Metro Life Flight veteran Henry Smitley hired to lead South Lorain County Ambulance District

WELLINGTON — After a dozen years as a critical care paramedic for Metro Life Flight, Henry Smitley is looking to spend some time on the ground as the new director of the South Lorain County Ambulance District. He'll take over for retiring Director Skip Gentry — another Life Flight veteran — on Wednesday, June 1. "It's a little bit of a learning curve because everybody does things a little differently," Smitley said. He was one of three finalists to head ambulance service in the southernmost reaches of the county, said Wellington Council President Gene Hartman, who represents the village's interests on the SLCAD board. "We must be born under a lucky star in Wellington, that's all I have to say," he said. "All the stars aligned and Hank Smitley kind of fell in our lap." He was the perfect fit for the job, Hartman said. A resident of Sullivan Township, Smitley has worked part time for the district for a couple of years and knows its personnel. He's also worked closely with Gentry to airlift patients, and previously served as captain for Lafayette Township Fire and Rescue for 14 years. Smitley said he had a lot of good years and tight friendships there, but he wanted a new challenge. Ken Ziegler, president of the SLCAD board, said Smitley was impressively assertive in interviews, is well-rounded and has demonstrated his ability to lead and inspire. "He was the right fit. He had the demeanor that we wanted in a director," Ziegler said. Doubling down on training will be the big priority for the South Lorain County Ambulance District in the next few years, according to Hartman and Ziegler. They'll be relying on Smitley to carry on Gentry's push to beef up paramedics' clinical skills, which are especially important because of long transport times from remote rural locations to hospitals in Norwalk, Oberlin, Lorain and Elyria. Smitley said he also wants to relaunch CPR and first aid classes for the public, which were held regularly until axed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hiring is another goal, he said. While SLCAD has an active roster of 31 employees, it is still operating with a staff shortage like many other health care providers across the nation. "A lot of it is pandemic driven. Some people have gone in different fields," Smitley said. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.