First Responders Update

We now have had a fatality from a golf cart accident. I’ve written about this topic more times than I’d like. It should never be lost on any of you how dangerous a golf cart can be. Please get yours equipped with seat belts, don’t let small children sit in your lap while driving, never allow your kids under 16 to operate one alone, and for heaven’s sake, quit saying a golf cart is not a vehicle. News flash: IT IS!

Reminder: Please put your contact information in The Landings Residential Directory. There have been countless times when we struggle to find a spouse in an extreme emergency. If the patient can’t give us many details other than their name, it hinders us from finding their emergency contact if we can’t cross reference a name and an address. It is my understanding that the deadline has passed for updates to directory listings in the 2025 Landings Residential Directory. However, the Association publishes an Addendum each year in July and is happy to record your updates now. Simply email ISC@landings.org and be sure to include you name(s), address, and up to two phone numbers.

Recently, I was asked if the Skidaway Island First Responders are back to business as usual. The short answer is yes. We have had to modify the way we operate because Chatham County will not allow us access to the application we used to have on our phones, which made what we do so much easier.

 It has been a huge learning curve, has left us kind of out in the dark, and definitely prevents us from being aware of the finite details of all EMS calls. Rest assured, we are working hard to make it work despite the changes. We are cautiously optimistic we will be able to have the application on our phones again in the future. I share this only so you know we are back, just with less information about the calls we are responding to.

Our goal is and always has been to assist the paid personnel on and off the island. We are getting notifications when a call for EMS drops and are responding when we are available. It looks much different than it did in the past mainly because of the way we are allowed to receive communication and because so many on our team retired or are on medical leave.

That leads me to my last topic. WE NEED people to join our team. We plan on having our next class in January. You do not need any medical background for this job. You will be trained appropriately and have hands-on experience to get out in the field and respond to medical emergencies. Please don’t be intimidated to become a volunteer first responder.

If you are interested in becoming a Skidaway Island First Responder, please contact Ann Van Winkle (asvanwinkle26@gmail.com or 912- 247-7361) for more information on our organization.

Thank you for your continued support and for all the love and encouragement you have shown us while we get back to business as usual.

Stay safe!