Tim Bell

CCP, CRT
Flight Paramedic

Tim Bell was named the 2018 Tennessee Ambulance Service Paramedic of the Year. Read that story here. 

Tim has worked for Vanderbilt LifeFlight since 2005. He was one of the first paramedics hired to work in the flight division.

Bell obtained his paramedic license in 1995 and completed critical care paramedic training at The University of Tennessee. He has an additional license as a Certified Respiratory Therapist.

When he joined Vanderbilt LifeFlight his clinical responsibilities as a critical care flight paramedic include providing advanced critical care, trauma and medical care for patients across the lifespan. His responsibilities include management of intra-aortic balloon pumps and left ventricular assist devices and the clinical management of patients on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), a machine used to pump and oxygenate a patient's blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

In 2017, he obtained his Air Paramedic 4, a distinction attributed to paramedics operating at the height of VUMC’s paramedic clinical ladder.

As a Cannon County, Tennessee native, he has deep roots and has been actively involved in that community. Throughout Bell’s 27 years as a healthcare provider, he has demonstrated a continued commitment to leadership. Since 1993, he has been a volunteer with the Cannon County Rescue Squad and a board member for the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads Education Committee (1993-present). He has served on the board of the Cannon County Emergency Communications Committee (2004-2009) as well as the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Emergency Services (2006-2014). He was Chairman of the Board from 2013-16 of the Cannon County Homeland Security Committee and remains an active member of the Cannon County Fire Board (2015-present).

He has been named Cannon County Rescue Squad Member of the Year three times (1995, 1998 and 2012), in addition to receiving the Cannon County Rescue Squad’s John Stiles Award. He was similarly awarded the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squad’s Trainer of the Year in 2008 and 2012. Tim was honored by his peers in 2012 with the Vanderbilt LifeFlight Medical Crew Excellence Award and was part of the Outreach and Education Committee, which was awarded Vanderbilt Medical Center’s Team Award.