be in our backyard.”

“It’s a place I’m familiar with, because we’ve come over here and helped out in Pella quite a bit, and being a lifelong resident of Marion County, I know the county well, so I felt the transition over here would be almost perfect for what my background has.”

He was most recently the deputy chief of Knoxville Fire and Rescue since 2010. Pella Community Ambulance Board President Steve Schemm tells KNIA/KRLS News Higginbotham’s experience in that department and as a coach, as well as his familiarity with the area were all key factors that led to his hire.

Higginbotham is filling a role left vacant since August 2017, when Laura Clanton resigned from the position. Pella Community Ambulance board members and current staff helped fill those responsibilities during that time.