Longtime Decatur County EMS Director Larry Battle was honored at the county commission meeting Tuesday for his 29-years of service to the county’s EMS system.

Battle was awarded a certificate for his dedication to Decatur County’s EMS and given a flag that was flown over the U.S. capital for him on May 28 to recognize his four years of Air Force service and work in Decatur County.

His final day as EMS director was last Friday.

During the transition to Grady EMS over the next few months, the EMS building will be in the process of renovations and upgrades.

“They are busy down there at the EMS facility with a much needed and overdue renovation of the facility,” Decatur County Administrator Gary Breedlove said. “They’re making progress and stirring up a lot of dust.”

Breedlove said crews from the Decatur County prison were assisting in the renovations. Prison Warden Elijah McCoy has taken on the position of interim EMS Director in the wake of Battle’s retirement and is overseeing the renovation process.

“We have a long ways to go and a lot of work to do, but we’ll get there,” McCoy said, who last month estimated the renovations to be complete by July.

Next week, the Grady EMS team will be in Bainbridge Wednesday, Thursday and Friday performing interviews and screenings of personnel interested in being employed with Grady EMS.

“The Grady folks have been down sporadically,” Breedlove said. “They met with the 911 folks last week and stopped by my office last week also.”

The Decatur County Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 May 19 at a special called meeting to prepare a contract with Grady EMS of Atlanta to provide services to Decatur County. The board voted unanimously to enter into a contract agreement with Grady EMS later that month.