Knox Co. doctor returns from Ukraine, trained hundreds to use tactical skills

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - After spending two weeks in a war zone, Dr. Russ Frazier is back home with his family. Frazier traveled with other physicians with Global Surgical and Medical Support Group to Ukraine to help.

The volunteer team trained 400 Ukrainians how to save a life through tactical emergency skills. Trained military, similar to the U.S. National Guard, kept the doctor and other volunteers safe. He told WVLT News there were people from all walks of life wanting to pitch in and learn from the American doctors.

“When the sirens would go off, everyone would have to move down to the basement, it was also a public shelter. So people from outside would come to that gym and come down to the basement when the sirens were going off,” Frazier said.

When the doctor was not serving the country, he’s making a difference in East Tennessee as a Knox County SWAT physician and the Knox County Rescue chief. He started working with the rescue team since he was a teenager.

Frazier is now back working with his patients at Methodist Medical Center.

“Mission complete. I’m very proud,” Dr. Frazier said. “I was with a great, great bunch of people.”

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