Faithful Guardian
Training Center
220 West Wilson St.
Villa Rica, GA 30180
770-214-2252
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Faithful Guardian is locally owned and operated by Thomas Woodruff and & Jay Gazaway. They collectively have over 45 years experience specifically with healthcare, fire safety, emergency medicine and the emergency managaement industry. Their previous positions have allowed them to build personal relationships with fire and rescue services, healthcare professionals, providers, patients and their family members. |
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His professional background includes emergency services, operations, service delivery, education and training, quality assurance, personnel, human resources, and product procurement. His extended background with emergency medincine and fire/rescue emergencies provides Thomas with the experience and insight needed to manage a full service training center. He is the recipient of three Phoenix Awards, and possesses over seventy five credentials from over thirty local, state and federal agencies. Thomas was appointed to the Business Advisory Council in Washington D.C. in 2005, awarded the Congressional Medal of Distinction in 2006, and selected as the Honorary Chairman of the House Majority Trust in 2007.
She has worked in both the fire and the private sectors. She worked at Egelston Children’s Hospital for two years where she specialized in sickle cell anemia and while there worked as a Flight Paramedic with a fixed wing service. She currently holds instructor certificates as ACLS Instructor, BLS Instructor, GEMS Instructor and PALS Instructor. Tamantha has a teenage daughter (Hope), and two dachshunds (Lucky and Lucy). She is fluent in sign language and is very active in her church where she runs the health ministry and interprets for the deaf. Tamantha likes to spend down time with family and friends.
Nikie is responsible for a growing instructor base that is reaching a 8 county area. Her goals in this position are: making CPR training available to the community as well as to Emergency Service and Public Safety Personnel and to provide the most up to date and accurate information to the Instructors and other community groups. Nikie’s future goals are focused on updating current course content, as well as planning ahead for future Training Sites as well as maintain a growing community knowledge based CPR program.
Jordan began his public safety career immediately after high school and completed his EMT-I training at Coosa Valley Technical College. He became a Paramedic in 2004 and has worked for private and government public safety agencies. He currently holds numerous fire and EMS certifications such as Critical Care Paramedic, Level II EMS instructor, BLS instructor, firefighter and Hazmat Technician. He is also the recipient of several commendations including, VFW certificate of appreciation for actions taken during a call at one of their facilities, and EMT of the year award. He currently works for Paulding County Fire Rescue Bureau and Faithful Guardian Training Center. He has worked at Faithful Guardian Training Center since 2007. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and hiking.
He began working for Faithful Guardian Training Center since 2009. His certifications include BLS CPR Instructor, PALS instructor, PHTLS, ACLS, NREMT-P. In his spare time, he enjoys scuba diving, spending time with his two children, and photography.
He is married to Brooke and has two wonderful stepchildren (Dylan 3, and Luke 1). He is originally from Alabama where he started his EMS career. He has enjoyed becoming a part of the EMS community here in West Georgia and enjoys helping others to find their calling as well.
A certified Tactical Swat Medic (and POST Certified) for over 10 years he has received the national certification of TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Specialist) and continues to train other SWAT Medics. He holds a B.S. in Fire Science with focus in education. Additionally, Julio holds national certifications in every major EMS and Fire related subject, most with instructorship. His special assignments and Commitments/ Training/Awards include:
He is active in a variety of organizations including GAEMS, NAEMT, and NAEMSE. As such he has served as guest speaker and instructor both locally and nationally on a variety of EMS related topics. Outside of professional interests, he is a nationally ranked Olympic style fencer. He is one of the US National coaches for US the Paralympic Fencing Team, and team coach for Sheppard Spinal Center Fencing program. He enjoys fencing, reading, working with disabled athletes and traveling.
After several years in the optical field, Johnny got his real estate license and went self employed. Over the next several years he and his wife had a convenience store, video store, and then started a general contractor and real estate business. He remained in that line of work until the economy’s affect on the housing industry forced him to close both companies and left him wondering what to do next. He graduated from Faith Guardian Training Center with his EMT-I in October 2008. He was employed by Clark Ambulance service from November 2008 to April 2010, while attending paramedic school. He graduated from Faithful Guardian in July 2010 and started work with Puckett EMS in September 2010 as a Paramedic, where he is still currently employed.
She is married to a Douglas County Firefighter and they have four children together. Their two teen daughters are very involved in school activities; Academic gifted program, cheerleading, and color guard. Their two boys are in elementary school and are involved in the gifted programs, baseball, and soccer. They are a close family, constantly traveling from one activity to another. When they get a chance, they enjoy playing at the lake, boating, water sports, fishing and hunting just about any time of the year.
