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November, 2016

1ST Responder Newspaper - SE

GEORGIA

Citizen Thanks BCES for Life Saving Efforts

PROVIDED

Stephen Dooley has been named Paulding County’s new EMA Coordinator.

New EMA Coordinator Named for Paulding County Hiram, GA - On August 24th, Stephen Dooley was named Paulding County’s new EMA Coordinator. Dooley has nearly 20 years of experience in law enforcement, criminal investigations and JUMP TO FILE# emergency manage- 082516118 ment. He has spent the last 15 years with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, most recently as a Detective Corporal in the Criminal Investigations Division. Prior to coming to Paulding, he served the citizens of Polk County in their Sheriff's Office as an EMA Assistant in their Emergency Management Agency, as a volunteer Firefighter and as the Disaster Services/Emergency Preparedness Director for the City of Aragon Fire Department. Vickie Thompson, Paulding County’s Deputy EMA Director, commented, “As you can see, Stephen brings vast experience to our department. He has been a Certified Emergency Manager since 2007

and is state-certified by GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency). Last year he also earned national recognition as a Homeland Protection Professional thru the National Domestic Preparedness Coalition. We are very fortunate to have someone with his background here in Paulding County. When a disaster strikes it is crucial to have knowledge and experience on our side so we can act fast to help our community.” The Paulding County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) helps local officials, businesses and citizens plan and prepare before disasters strike. The EMA office serves as the local conduit for state and federal disaster relief programs. They coordinate immediate aid countywide if a major incident occurs. If that happens, part of the EMA responsibility is to conduct a damage assessment that may result in a disaster declaration at the state or federal level with things such as external disaster support and funding. - STEVE MAPES

Barrow County, GA - Just after 10:00 A.M. on a Saturday morning in April of 2016, communication officers with Barrow County Emergency Services received a 911 call reporting an accident on Highway-316 at Patrick Mill Road. “Several people called this accident in and reported an overturned vehicle and several people trapped in their ve- JUMP TO FILE# hicles,” commented 082516110 Captain Scott Dakin. “When we arrived we found a two vehicle collision, with one vehicle on its side.” Crews with Barrow County Emergency Services found two people in the SUV that was on its side. One of these patients was Brenda Vinson, a driver of the vehicle that had rolled over. Paramedics found her unresponsive with some obvious injuries. One person was assigned to monitor the two patients, while other crew members started extrication and cared for patients in the other vehicle. Firefighters from Stations 3, 4 and 7 responded to this incident. Working together, they removed the roof of the SUV in order to gain access to the two patients. Once the roof was removed, crews were able to better assess Brenda and remove her from the vehicle. “It was obvious to us that Brenda had suffered some critical injuries as a result of the accident,” stated Captain Dakin. “We knew that she needed to be treated and transported to a hospital as quickly as possible.” Paramedics worked quickly to prepare Brenda for transport and treat her injuries. She was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, where she was turned over to the emergency room staff. Among Brenda’s injuries was bleeding from her brain, a collapsed lung, broken ribs, and both spine and multiple pelvic fractures. Brenda would spend five days in the Nero ICU, unresponsive. On the Thursday after the crash occurred, she started waking up to the world around her again. Brenda was transferred to Glancy Rehabilitation Center, where she had to learn to walk, eat and talk all over again. She would stay at the center until May 10th, steadily improving while doing therapy for three hours a day. She

(L to R): Captain Scott Dakin, Lieutenant Keith Jarrett, FF Robert Solomon, FF Crosby Harbin, FF Chris Barron, Koen Vinson, Brenda Vinson, Battalion Chief Rob Nowakowski, FF John VanGotum, Lieutenant Jeremy Thayer and FF Mark Siegel. PROVIDED

is now back to work with a new outlook on life and thankful for the many people that worked together to save her life. On Tuesday, August 23rd, Brenda stopped by Barrow County Emergency Services Station-7 to thank the firefighters that all worked to save her. “I thank God for putting everyone in place to make everything work in my favor,” commented Brenda. “Everyone worked together to make a difference in my life. From the firefighters, to the staff at Gwinnett Medical and Glancy Rehab. I am forever grateful to God and all of them for the fact that I am alive and well and staying on this earth for now.” Everyone, from the communication officers who dispatched the call, to the firefighters on scene worked quickly and efficiently in

order to extricate Brenda and transport her to the hospital. “Having Brenda come by the station today meant a lot to us,” stated Captain Dakin. “We don’t often know the results of our efforts with patients. Knowing her condition and chances when we pulled her from the car, to how well she is now, is incredible.” “This type of call is what we all train hard for as crews,” commented Chief John Skinner. “We work together, train on the newest techniques, and stay up with the best possible patient care. Brenda’s life is a result of this training and care and I could not be prouder of the work these crews did. They all are a great example of the high quality personnel in our department that serve the citizens of Barrow County.” - SCOTT DAKIN

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