Click play below to hear Britt's last call.

 Britt started serving the state of Virginia as a junior firefighter in Grundy, Va., while still in high school. He made his home in Bristol most of his life and was a Navy corpsman in Vietnam and came back to Virginia to continue his service after leaving the Navy. He was a life member of the Bristol Life Saving Crew, where he served as a paramedic and as the training lieutenant. When Britt joined the Bristol Life Saving Crew in 1971, Advance First Aid was the only classification. The OMD at the time, Dr. Baxter, was teaching the first local EMT class at the hospital. He allowed Britt to reciprocate to EMT in consideration of his hospital corpsmen classification from his Navy service. Shortly after, Britt went to Southwest Community College and took courses to become one of the first lay instructors in the state. Britt worked with Dr. Zaidi to start a Mobile Coronary Care Program. Nurses from the former Bristol Memorial Hospital rode with members of the Bristol Life Saving Crew. Britt was the first in this area to successfully defibrillate a patient in the field when the unit was called to the aid of a Bristol Virginia firefighter. Britt was approached by the EMS director in 1984 about the possibility of bringing Med Flight helicopters to the area. Britt worked with Dr. Kirksey, the OMD at that time, to develop an education plan for bridging cardiac techs to paramedic level necessary for Med Flight. Thirteen cardiac techs took the course and in March of 1985, Britt was certified as NREMT-Paramedic. He was one of the original 12 flight medics for the local Med Flight. Britt was the medic on the first local Med Flight transport and has trained many of those who followed. Ask any EMT or firefighter in Bristol Virginia or Tennessee, including PSOs in Tennessee, and they will likely tell you they have been taught at least one course by Britt Compton. In his 27 years as an instructor, Britt has taught EMTs at all levels including paramedic. He was an instructor for NALS, CPR, ACLS, PALS, BTLS and was the ALS coordinator for the State of Virginia. He was currently teaching a second generation as some of his current students were the children of graduates of previous classes. Britt has dedicated much of his life to teaching and has helped educate current fire and police chiefs, paramedics, flight nurses and others whose distinguished service can be in some part attributed to the excellent instruction and careful preparation for their important work they received from Britt Compton. His consistent expectation of excellence from each student and his own high standards and vast knowledge and experience made him the best instructor any student could hope for.

It is with deepest regret and remorse that we acknowledge the death of Johnny Earl Morphew. Earl was a former crew member and veteran firefighter and paramedic in Chilhowie, VA and a sergeant with the Bristol Virginia Fire Department as well as a flight medic with Wellmont One and MedFlight II. Earl was a remarkable person and brilliant paramedic who mentored many during his long history with local departments. We are all indebted to him for his lifelong commitment of serving others and should contend for his exemplary character. The Bristol area and EMS collectivity has suffered a great loss with his death. This senseless act that took his life is inexcusable, and although the damage has been done, his legacy will live on forever. We will always remember Earl Morphew.