HealthNet Aeromedical Services Names Richard “Rick” Callebs Team Leader for Mason County EMS
HealthNet Aeromedical Services has named Richard B. “Rick” Callebs as team leader for Mason County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), bringing decades of EMS experience and extensive leadership expertise to the role.
Callebs has more than 40 years of experience as a paramedic and has spent much of his career leading EMS operations in southeast Ohio. He previously served nine years as a Southeast Ohio EMS Station Chief and 11 years as Chief and Director of EMS for Athens County EMS (Ohio), where he oversaw five stations, seven paramedic units and more than 10,000 emergency responses annually.
“Rick is exactly the caliber of leader that Mason County needs right now,” said Clinton Burley, president and CEO of HealthNet Aeromedical Services. “He is extremely well versed in both the clinical and business operations of high-performing EMS programs. With the tremendous growth Mason County is experiencing, Rick will certainly assure that Mason County EMS grows with it.”
Callebs holds an associate’s degree in EMS Management and a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Rio Grande. His combination of frontline clinical experience, operational leadership and public administration will help guide Mason County EMS as the agency prepares to meet the community’s evolving needs, Burley explained.
The appointment follows a Management Services Agreement announced in July among HealthNet Aeromedical Services, Marshall Health Network and the Mason County Commission. Under the three-year agreement, which took effect July 31, HealthNet assumed daily management and strategic planning responsibilities for Mason County EMS, while EMS personnel remain employees of the Mason County Commission. At the time, HealthNet announced that a senior director would serve as interim team leader while a permanent leader was recruited.
“This appointment marks another important step forward for Mason County EMS,” said Mason County Commission President Rick Handley. “Rick brings a tremendous amount of experience to this role, and we are confident his leadership will help strengthen the service as Mason County continues to grow. Our priority remains ensuring residents have access to dependable, high-quality emergency medical services, and we look forward to working with Rick and HealthNet to continue building for the future.”
As team leader, Callebs will oversee the day-to-day operations of Mason County EMS while working with local personnel, county leaders and HealthNet leadership to support the continued development of the program.
The management partnership was established as Mason County experiences continued growth and new business investment. It is designed to strengthen emergency medical services while preserving Mason County EMS’ local identity, branding and workforce.
Plans announced in July also include development of a new permanent response station in the Leon/Baden community, anticipated to open in 2027. The facility is expected to improve response times to medical emergencies in rural areas of southeast Mason County and create approximately 12 full- and part-time positions.
About HealthNet Aeromedical Services
Headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, HealthNet Aeromedical Services is a not-for-profit critical care transport system cooperatively owned and operated by Marshall Health Network, Vandalia Health, and WVU Medicine. The organization serves Central Appalachia from eight helicopter bases across West Virginia. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, the program has safely transported more than 130,000 patients since beginning operations in 1986. In 2025, the organization became a founding member of Aeroterra HealthSM, a new nonprofit network of healthcare and medical transport partners focused on safety, responsible stewardship, and continuous improvement. To learn more about HealthNet Aeromedical Services, visit www.hnmed.org.
