First Responders Update

Happy New Year! I can hardly believe it’s almost 2022. I think we’d all agree that the Pandemic made most of us feel like we were living in an alternate reality. I, for one, am cautiously optimistic that 2022 will be a great year for everyone.

Although many of us are vaccinated for COVID-19, there are plenty who are not. We must remain vigilant about hand washing, wearing masks if you’re unvaccinated, and making sure we don’t fall back into our old ways of complacency when it comes to germs. We can’t forget that the flu, common cold, and the gamut of other viruses still lurk around us.

Recently, I was asked why I’m always writing about golf cart safety when it seems to fall on deaf ears. If I’m being transparent and 100% honest, my answer was abrasive and a little harsh. I write about what we as First Responders see a lot of on medical calls. I think what’s obvious to some is not obvious to many others. I know some of you who continue to abuse the laws of golf cart safety. Most probably don’t even read my articles. That’s quite ironic when I think about it!

I hope that with a new year and hopefully a kinder and more patient community, the ones who continue to allow their underage drivers to operate a golf cart or sit in their laps while driving will start understanding what the word community means. We are so truly blessed to live on Skidaway Island.

Drinking and driving seems to be on the upswing, too. We have been considerably lucky that no one has died due to vehicle/golf cart accidents. If you plan to go out on the island somewhere and drink, plan accordingly. I wrote about this last month, and I will continue to do so. There is no reason any of you should get behind the wheel of ANYTHING after consuming too much alcohol. Call someone. It’s that simple.

We frequently get calls for welfare checks. Simply put, a loved one or neighbor might be worried and call us to go by and check on their relative or friend. Someone might see newspapers piling up, notice a car hasn’t left in a few days, or even become concerned because a phone isn’t being answered. In the past, we’ve always responded along with Landings Security and our paramedic. Moving forward, for our safety and yours, we will wait for the police to make contact with a patient before we approach the house.

We ask that each of you yield to us when you see us driving behind you. We all have white flashing lights on our dash or roof of the car, and most of us use our hazard lights simultaneously. We don’t want to intimidate or put anyone at risk while heading to a medical emergency. However, we might be responding to an unconscious patient or someone in cardiac arrest. Minutes can save or take a life.

I congratulate Dave Canham, the recipient of the First Responder of the Year Award. He has worked tirelessly for our community and deserves this honor. I speak for our entire group when acknowledging the many contributions he’s made to Skidaway Island as both a firefighter (retired) and a medical First Responder. If you see Dave, make sure you congratulate him.

Thank you for your continued support for your Skidaway Island First Responders.