ADA COUNTY, Idaho — Janny Wing has spent two decades with Ada County Paramedics responding to emergencies across the Treasure Valley, caring for patients, supporting grieving families and helping new paramedics navigate difficult calls.
This spring, Wing became the first woman in the agency’s history to be promoted to deputy chief, marking a milestone for both her career and the department, KTVB reported.
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Wing did not set out to work in EMS. She was studying to become a teacher and working summers at Roaring Springs Water Park when employees were encouraged to earn EMT certifications. What began as job training soon became a career.
She volunteered as an EMT in Elmore County during the winter before deciding to pursue a career in emergency medicine.
“I decided this was more fun than being a school teacher,” Wing said.
Wing joined Ada County Paramedics in 2005 and rose from EMT to deputy chief. She now oversees 144 field staff members and up to 18 ambulances, crediting her colleagues and the human side of patient care for keeping her in EMS.
As deputy chief, Wing now helps lead the next generation of paramedics. She said the profession has become more inclusive since her early days, when women’s uniforms were not always available, but the emotional weight of EMS remains the same.
Wing encourages crews to talk through difficult calls, seek peer support and avoid carrying trauma alone. For her, leadership means never asking others to do something she would not do herself.
“I don’t want to ask anybody that works for me to do something that I’m not willing to do,” she said.
