Paul Lemasters

Several benefits for local dispatcher and longtime emergency responder Paul Lemasters are being held in Middlebourne. Lemasters has been hospitalized since April. A benefit dinner will be held Nov. 2, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the Middlebourne Volunteer Fire Dept. The meal will consist of ham, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, scalloped potatoes, homemade noodles, rolls, green beans, corn, baked beans, cole slaw, pasta and macaroni salad, cakes, pies, and beverages.

Also, the Tyler County Courthouse employees are holding benefit events for Lemasters. A turkey dinner will be offered in the commission room on Nov. 18 and bake sales are also being held in the hall on Tuesdays.

Lemasters was born January 21, 1960, to Ed and Ruth Lemasters. He has one sibling, Shirley Lemasters, who is deceased, as are both of his parents.

Paul attended Jacksonburg Grade School from 1966 to 1972 and Valley High School from 1972 to 1978. He worked for Potts Lumber Company from 1978-1981 as a laborer and drove a delivery truck for Interstate United Corporation from 1982 to 1984. From 1984 to 1990, Paul worked for Colin Anderson Center as a health service worker and also provided care for residents.

He was a member of Short Line EMS from 1977 to 1984 and as an EMTA from 1990 to 1996, Paul worked as a paramedic and ambulance service manager for Sistersville General Hospital. From 2003 to 2010, Paul worked for Wetzel County EMS as a paramedic.

In 1974, Paul joined Jacksonburg Volunteer Fire Department as a junior fireman. He assisted in construction of the first fire station. He held offices in the fire department up to and including fire chief. Paul then became certified with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in 1977. He wasn’t 18 yet, so the State of West Virginia held his state EMT card until January 1978.

Paul became certified to teach fire service extension classes for WVU through Wood County Bureau of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education in 1990. He taught the first basic firemanship class offered in Tyler County with Paul Gill, the assistant state fire marshall. Paul also taught EMT, Red Cross advanced, and standard first aid and CPR.

Paul worked for Tri-State Ambulance as a paramedic. He assisted with the West Virginia firefighter and EMS competition as a judge for several years and competed in West Virginia regional EMS competition and WV State Firefighters’ Competition.

A member of the Wetzel County Volunteer Firefighters’ Mutual Aid Association for eight years, Paul served on committees and served as secretary. Paul has been a dispatcher for Tyler County 911 since 2000.

His health battles began in April when he entered Sistersville General Hospital on April 12. There he was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis. He was transferred to Ohio Valley Medical Center that very day. He developed aspiration pneumonia and was on a ventilator until May 5. He was later transferred by aircraft to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. He was in-patient at WVU until July 31 and then transferred to Madison Center in Morgantown for two weeks. Lastly, Paul was transferred to HealthSouth Parkersburg for acute rehabilitation service, and transferred to Ruby Memorial Hospital again for surgery on Sept. 9. He was transferred back to HealthSouth in Parkersburg on Sept. 20.

An account is currently set up at Long Reach Credit Union for anyone wanting to make a monetary donation.