Decatur EMS has 12 new emergency first responders in Decatur and Brooks counties.

The group graduated last Saturday after a two-month course where they learned basic medical skills that will help them save lives throughout the community.

The responders are licensed through the national registry and are considered credentialed and trained professionals.

“They are right there in the community, and they will actually be able to respond to bad wrecks, or if somebody is in cardiac arrest,” said Randy Williams, Decatur EMS Director of Operations. “They are minutes away because they are embedded right there in the community. The more we can get first responders trained, the better off the residents in Brooks and Decatur county are going to be.”

The first responders are working with the fire department in some capacity, so they will have access to scanners to hear calls in their areas.

EMT worker David Cutchin was trainer for the Decatur County group, with James Earp handling the Brooks County group

“I trained them on recognizing shock, CPR, use of AED, just basic medical trauma, even childbirth,” Cutchin said. “It’s a basic class, but it still covers a lot of areas. Almost all emergency situations.”

Williams said the first responders classes are offered whenever enough interest is generated, and he will offer it again as soon as he sees that amount of interest.

“The more people we can do that with, the better off our communities are going to be,” Williams said. “Any community that has quality healthcare actually thrives and prospers in any kind of way, because people want to live in safe communities.”

One of the Decatur County graduates quickly had the opportunity to put his training to the test earlier this week when he heard a call for responders in his area.

“I got there, and he didn’t have a pulse,” Lucas Ladner said. “So I started CPR and shocked him, and he came back with a pulse.”

Williams added that he was pleased with the newest first responders in the field and said they make the job of saving lives easier for everyone.

“Our first responders are our life force,” he said. “We depend on them and value them, and they make our jobs so much easier. We couldn’t do a great job without them, bottom line.”

If you are interested in becoming a first responder, contact Decatur EMS headquarters at (229) 246-2867 and ask to speak to a supervisor or Williams.