On January 1, 2023, EMT Sergeant Ryan Myers of Lexington County EMS officially retired after serving Lexington County for 24 years. His EMT colleagues affectionately called him Oscar, evoking a familiar commercial jingle from the past. “My first supervisor in EMS always called me Oscar and it just kind of stuck,” he says.
Myers grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. Following high school graduation, he joined the Army where he served as a member of the air defense branch in combat tours of both Operation Just Cause, and Operation Desert Storm. After his return to the States, Myers eventually settled in Irmo.
He worked for several companies before meeting an EMT whose description of the job sounded exciting. Myers knew his need for challenge and more meaningful experiences would not be met by a 9-5 desk job, so he took the required EMT education training. Lexington County called, and he began what he thought would be his “temporary” job, one that lasted 24 years until his retirement in January.
Myers explains why he loved the job. “It’s never the same thing; every day is completely different. Every call is different. You have no idea if your next call is going to be a stomachache or a gunshot wound. I enjoyed that, as well as the adrenaline rush,” he said. It makes perfect sense, coming from someone who had served in two major military operations.
Myers remembers a call to a home with no electricity and a mother-to-be who seemingly did not know she was pregnant. It turned out that she was, with twins.
He has performed CPR multiple times on patients who have overdosed and administered its reversal drug Narcan at least 100 times. Myers made a practice of treating each patient, no matter what the situation, by putting himself in a parent’s position. “It can be a tough job, but that person is still somebody’s child,” he says.
When asked for advice about the job, he says, “Try to keep an open mind. As hard as it is, don’t judge people. Some people are in a situation they have no control over. They may not have as good an upbringing as you did. An old paramedic taught me, ‘Be smart enough to know how dumb you really are.’ Those were words for me to live by.”
A man with a big heart who met difficult challenges head-on, Ryan Myers not only found his niche, but he provided unwavering dedication and excellent care for those who needed it most.
For Myers, retirement means spending time with his five grandchildren from his two children, and it means fishing for crappie and bass on the lake. And as soon as his wife retires, it means traveling.