First responders form county association

Members of Randolph County volunteer fire departments that are usually first on the scene of accidents or medical emergencies are known as first responders. In order to share experiences and facilitate continuing training, they have gotten together and formed the Randolph County First Responders Association.

These fire department members require almost as much medical training as the personnel that respond in the ambulances. With the large number of medical emergency calls for fire departments in the county, 40 first responders from around the county have completed 16 hours of intense training and will continue training at least once per month.

First responders are trained in basic life support, how to care for an injured or sick patient and how to assist ambulance personnel. The first responders are trained to stabilize patients until ambulance personnel arrive and in most cases have vital signs (pulse, respirations, etc.) for the personnel when they arrive.

There have been a number of occasions where first responders have started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on patients that have suffered heart attacks, have packaged patients who have fallen or have been involved in automobile accidents, have controlled bleeding and have performed other lifesaving measures. In other cases first responders have just assisted ambulance personnel in placing the patient on a stretcher and placing them in the back of the ambulance.

At a recent training session of the newly formed association, the first responders elected officers. Vicki Minter, who is a paramedic, flight nurse with Evac 1, registered nurse and nurse practitioner, has been teaching the classes and is director of the association. Curtis “Tank” Martin of Southern Ambulance Transport, who is assistant class instructor and a fireman with Wedowee Fire Department, is the president. Ann Hammond of Woodland Fire Department is vice-president, Mike McCormick of Wedowee Fire Department is secretary, Ken Conaway of A & M Fire Department is treasurer and Clayton Scott of New Hope Fire Department is the association chaplain. Terry Graham, an EMT with Southern Ambulance Transport, also helps teach the classes.

For more information on joining the association and participating in training classes, contact Curtis Martin at (256) 357-4908.

Officers of the newly formed Randolph County First Responders Association are (from left) Vicki Minter, Curtis Martin, Ann Hammond, Mike McCormick, Ken Conaway and Clayton Scott.