Albany Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Cedric Scott looks to add registered nurse to his titles

ALBANY – At a time in their lives when most people are looking back on college as something well in the rearview mirror and possibly contemplating a future retirement, Albany Fire Chief Cedric Scott is looking forward to new adventures in nursing.

About two weeks ago, the 60-year-old Scott, who has been on the job in Albany since 2018, added a registered nursing degree to his master’s and associate’s degrees in business administration and associate’s degrees in fire service administration and health and paramedic technician.

While much of the motivation is related to his desire to have a better perspective on his job and the upcoming expansion of firefighters’ duties in emergency medicine, Scott plans to put on the uniform and pull some shifts in area medical facilities when time allows. On top of being the fire chief for the department that serves the city and rural Dougherty County, Scott’s duties also include that of emergency management director.

Among his particular interests are phlebotomy, kidney dialysis and nursing home care.

“They have opportunities for an evening shift or a weekend shift, so I’ll be able to put this to use,” Scott said. “I really enjoy serving others, being a face of calmness, a face that someone can look at and see there is someone here to make me feel better.”

As someone who rode an ambulance as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic for 13 years, the nursing training extends his knowledge of emergency medical care as well.

That training will be of use both in emergency situations and in passing that knowledge along to city firefighters as well as in the event of another pandemic such as the one COVID-19 brought to Albany in 2020.

For the fire department, Scott said he wants to create a standard of medical care that allows for a seamless transition in first response, turning a patient over to Dougherty County Emergency Medical Services and their eventual arrival and treatment at a hospital.

“Now I understand why it’s important to get them the care they need pre-hospital and how that contributes to the chain of care,” Scott said. “I just think the knowledge I’ve gained gives me a broader perspective on why our job is important as we get ready to start providing EMS services.”

While Scott attended a number of colleges and universities along the way, this was his first time attending one of the historically black colleges and universities and makes him an Albany State University alumnus. Joining that contingent has a special meaning, the fire chief said. After he took on the position in Albany, he actually adopted the university’s theme of “Excellence Is the Standard” for the fire department.

“It is rewarding because I am so happy to be a graduate of Albany State University,” he said. “I have so much respect for this institution and what it means for the community. Albany State has a tremendous history here. Even before I went to school, it has been a motivator to me. It is a top-quality school that I will forever be thankful for having the opportunity to (attend).”

Another motivation was his wife, Lydia, herself a registered nurse who was able to quiz him on class material and provide encouragement.

“Nursing school is very hard, so you’ve got to have that spirit,” Scott said. “Lydia, that’s my inspiration to me … just watching her be a nurse and the way she cares about her patients. She’s affected the people she meets. She’s my top inspiration in all of this.”

Albany City Manager Terrell Jacobs also provided support for Scott to pursue his late-middle-age dream of taking on a new educational challenge. His fellow students, who were much younger, also were part of that adventure as was his “fire department family.”

“We have embarked on an incredible journey together,” Scott said. “It took a lot of people to make it through this.

“Hopefully, my journey will inspire others to go back and do something they always wanted to do and that it’s never too late. It doesn’t have to be nursing; it can be music … or something else they wanted to do.”