First Responders Update

I start my article this month with a huge thank you to Skidaway Island United Methodist Church! On Wednesday, September 11, they graciously opened their arms by inviting all fire and medical first responders (paid and volunteer) to an appreciation event.

We were honored with a delicious BBQ dinner and the most moving Service of Remembrance for 9/11, which included a prayer for First Responders and our nation. It was a very special evening, and much appreciated by all of us who serve this community.

Another BIG thank you goes to Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, who took time out of their busy day to deliver delicious snacks to our paid firefighters, Paramedics, and EMTs on September 11. It meant so much to all of them, and they are all still enjoying the goodies. We are very blessed to be the recipients of such kindness and appreciation!

If you’re like me, you get some anxiety during this time of year. Hurricane season can bring on stress, angst, worry, and for some, a great deal of fear. We got extremely lucky with this last event, and I want to mention a couple of things regarding preparation and evacuation.

The Skidaway Island First Responders work for YOU! We are here to help 24/7, 365 days a year. However, if there is a mandatory evacuation ordered, please keep in mind that because we are volunteers, we can leave as soon as we’d like.

I’ve always told my team that family and health come first. In most cases with a mandatory evacuation, most of the team leaves the island. Please keep that in mind when making your plans. We don’t want you to find yourself in a situation when you need emergency medical services, and we’ve all left the island.

That leads me to the next topic…SNAKES! After we have major storms, we see these squirmy creatures a lot more. Please be mindful when you’re cleaning up debris in your yard. Wear thick gloves, closed-toe shoes, long pants, and something other than shorts and flip flops when working in your yard. Snake bites are prevalent this time of year.

Please make sure you stop by The Landings Association and pick up the yellow medical cards so that all your medical history is properly documented. We’ve been on a dozen calls over the past two weeks where residents not only didn’t have them, they didn’t seem to know what we were talking about when asked for them. If you have them and they’re not up-to-date, please get new ones and provide current information.

In closing, I thank every single one of you who called, texted, emailed, or stopped me in the grocery store to address my last article. The positive feedback we’ve received is both humbling and gratifying. Although we know that most of you appreciate the services we provide, your outpouring of positivity made the unpleasant conversation that provoked my last article sting a lot less.

We are honored to be able to serve this beautiful community!