New Medical Director Named For Cherokee Fire Department

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Dr. Jon Allen was recently named the new medical director for Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services. Allen will be replacing Dr. Jill Mabley who will be working as the medical director of the training division.

Allen was born and raised in north-central Indiana. After graduating from Wabash College, one of two all-male liberal arts colleges in the country, he went on to complete medical school at Indiana University school of Medicine in 2004. He completed an emergency medicine residency at the Medical College of Georgia in 2007 with a focus on tactical, disaster, and pre-hospital medicine. He has extensive operational medicine experience, gained both throughout residency and during his career as an emergency physician. He has previously served as a medical director for several public safety agencies, including Columbia County (GA) Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville (TN) Police Department, East Ridge (TN) Fire Department, and Walker County (GA) Sheriff’s Office. He also served his country as a flight surgeon and medical director of the McGhee-Tyson ANG Base Fire Department with the 134th Medical Group of the Tennessee Air National Guard.

Allen currently works for a government contractor for the U.S. Department of State as the operational medical director for an overseas diplomatic protective security contract in the Middle East. He also provides emergency medical care to patients in the Northside Hospital system at the Cherokee, Gwinnett and Duluth campuses.

Mabley became the medical director of the fire department in October 2000. Mabley was the first fire department medical director to become a firefighter at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. She was also the medical director for the Georgia Fire Academy for many years and served on the Georgia EMS Medical Director Advisory Council for 25 years and served as chairman for nine years. Mabley was also the state office of EMS deputy medical director from 2010 until 2013.

Mabley was honored to be the first recipient of the annual state EMS medical director in 2008. Mabley also worked with the Cherokee County Fire Explorers for many years and also worked with Cherokee County EMS Program Director, Randy Pierson, to achieve national accreditation of the fire department's paramedic training program.

“I know Dr. Allen will continue with aggressive evidence based protocols and leadership. He is a wonderful person, and you will enjoy working with him. We have discussed the future of the department, including community paramedic, critical care medic, and tactical medics. Please welcome him,” Mabley said. “Working with Cherokee Fire, becoming a firefighter, sparring with the State and being part of this fire family for the past 22 years has been the best thing that I have done in my life, and I’ve done a lot of different things. Thanks to all for the support that you have given me."