She has worked at Faithful Guardian for four years. Ami is currently a CPR Instructor for American Heart Training Center, and she is currently working on her EMT Intermediate. In her spare time, Ami spends time with her family and friends.
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Call us today for enrollment and schedule information... 770-214-2252
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Thomas Woodruff, B.S., EMT-P, FGTC Executive Director, has worked for both private and public emergency
service agencies providing healthcare interventions with clients
in extended care situations. He has held management positions for
over fifteen years and possesses a B. S. in Health Studies. 
Tamantha Cumbie, M.Ed, NREMT-P, FGTC Program Director, became an Emergency Medical Technician in 1992 and began her career working for Douglas County Fire Department. She graduated from Gwinnett Tech with her Paramedic in 1994. She has a BS in Education from the University of West Georgia where she is currently in Grad school obtaining a Masters in Education. She holds a T-4 teaching certificate for the state of Georgia.
Nikie Smith is the Office Manager at Faithful Guardian Training Center. Nikie was born in Douglasville, GA. where she attended Alexander High School. Upon graduating High School, she worked at Wellstar Douglas Hospital ER prior to taking the position as American Heart Training Center Coordinator at Faithful Guardian in April 2009. Her current position entails both hands-on instruction as well as Training Center/ Instructor management. 
Jay Gazaway, EMT-I, EVE Coordinator, has been in the emergency services field since 1988 when he became a professional firefighter/EMT. He has been a supervisor in his field for 15 years. He lives in Whitesburg , Ga. with his wife Lisa, and sons Cole, 10, and Seth, 7. He is dedicated to making a difference in our EMS community through Faithful Guardian. Jay is the DT4EMS coordinator for FGTC. 
Jordan Pierson, EMT-P, Level II Instructor, FGTC Clinical Coordinator, was born into a public safety family. His father and uncle were firefighters and paramedics. He was raised in Rome, Georgia until moving to the West Georgia area in late 2000. He graduated from Pepperell High School in Lindale in 2000. 
Brett Wardlaw, EMT-P, Level II Instructor, was born in Portland, OR and later he moved to Georgia. He attended McEachern High School in Cobb County. After high school he attended West Central Technical College and obtained his EMT Intermediate and Paramedic. He has been a Paramedic for 6 years. After obtaining a Paramedic License, he worked at Puckett Ambulance Service, Douglas County Fire Department and is currently working at Paulding County Fire Department as a Fire Fighter Paramedic. 
John Hurley, NREMT-P, Level II Instructor, has been in Fire/EMS for 14 years. He is currently working as a Sergeant/Paramedic for Douglas County Fire Department and is a part-time paramedic for Puckett EMS. He has been a Level II EMS Instructor for Georgia for the last 5 years. He also holds instructor certifications for BLS, ACLS, ITLS, Tox-medic, EPC, GEMA Hazmat, NPQ Hazmat, NPQ Fire Instructor I, NPQ Evaluator, and Structural Fire Control. 
Julio Diaz, B.S., NREMT-P, Level III Instructor, came to Faithful Guardian with over twenty five years of service in Fire/EMS. Currently working at Gwinnett County Fire where he developed many successful and unique academic programs utilizing emerging technologies in education and communication process; he also served as the Program Director/ Training officer and was instrumental in bringing National Accreditation to the department (the first Fire Department Paramedic Training Program to be granted such). He is now working in the field as a Firefighter III/PMDC at Station 19. Julio came to Gwinnett County after more than 16 years at DeKalb County Fire and Rescue where he was a lieutenant in the training department and then a Captain in the field. Much of his early career was spent at Grady Medical where he worked for 6 years, and was EMS Supervisor.
Johnny Panter, NREMT-P, Level II Instructor, is native to Paulding County. He graduated from Paulding County High School and went to work for an optical lab at 17 and was promoted to manager at 19. He and his wife have been married for 32 years and have a son and a daughter. Johnny is a member of New Covenant Fellowship Church.
Valerie Reid, NREMT-P, Level III Instructor, is currently a Level III Instructor for Faithful Guardian Training Center. She has been involved in EMS since 1997. She joined Douglas County Fire Department in the fall of 1999 as an EMT. She returned to school at North Metro Technical College in 2000 for her Paramedic certification. She began adjunct instructing in EMT classes about the same time and has since obtained her level III instructor certification. She holds instructor certifications in ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, and ITLS. 
Ami Alvis is our Special Courses Instructor and was born in Boulder, Colorado. Her mother is a firefighter paramedic for Douglas County Fire Department in Douglasville, Ga. Her father is also employed with Douglas County Fire Department. Ami graduated from Temple High School in 2003 and obtained her Associates Degree in Science from Georgia Highlands College 2008. She worked at Bremen City Schools for three years prior to working at Faithful Guardian Training Center. 
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