Capt. Jamarius Tate serves as the Community Engagement Director with the LAUNCH team. He is a native of Thomson, GA and a true definition of what LAUNCH stands for. After facing personal disparities, he had to make a difficult decision on what direction his life needed to go. Unsure of what to do, he became a cadet firefighter at the age of 15. This was his first exposure to public safety. From this point  he went on to become a career firefighter. He then graduated from Augusta University’s Center of Operational Medicine as a Nationally Registered Paramedic. He currently works for Columbia County Fire/ Rescue at the rank of Captain and their EMS Training Coordinator. He is also a Georgia EMS Instructor that teaches initial education for beginning pre-hospital care providers. Capt. Tate’s life-story is a testament to LAUNCH’s mission and goals. He hopes sharing his experiences can help navigate the youth into rewarding and prosperous careers in healthcare.