Dare County EMS celebrated four employees who recently graduated from College of The Albemarle’s (COA) Advanced EMT to Paramedic program.

The ceremony—which was held on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at the College of The Albemarle's campus in Elizabeth City—celebrated the graduation of Jonathan "JonMark" Swain, Ethan White, Brooke Cox and Victoria Passmore.

This year-long program consisted of lectures and labs, hospital clinical time, field time with designated paramedic preceptors, and countless hours of studying and homework to prepare for exams—all while the students continued to work their public safety schedules to serve their communities.

“Dare County EMS is extremely proud of our graduates and their accomplishment, and we thank them for their continued dedicated service to the citizens and visitors of Dare County,” said Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins.

Throughout North Carolina, incumbent personnel affiliated with any public safety agency (EMS, fire department or law enforcement) can attend a North Carolina community college and advance their professional credentials as a fee-exempt student. These new paramedics will fill existing vacancies in their own departments, which are difficult to fill by external hiring only.

For more information about local EMS programs that are available through COA, please visit www.albemarle.edu/emsce or contact COA’s EMS program coordinator, Walter Meads, at walter_meads@albemarle.edu or 252-335-0821 ext. 2519. For more information about Dare County EMS—including various positions that are currently available within the department—please click here.

Graduates pictured from left to right: Jonathan "JonMark" Swain, Ethan White, Brooke Cox and Victoria Passmore