National EMS Week ends May 22

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Anytime, anywhere. We’ll be there.”

Barrow County Emergency Services interim chief John Skinner said the men and women that work in the field of emergency medical services do not do the job for the recognition, they do it because they care about their fellow citizens.

“They give of themselves and their personal time to be there when someone needs them,” Skinner said. “Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, these wonderful EMT and Paramedics are there for the citizens of Barrow County.”

Barrow County Emergency Services provides emergency medical service for all of Barrow County. Personnel assigned to the county’s six advance life support ambulances along with advanced life support and basic life support fire engine personnel are available to respond to life-threatening calls.

Within the City of Winder, the City of Winder Fire Department provides assistance as needed.

As a result, at least four personnel can be at the scene any time a citizen’s life is in jeopardy. All personnel with Barrow County Fire and EMS division are trained as either an EMT-intermediate or an EMT-paramedic. This training can make a profound difference for citizens in the case of a medical emergency.

The department provides ongoing training for its personnel in order to remain current with the newest technology and treatments. The department also recently formed an EMS Committee, installed donated modems in order to transmit EKGs to hospitals and have worked closely with medical director Dr. Deal to review all medical protocols.

The department also works to educate the citizens of Barrow County in life safety and injury prevention. In addition to presenting safety and educational messages to students in Barrow County Schools, emergency personnel at times provide safety and injury prevention tips to individual citizens at the time of an emergency call.

“Barrow County citizens can be very proud of the men and woman that serve in their emergency medical service department. They are highly trained and skilled professionals,” Skinner said. “This department works hard to live up to this year’s theme ‘Anytime, anywhere. We’ll be there.’ Each and every EMT and Paramedic always takes this theme to heart.”