Gene was an EMS pioneer who devoted 27 years of his life toward the establishment, improvement and regulatory development of modern EMS systems throughout Texas. A native of Arkansas, Gene graduated from Arkansas Tech University and arrived in Wichita Falls, Texas at the age of 21 as a management trainee for the J.C. Penny Company.

In early 1972, he went to work for the Texas Department of Health (TDH) conducting first aid training (8 hours) around the state, which at the time was the “standard of care” for “ambulance attendants”. The newly developed EMT curriculum (81 hours) was not mandatory under state law, and ambulance operators, employees and physicians were reluctant to acknowledge and embrace the need for higher educational standards – to say the least. Emergency medicine wasn’t a recognized medical specialty, and wouldn’t become so until 1979.

To overcome this resistance and provide an educational middle ground, Gene, in partnership with Bob Koonce, Jimmy Dunn and Harold Broadbent took 24 hours from the EMT curriculum and created the Emergency Care Attendant (ECA) course. It was the only “stepping stone” course known to exist in the United States at the time, although other states were soon to follow suit. By the early 1980’s, there were over 35 different hybrids of pre hospital provider educational curricula had been developed throughout the states.

Gene went on to become an ECA and EMT. He graduated in 1974 from the fourth paramedic training class taught by the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas. The program used draft paramedic training curricula and nursing textbooks because paramedic training texts had not yet been developed. Following graduation, Gene worked briefly as the first paramedic in the newly created EMS system in Williamson County.

In 1975, he went back to work for the TDH, and in 1977 was transferred to Austin in order to write Texas’ first state paramedic exam. Following that, he moved to Houston to become an executive director, and established the EMS service now known as Cypress Creek EMS. He was recruited by the UTHSC in Houston to establish a paramedic training program at the school. The program’s medical director was Dr. “Red” Duke. After three and a half years at UTHSC-Houston, and anticipating the end of categorical federal EMS funding, Gene went back to work for the TDH in 1981 as its newly created Director of Programs.

In 1983, the EMS Act passed the Texas Legislature and Gene helped craft the rules under the new Act, most of which, still exist today. Two years later, Gene was named as Texas’ first Bureau Chief. In the 1990’s, he oversaw the development of trauma care systems throughout the state.

Upon his retirement in 1999, many accomplishments were attributed to his leadership and unrelenting style:

• Texas’ first statewide EMS conference

• Texas’ first statewide EMS magazine

• The Texas EMS Monument

• The Texas EMS Hall of Fame

• The Texas EMS Hall of Honor

• 43,000 certified medics and 1,700 licensed paramedics practicing in Texas

Knowing Gene, he would have completely ignored what I just wrote. He was that kind of a “reglar” guy. He never saw himself as being very important or very smart. He was a bridge builder, a diplomat, a manager of unlikely coalitions and a seeker of new ideas – all of which are rare in EMS today. He always wanted to know what others thought about issues before expressing his ideas. He thrived on change.

“I don’t have to be the smartest guy in the world – I only need to be smarter than my enemies.” Now, THAT was Gene Weatherall. For those of us who knew him, he was a unique blend of a gentle and innocent spirit; a horseman (he was a team roper); a politician; a quiet leader; a true and compassionate friend; and, most of all – a naturalized Texas gentleman.

He was also a great practical joker, who would go to tremendous lengths to set up the sting. He loved to laugh, and make other people laugh too, with his wry and understated cowboy humor. His political adversaries, who were unfortunate enough to underestimate his political prowess, also discovered the lengths that Gene would go in order to achieve his objectives. He was a master of the “golly-gee ma’am” and “rope-a-dope” schools of political combat. The degree of skill that it takes most people an entire career to develop – was intuitive to Gene.

His gregarious nature and easy conversational style led many influential people to “water at his trough”. And, he was excruciatingly patient when seeking converts. By contrast, he was always more than willing to give his opponents all the rope that they needed to hang themselves, while claiming no knowledge of its origin. He knew which battles to fight and which ones to avoid – “Oh well”.

Following his retirement in 1999, Gene quickly shed his Bureau Chief identity and became much more introspective. His battle with cancer and loss of his daughter Annie led him to confront his mortality with his characteristic fearlessness and selfless attitude. With the loving, loyal and courageous support of his wife Mary, Gene entered his final days; sometimes revisiting all of the old road trips, meetings and events that made him laugh. Among other things, he talked about starting the state EMS meeting and the state EMS magazine. He also discussed the fact that he never was able to “pull off” the statewide EMS pasture party and chili cook-off. Well Gene – our departed friend – this is for you.

Written by: Bob Kellow