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June, 2013
1st Responder Newspaper - sE
GEORGIA
Barrow County Emergency Services employee recognized Barrow County Emergency Services had one of their own recently recognized as their Paramedic of the Year. Lieutenant Michael Barnes received the award at the annual Georgia Emergency Medical Services Region 10 Awards Banquet. He was also one of several employees recognized at Tuesday night’s Board of Commissioners’ meeting. “Lieutenant Barnes was nominated by his peers and is well deserving of this award,” stated Chief Merrifield. “He has worked hard for our team and is a true asset to the citizens of this county.” Lieutenant Barnes joined Barrow County Emergency Services in 2003 as a firefighter and emergency medical technician and was named Rookie of the Year for his hard work and dedication. He quickly showed his determination to learn more about his job and offer the best services to the citizens we serve. He enrolled in a paramedic class and received his paramedic certification in 2004. With this certification, Lieutenant Barnes continued to work on improving his skills and knowledge, which helped him in receiving a Hero Award in 2005. This award was given to Lieutenant Barnes for his outstanding treatment to a trauma patient. Continuing to gain knowledge and improve his skills, Lieutenant
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Barnes became an instructor of numerous fire and EMS classes. He works to help others better understand their jobs and can be called upon to work with newly hired personnel that are just learning the job. Due to his dedication to learning and his strong work ethics, he was promoted to Lieutenant in 2011. In this position, Lieutenant Barnes is responsible for his crew and station, including making sure the crew receives all required training. His knowledge and training, as well as his certifications as an instructor in several classes have greatly assisted him in these efforts. Since being employed with Barrow County Emergency Services, Lieutenant Barnes noted a need to assist another agency, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office. Identifying the need for SWAT medics, Lieutenant Barnes worked with another paramedic to see if there was a way to fill that need. Lieutenant Barnes is one of the original members of the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team as a tactical medic. This required him to take additional specialized law enforcement training to become a member of this elite force. After joining the Barrow County
SWAT Team, Lieutenant Barnes quickly became a leader and started moving the SWAT Medic program forward. His commitment and dedication to the SWAT team was the gateway of taking our service to the next level and above many other agencies within the state by providing advanced medical care to our law enforcement agencies. Lieutenant Barnes has been able to improve the relationship between the law enforcement agencies and fire/ems service. This was accomplished by his determination to promote and educate the team of the importance in having trained medical staff on-site. With this in mind, the tactical medic program has been in operation for 6 full years here in Barrow County. The SWAT medic team has expanded the members from 2 to 5 members. Lieutenant Barnes also developed and implemented the medical protocols for this team. He has also become an instructor in the TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) where he has been able to teach the team members this additional training for both the Sheriff’s office and members of Barrow County Emergency Services. “I became a paramedic because no day is the same,” commented Lieutenant Barnes. “You never know
SCOTT DAKIN Lieutenant Barnes his wife Kristi, daughter Brooklynn and son Jackson
what kind of call you will run and you can really make a difference in people’s lives.” Lieutenant Barnes is married to his wife Kristi. They have a son named Jackson who is six, and a daughter named Brooklynn who is 19 months old. “Lieutenant Barnes is and has been a vital part of our organization
and truly puts his heart and soul into public safety as a whole,” stated Chief Merrifield. “His countless hours of dedication and commitment to our service make him well deserving to be recognized as our paramedic of the year.” - SCOTT DAKIN
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