First Responders Update

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. It’s hard to believe it’s 2023. Seems like yesterday when we were all living in the pandemic bubble of 2020. It’s refreshing to start a new year with very little restrictions.

I was on a medical call recently where the patient had fallen the previous night. They didn’t want to call EMS because they felt it wasn’t necessary. This patient passed out, fell, and hit their head. I want to reiterate how important it is to go get checked out immediately if you pass out and hit your head. This is DEFINITELY a reason to call EMS.

Head injuries oftentimes are ignored because there isn’t any pain associated with the injury, or the patient doesn’t have visible signs of injury. Please be mindful that none of us can see what’s going on inside your head. The risks that come with a fall and head trauma warrant a hospital visit. You lose NOTHING by going to get evaluated.

That leads me to my same old song and dance about what EMS abuse is. Although I write about it almost every month, it’s an ongoing issue that I must address often. Please do not call EMS if it is NOT an emergency. The Skidaway Island First Responders are here to work with the on-island paramedic in emergency situations. We are not volunteering to be at the beck and call of people who need home healthcare or Primary Care Services.

 Many things are time sensitive and emergent. If you’re experiencing stroke symptoms, cardiac issues, or have suffered a fall with injuries, please do not ever hesitate to call EMS. Make sure you have one of our yellow medical cards filled out completely so that we can provide the best care possible. I suggest making copies of your yellow card and placing one in your car, golf cart, and purse/wallet. You never know where your emergency will happen.

As a reminder, if you see a car behind you with its hazard lights on and a flashing white light on the roof, it’s one of us trying to get to a medical call. All we ask is that you try and yield to us when you safely can, so that we can get to our destination in a timely manner. We know most of you do this already. That being said, many times we are behind someone who slows us down significantly. Please pay attention to your surroundings when driving.

 On those same lines, and as REDUNDANT as this is, PLEASE do not let your underaged children drive your golf cart; especially the ones who drive with toddlers/babies in their lap. It’s not only completely negligent as a parent, but also highly dangerous, and the results of an accident will most likely be catastrophic.

The Skidaway Island First Responders thank the community for the outpouring of donations we’ve received. It’s astounding to all of us to be on the receiving end of such selfless and kind gifts. We also appreciate the calls, texts, emails, and cards we receive praising us for what we do. Every single one of us are invested in this “job” and get so much out of what we do. Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember, we are a special community, and we should never take that for granted.