For Matthew Black, emergency medical service is not about the long hours on the clock.

It’s not about driving a neat vehicle with flashing lights and screaming sirens, and it’s certainly not about the long hours spent away from his family.

It’s about serving people.

“I just enjoy helping people,” said the 47-year-old Black.

“I really love this job.”

Since his graduation from Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Va., Black has been involved in some aspect of the medical field.

He started as an orderly in the surgery department at Redman Park Hospital in Rome, Ga., where he was eventually trained as a scrub technician.

After working with various companies performing heart catheters throughout southern Georgia, Black, along with his new wife Tammy, moved to Thomasville, Ala., in 1997.

In Thomasville, Black’s first job was with Wal-Mart, then with the city’s parks and recreation department.

But after a hand injury, Black found another path he wanted to head down.

“At the time, I had a friend who was completing his EMS training and it got me kind of interested,” Black said.

After completing training with Alabama Southern in Thomasville, Black began work with Knight’s Ambulance service up to 2002.

At that time, he started with Tombigbee EMS.

Throughout the six years he’s spent in Demopolis, Black has served as both a scrub technician and an EMT.

“I enjoy EMT work much more because the patient is actually awake and can appreciate what you do for them. In [the operating room] your patient is asleep,” said Black.

For now, Black works with Tombigbee EMS and part-time in Selma as an EMT.

“I just really love what I do.”